Soft & Quiet

It's hard to review a movie like "Soft & Quiet" (and what a misnomer that title is). It's well made, well acted, involving, has some effective moments... but it is not in the least enjoyable. It's not a pleasant experience to sit through it. If we're rating it for its effectiveness at what it sets out to do, it gets high marks. If we're rating the experience of watching it for most people, who want to be entertained at the movies, we feel like we have to warn them. Most people will hate it and feel like they wasted their time sitting through it.

I know that there is an audience for challenging material like this. I know because I'm part of said audience. For people like us, I give the movie a seven for being well-made, moderately involving, and effective, even though the most effective moment is horrible to watch.

I don't score it higher than seven because I don't think I'll be thinking about the movie for much longer. It feels more like an effectively nasty little shocker than a strong statement about the world, despite allegedly being inspired by media coverage of race-related crime.

The initial fifteen minutes of the film managed to capture my interest, presenting a premise that seemed promising. However, as the movie progressed, it quickly lost any sense of tension and fell into a predictable pattern that felt more like propaganda than genuine storytelling. What kept it somewhat engaging was the novelty factor, though this was short-lived as it soon became clear that the film struggled with relatability. Interestingly, the narrative seemed to lean heavily on a male character as the sole voice of reason, which felt rather one-dimensional. The performances came across as hurried, lacking depth and nuance, and the script itself left much to be desired, riddled with clichés and lacking in substance. It was evident that the film aimed to convey a specific message, but the approach felt heavy-handed, undermining any potential for a nuanced or impactful discussion. In summary, while the film started with a spark of intrigue, it quickly devolved into a disappointing endeavor that failed to deliver a compelling or thought-provoking experience.

From a story perspective, this movie has a lot of surprises that you don't want to ruin by reading about it before watching. On the other hand, you should probably have some idea of what you're getting into, especially if you need to avoid certain triggers. This movie gets pretty messed up, and it is filmed in a way that is meant to immerse you in the situation as much as possible: it appears to unfold in a single, unbroken take (said to actually be four takes, which is still impressive) with a you-are-there positioning of the camera. It gets a little shaky at times, but it's not found footage--it's more like the camera feels what the characters feel, such as the motion of a car. One thing I will mention is that I turned this movie on when I was almost ready to fall asleep, but once it started, I didn't look away. It can be tricky sometimes trying to decide to see a movie that has been labeled "disturbing." Sometimes it may end up not bothering you too much, other times you end up with images you never wanted in your head. You'll have to follow your own instincts, I guess. For me, Soft and Quiet had some tough stuff in it, but it ended up being a unique experience that was worth the risk.

Wow. This is one of those genuine cases of the less you know going in, the harder the film is going to hit. Everything seems normal until along comes - a shot of a pie. And nothing is the same from there out. This was a tough watch but also a really enjoyable one.

The whole film is shot as a continuous tracking shot, similar to Sam Mendes' '1917'. I understand that the films aren't actually shot this way but it doesn't bother me. I love the raw nature it provides the film.

I find this kind of movie infinitely more scary than any ghost or monster movie. These are the real horrors of the world. These are the things you need to be genuinely scared of.

This one is heavy, tense and often a very uneasy watch. But it is a great case of getting every last drop out of a limited budget and producing a highly memorable movie that will stick with people long after the credits roll. 9/10.

A group of ladies is convened, they all have a common theme, disgruntled you could say, pure vitriol they spray, feel as if they've been let down, these diverse days make them frown, they don't have a lot to ask, from behind their hateful mask, so they're going to drop an anchor, that will make you grate with rancour, leave you stunned and disbelieving, as your eyebrows hit the ceiling, you may know people like this, living life in an abyss, a soft and quiet outer shell, but inside under a spell.

You probably haven't seen anything like this, top marks for individuality and the ability to get you shouting at the screen as you witness what you hope is full fat fiction but you know there are those who harbour these convictions.