This is an unusual movie in the sense that if you are not interested in the subject matter, I'm not sure you will gain anything here. There is nothing fancy big budget tricks to sway you in a cinematic experience but what they did here is very clever and if you like movies that make you aware of a formerly unnoticed thing, check this one out.
I happen to enjoy the discussion of sound, music, patterns, and the unseen forces all around us. It is a very cerebral approach to something that we all never knew about: how the sounds around us might actually be affecting us. Talk about the elephant in the room!
Peter Sarsgaard plays a man (also named Peter) making a map of New York City based on the different sounds of the neighborhoods. He had his three handy tuning forks (which can be seen on the movie poste there) which he uses to determine the frequency of an area, then assigning a musical key to the area. He makes a living by "reading" people's apartments to determine the sound of the ambient rooms and then telling the occupants how they can best shape the frequencies in the room to create a more harmonious living space. He discusses the sounds of appliances and he has even created devices of his own to counterbalance other sounds. It is really a very interesting concept and there is a lot of exploring to do there but that is not what makes this movie so captivating.
Peter is trying to branch out with his abilities so he buddies up with a company that makes home products to help people relax by changing the smells and sounds of an environment, something Peter seems to immediately find tacky. And within conversations the world of Peters beliefs really open up. He does not believe that his "tool", his ability to confront the sounds of a space in a very unusual way, should be commercialized to the masses.
I'll leave the rest up for you to discover. A really great performance by Bruce Altman as Harold, the man trying to recruit Peter to work for the big company. And of course Peter Sarsgaard in as solid as a performance as we know him for.
Unfortunately I found the storyline with Rashida Jones' character Ellen to be really lacking in anything that provided a satisfying plot. Not to say she did a bad job just seemed like lazy writing to fill a full movie with, therefore her scenes really seemed uninspired. Also too many montages, I get it New York City is a beautiful symphony of sounds but once or twice is enough, more than that and i'm really not sure what I'm watching anymore. The somber piano soundtrack also was a little disheartening, lost the flow of the movie.
I know that is a lot of complaint for something I rated 7/10 but all the actors really did a great job and it is very clear that once the director got more than one actor in a scene together really, honestly, some movie magic happened and it was hard to look away let alone be uninterested in the concept of these sounds and rhythms guiding our days in ways that we could not be aware. This movie is clearly about the sounds that shape our lives and resonate in us creating the people we are but with each discussion of this I feel a deep underlying notion trying to be made that sound is just the factor that it is possible to be aware of. That is we notice the sound, if we stop and listen we will undoubtedly notice a dozen minor sounds happening around us all the time but just imagine what else is there pushing us in all directions...society is a maliable entity and it's because it's made up of individuals and we are, like, 60% water. What do you think resonates very easily through water? That's right, sound. So sound is the starting point. There is a pattern there and I think once we are able to resonate with it completely something truly good will come of it. Be aware, take notice, and, of course, thank the filmmakers for making a good movie here,
thanks
Add a Review
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popcolin15 September 2019
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melrosefilms-141-6619341 November 2020I liked the premise a lot. I was hooked from the start and was just expecting more from the writer. A character arc that goes somewhere. A human story behind the whole thing. A parallel between Ellen's anxiety and Peter's own quirkiness or past. Surely, there must be a skeleton in his closet, some weird stuff that happened to him as a child that got him so obsessed with sound. Alas, none of that materialized. The whole story turned into one big "B-FLAT." As flat as Kansas towards the end. Or maybe it was a bit too dark and low-key for me. However, I must say the premise of the film really piqued my interest and caused me to think. I actually have get stress from my apartment and always knew there was something that was causing it. This film opened my eyes and made me very self conscious of "sound" around me. Overall, it's a good flick.
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imseeg24 January 2021Not an action movie (pun intended), but a slowburning movie. Mysterious and mesmerizing story. Best served in a quiet and dark room, because this movies' photography and sound is as delicate as can be, with many scenes so dark, that it is barely visible what is happening, only further adding to the mesmerizing effect though...
The story: Peter Sarsgard plays an analyst of sounds, who has got a super sensitive ear and who helps people "tune" their homes, by removing certain dissonant sounds, until that day he isnt able to help one particular woman, played by Rashida Jones. What is going on inside Rashida Jones' house?
