FilmSnobReviews

Title: Silence
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson
Runtime: 2 hr 41 mins

What It Is: Based on the novel by Shûsaku Endô this story tells of two 17th century Jesuit priests (Garfield and Driver) from Portugal who must travel to Japan to find their lost mentor Father Ferreira (Neeson). Japan at this time, however, was less than inviting to those of the Christian faith. They were prosecuted and those that refused to deny their lord in front of the eyes of the sinister Inquisitor Inoue (Issei Ogata) were punished with torture and death. Now, these two will have to traverse Japan and avoid this prosecution.

What We Think: Scorsese really needs to speak to some new editors. This film is way too long. There are several spots in which it drags immensely. Granted Scorsese gets absolutely tremendous work out of both Driver and Garfield but it is at the expense of the audience’s patience. In particular, there’s a scene that should be filled to the brim with tension but is instead left flat that’s just because nothing really happened before that. Still watching a film directed by a master is always a thrill. His love for the source material is evident and his understanding of it even more so.

Our Grade: B-, Quite the marathon to get through nothing can truly take away from the grand beauty of Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography for which he was nominated for an Oscar. Scorsese is still killing it, and with his next film, The Irishman set to be released on Netflix it could prove to be a banner year for the master. See the film because it is a beauty, despite its length. See the film because Scorsese has earned our trust in him. It’s a film he’s wanted to make for 20 plus years that to me is enough to recommend this. The fact that it is a pretty good piece of cinema all but stamps it.