Trapped in Silence

I thought it was pretty good! and I am not saying that because I was there ;) In a small town Wingdale, NY a made for TV movie was being filmed. Using a closed psychiatric center (Harlem Valley Psychiatric center). They were calling for extras so I said what the heck and went down, signed up and was accepted as an extra.

I spent about a week on the set with Kiefer Sutherland and the rest of the cast. This was the first time I ever heard of Kiefer, but I knew his fathers fame (animal house, body snatchers etc...). I hung around with Keifer, he was really a down to earth guy, pulling wheelies on the wheelchairs etc... I made sure I had a photo snapped of me and him! While I was there, many of the people on the set said "Keifer is going to be big star, bigger then his father" Now here it is many years later and they were right! he has become a big star.

Never before have I seen a film so resolutely pessimistic and relentlessly optimistic. That is not a strength. The story suggests darkness, coldness, pain. This is appropriate. The director and composer, however, insist on interjecting lightness at possibly the least believable intersections. It's not that Michael Tuchner's direction is necessarily bad - he allows Kiefer Sutherland to give one of the best performances of his career - but he can't or won't decide which kind of film he wants to make.

Sutherland is what makes this work. Sure, Ron Silver is good, Marsha Mason, too. But these are expected performances, by-the-book characterizations. Kiefer Sutherland is the only reason you'd really want to see this. The scenes that are completely given over to him, his illness, the inner workings of his mind - these are the moments when "Trapped in Silence" takes you in on a deeper level.

In the end, you can feel the limitations of the format. The TV movie feel gets tiresome once you realize it prevents a certain level of ferocity that might otherwise be present. Still, it's a good story, and it feels real enough. Definitely worth it for early Sutherland.

I recently won this film at an eBay auction, and I finally got it in the mail this past Tuesday. I watched it last night, and oh my God, Kiefer was nothing short of amazing in this film. As someone else on a message board for Kiefer so eloquently put it: "The earliest example of a Kiefer performance transcending its vehicle." Everyone else seemed as though they were just reading, as though they'd just memorized their lines without giving them much thought. But not Kiefer. You can just tell that he put so much thought into the delivery of every word, every sentence, every flinch of his body. All of it blends together so seamlessly and creates this character that Kiefer completely disappears behind (just like he did with Roy in Behind the Red Door). You watch this movie and you don't see Kiefer. You see Kevin. And you know he made an impression on the people around him, because when Kevin finally opens up and tells Jenny what happened to his sister, Marsha Mason is really crying (as was I) and her performance gets better because of him. What boggles the mind most (well, mine anyway) is that he was SO young when he made this movie. He was 20, right? As Melia said "So young and so talented". I think that if I ever went into acting, and I had the honor of working with him (because that's exactly what it would be: an honor), I'd want to ask him what it is he does that enables him to disappear into roles like that (but knowing me, I wouldn't, 'cause I'd either be too klunked out or too chicken! LOL!). In any event, this movie has quickly become one of my favorite Kiefer films, and for his performance alone, it was well worth the price I paid.

Never viewed this film and was completely surprised at the great performance Kiefer Sutherland,(Kevin Richter),"24" TV Series, gave as a very mentally disturbed young man around 17 years of age. Kevin Richter just sits on the floor under tables, chairs and does not speak to anyone. Marsh Mason,(Jennifer Hubbell), is a specialist in mental disorders and is chosen to take on this case, which all the doctors in the hospital think is completely hopeless and a big waste of time. Jennifer Hubbell tries to obtain medical records and personnel files concerning this very troubled young man and goes around completely in circles. There are days when Kevin improves and other times when he completely goes out of control. There is a scene where Jennifer tries to bring Kevin to a Pizza shop and he hides under the table and I need not tell you anymore. If you like Kiefer Sutherland, please do not miss this film.

I think the title of this piece says it all. It is a wonderful piece of film which never fails to make me reach for a tissue. I think it could well be one of Keifer Sutherland's better performances. A definate one to watch!!