The good: the acting is great. The sound effects are mesmerizing. The story (terrific climax at the end) is wonderfully delicate, mysterious and (again!) mesmerizing.
Any bad? It's quite a dark and moody slowburning movie, almost depressing in nature, therefore not suited for the impatient or happy go lucky. However this movie is highly recommended for the art house movie fans of subtle and dark, mysterious stories, provided one darkens it's room before watching it, because of the very dark lighting techniques one often cant see very well what is happening on screen.
This movie needs to be heard as much as it needs to be seen. Terrific soundtrack. Using headphones quite effectively enhanced the claustrophobic, mysterious effect this movie had on me!
End note: if you liked this movies theme and spirit, you must try out the brilliant classic movie "The Conversation", directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It has got an almost similar theme, but it is much more intense and suspenseful... -
One interesting effect of watching this film was that I kept wondering, "Is this a real story?" There's a feeling of accompanying the characters completely, like when watching real-time documentary footage. So I give The Sound of Silence big props for achieving utter non-contrivance. There's funky feel to the character tensions that's reminiscent of Beautiful Mind.
I personally love the premise and the resolution, though these get somewhat lost to the intensity of the city setting. On the other hand, that same setting makes the "bad guy" (commercial development) more ominous, so ultimately the setting is a fine choice.
It is indeed a slow film, but what it suffers from more are some confusing editing and scene choices that muddy the characters and story a bit. -
suripat15 October 2019I liked this movie. It's different and unexpected, despite a bit slow. I liked the way it ends, graciously. Go watch it!
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natcalgary18 September 2019People mention the dark colors and busy any working people and dreary weather of NY... well guess what, that is exactly what the movie was going for,
This was a unique movie which won't entertain the masses but will def. entertain those looking for a unique movie about something that is real.
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MovieIQTest14 September 2019The "House Tuner" may sound cool as a new promising occupation, but this movie actually didn't open a new territory or new phase. It only gave you an either dark cloudy low cast New York or gave you a dim, dark home office of this guy's apartment. The camera purposely used certain darkened, tinted lens to emphasize the dreary conditions living in the big city. City noises are everywhere, inescapable, all the man-made sounds were so random, so abrupt, so unpredictable, like some most pieces composed by the crazy Igor Stravinsky. But at least this guy used music instruments to create those crazy, unpredictable scores. But in the big city, all the noises, the sounds are all man-made mechanical craps, there's no way you can decide any part of the city is in B minor or whatever. The city noises created by traffic or other things if coming afar, it usually is called "white noise". Appliances at home if plugged, the electricity circuit would definitely cause noises.
When this guy pointed out that the female client's depression, all-day-night-feeling-tired, or whatever was coming from her toaster, I just couldn't help myself. Are you serious?! Yo, she's too lonely, okay? Her job was too boring, okay? And this certified male loner would have declare her problem was from a toaster? Jesus.....There's nothing wrong with her, all she needed was a man, a romance, a lover, a man slept next to her at night, regular sex, then she'd be automatically rejuvenated and happier. It absolutely got nothing to do with the toaster, Okay?!
What we saw in this movie were: The New York weather were constantly cloudy and chill, the city noises were so loud, abrupt and constant. Most people in New York were not happy but like working ants. Everybody lived in a quite dark apartment. Nobody wore bright colors but dark clothes. Everything and everybody looked so depressed. There's no way to solve this big city phobia, the only way to escape is smoking pot, drink hard liquor or chain smoking. House tune? Save it, man. -
sardeenz17 September 2019I would recommend seeing this. It's very interesting, kinda funny and weird, but pleasant. I know a lot of people who always feel exhausted by modern life. I could parallel lots of the sonic issues with those of modern day wifi and wireless radiation that is probably affecting us more than we know. Whatever, it was a fun and interesting flick and we really enjoyed it. Acting and editing and sound were great. I would have liked to see more about the romance and would love to hear from the other academics in the movie if they thought the main character was nuts or legit. I may have to watch this one again to gain more insight. It's solid.
