The new thriller/drama Silence & Darkness is the perfect getaway movie if you are looking to snuggle, cozy up and enjoy a mindless and restful evening. Though I enjoyed the film and the theme, what it lacked was a well-developed plot, character development and a storyline. The story moved way too slow for a thriller and lost my interest because of that at times. I stuck around till the end of the film for the great acting of the two sisters played by Mina Walkin and Joan Glockin, as well as the incredibly beautiful forest setting. If anything, it made me dream away to the beautiful land of Vermont and its breathtaking scenery. I adored the wooden, huge, gorgeous house where the setting took place. I was looking at my dream house and my dream setting but in a sick, twisted plot that never fully developed. I waited to see if it will all make better sense at the end, but only left me asking more questions and unsettled with answers. I would like to see a follow up movie that would show the back stories of the characters and their lives better, than the way the film left them hanging at the end.
Even though Silence & Darkness was a nice try, the film was just not there just yet. It needed a much faster story paste, better character development, more mystery, excitement and a backstory. It was just all too boring to follow the way it was done. A lot of questions were still not answered by the end of the film leaving the viewer unsatisfied. I loved the fact that two blind and deaf sisters had an unbreakable bond and were inseparable, but the father figure (played by Jordan Lage) remained a confusing and not well-developed character throughout the story. His dark and sinister, sick nature and motives were intertwined with his "sick ways" to show his love for his daughters. He was a multi-dimensional character that could have been explored more, as well as his past that lead to him becoming that way. I found the communication between the sisters to be hard to follow as well. Something was missing in connecting the dots between the characters and their motives. I wanted to see a thriller that is exciting, unpredictable and grabbed me by the throat. Instead, it was predictable, unexciting and dragging an undeveloped story. Thanks to the amazing work of the cinematographer I stuck to the end to see those glorious sunsets, green forests and peaceful bliss of my dreamland Vermont.
About Silence & Darkness:
After the death of their mother, blind and deaf sisters Anna and Beth live happily in a secluded small town with Father. However, when a neighbor stops by, Anna and Beth begin to question Father’s medical diagnoses and start to realize his intentions are more sinister than they could have imagined.
The film is written and directed by Barak Barkan. It is his debut film.
The film is available on VOD/Digital in the U.S. and Canada on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, as well as Direct TV, Dish Network, Vubiquity, and Deluxe Canada.