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This has an exciting premise at first but the movie was very slow and the ending was terrible. I love Peter sarsgaard but this was a depressing movie.
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banzanbon29 December 2019The storyline and topic intrigued me and knew going in that it would likely be something of a "cerebral" exercise.
From the get-go I was really put off by the cinematography and lighting. It's a film with painfully muted colors and lighting, which I suppose in some throwaway lofty way, is meant to match the mood. But rather than keep you interested, it takes away from what patience you would want to lend to it.
Then there's the mood and emotional quality of the film, which when added to the nebulous visuals, REALLY makes the whole thing drag.
The acting too, goes right along with the mood and visuals, conspiring to bore you to sleep.
Then the topic, though interesting is handled in such a shapeless and almost ultra-highbrow way that it just makes it all together not worth the time and effort this film demands of the viewer. -
mtmsocial19 October 2019This was such a beautiful movie. The more I think about it the more I love it. There were so many layers that you don't even realize them all while you're watching it that make it so deep and beautiful. Peter Sarsgaard was seriously created for this part & Rashida Jones spoke so freely & honestly throughout that I couldn't help but feel empathetic in every one of her scenes. Can't wait to recommend this movie to all my film lover friends!
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ferguson-613 September 2019Greetings again from the darkness. "Turn that down!" Those are words we all hear when growing up and then repeat as our own kids come of age. Noise pollution rarely receives the same attention as that of air or water, and most of us are startled when we find ourselves out in the country - an environment lacking the everyday electronic, power cell, and human-generated noises we have come to accept and ignore. Director Michael Tyburkski and his co-writer Ben Nabors have expanded their 2013 short film PALIMPSEST to feature length, so that we might hear their point.
Peter Sarsgaard stars as Peter Lucian, a so-called "house-tuner". Peter has turned his life's work into an occupation where he visits his clients' homes and identifies the imbalances and problem areas caused by sound. For example, his clients may have relationship issues or experience exhaustion from poor sleep. Peter uses his exceptional hearing and experience to identify an 'out-of-tune' radiator or buzzing toaster, with the expectation of improving the clients' daily life. The premise is actually quite fascinating, especially for the city dwellers of New York City ... a place Peter has meticulously plotted and charted sounds on a map over the years.
And yes, you are correct. Peter is a bit lonely and isolated from society. His interactions are exceedingly low-key and mundane, though it's quite obvious in the early scenes that he take immense pride and pleasure from his work. Well that is, until he can't seem to solve new client Ellen's (Rashida Jones) issue. These first few scenes are the best the film has to offer. The additional scenes with Peter and Ellen seem forced, almost formulaic, as it slips into possible relationship mode for two people who don't seem comfortable at all in the world. The other piece of this puzzle has to do with Peter's quest for acceptance by the scientific community, specifically his mentor Robert Feinway (the always fun Austin Pendleton). Tony Revolori (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL) plays Peter's assistant Samuel Diaz, and screen veteran Bruce Altman plays an investor who wants to monetize Peter's work.
"Silence is not empty, but immeasurably full." It's this type of philosophy that the filmmakers use to add weight to Peter's work. They keep us guessing as to whether he is a bit of a Savant ... or more of a crackpot. It's a high concept and ambitious idea accompanied by sound design that provides a constant tone/ringing that is sometimes faint, and sometimes prevalent. More of Peter's early sound detective work would have proved more interesting, but you'll likely find yourself a bit more attuned to the sounds around you after watching. -
westsideschl21 July 2021Great for tuning fork lovers. Interesting at first, but I slowly got tuned out.
Do toasters emit a resonant hum even when turned off that alters one's mood?
Anyway, the real source of background sound dissonance is vehicle, airplane & human created sounds all of which were somehow missed. -
gemfesty15 September 2019So many reviews criticising the legitimacy of his profession? If you had of watched it till the end you will have realised he was unwell (and his work having no scientific merit). This a great movie about two people struggling with mental health issues who help each other find wellness. The films content about sound is fascinating and highly entertaining... but not really the point.
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Everything is on point here - the cast, the direction, the script, the lighting and look of the film, and its core exploration of an obsession "house tuner" and his unique profession. The film is a true gem that raises questions about whether or not the main character and his research is the real deal or sudo-science. And like all great film - it doesn't provide easy answers, rather it makes you think.
Well done. Look forward to the writer and director's next project. -
jleefs30 September 2019Anything that can truly surprise and delight me without being shocking or overt is what I consider worthy art, these days.
I loved the experience of watching this film. I felt deeply engaged in the characters, their feelings, their observations, and I went along with them through this world of sound and the desperation to "fine-tune" ourselves to our environments, or vice-versa, in the attempt to feel better or to feel more...
I found the sentiment deeply relatable while the characters were quirky and beautiful in a very believable way.
My favorite moment is the city silhouetted in silence by the storm. -
fentress14 July 2020Once in a while a movie comes along where you know you like it, yet you're hesitant to recommend it to other people. You think it's great, but you can see where others could find it hard to get absorbed in. This is one of those.
The main character of this movie is an expert in sound, and he has his own novel theories on how sound in the environment molds human behavior. It's what this guy lives for. He's a deeply introverted guy who apparently does nothing else in his life.
This movie is slow, quiet, cerebral, and beautifully understated. I could easily see typical viewers getting maybe 30 minutes in and bailing out, because as they might perceive it nothing much is happening.
That's where they would be wrong. In fact, the sound expert character of this movie is about to undergo a series of events that will change his world forever. And yet, if you the viewer don't pay attention, you'll miss it. It's that subtle.
I can relate to this guy. I have strong feelings about sound in the environment myself, although in a somewhat different way. Often when I go into a Home Depot store or such, I wear ear plugs. It's not the general hubbub of noise that bothers me. It's the pop music these places play on their sound systems. I hate the way these retailers assume that that's what I want. I just want to buy some hardware (or groceries, or clothing, or car parts, or whatever the retailer in question sells). I don't need to do my shopping in a disco!
Bottom line, if you're hoping to find an exciting action movie or a broad laugh-out-loud comedy, then this movie isn't going to do it for you. But if you're cerebrally adventurous, if you have the sensitivity to appreciate a quietly great film, you'll be rewarded. -
mateoblumer-2828615 September 2019In our hurried and overwhelmed lives, this film is a much-needed exploration of the art of subtlety. The film speaks volumes in the tense moments following intentionally-awkward dialogue; it conveys social commentary without any mention. To be celebrated for its own distinction.
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splinterdream6 February 2020Absolutely amazing movie, so many reviewers here just didn't get it. I'd suggest watching it again, beautiful script, acting, soundtrack, I loved it.
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henrycoles99 January 2020To the best of my knowledge, the protagonist of this movie sounds like a total crackpot but the whole movie is a mellifluous zen garden. It was so beautiful to watch and listen to.
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user-797-8263972 October 2019Kind of boring and slow pace for the major of people, but will leave to contact a reality that could of some vality. didn't the kind no conclusion and lack of linearity of history. But so different and intrig, that you will love this movie.
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I luv this film - it's not a BIG film - it's what it is and charmingly not pretentious.
Peter Sarsgaard - who is always dark, stays just this side of the line of creepy - and Rashida Jones both play their roles with understated authenticity - subdued, graceful.
Rashida in particular is always so sincere and "real" in her performances, it actually saves the concept of the film from being too distractedly abstract conceptually. (Just random, but Jones is for real pregnant in the film so it's sort of fun to see how the camera work and costuming are effected to underplay that.)
The film tends to be, imo, a tad too under-lighted and monotone - no pun intended - but I get that directorial choice and overall it blends well with the storyline and the way Sarsgaard and Jones have chosen to present their characters.
However, the cinematography is quite well done with a number of "photographic" moments that are quite beautiful to look at in and of themselves - e.g. Interior business office shots looking through glass doors w. A static horizontal patterning ornamentation, or a train going thru a bridge with the bridge scaffolding as the static foreground.
Interestingly, the sound scoring is unremarkable - I don't think the editorial team optimized the various tonalities of the tuning forks that could have been better emphasized.
So, bottom line, it's a well-done work and an interesting thing to watch evolve thru it's story line.
I liked it. :-) -
tatianaatati10 September 2020There is no beautiful picture in this movie, but there are so many sounds and senses and I did not want this film to finish.