A hard-charging Boston police detective suffers catastrophic hearing loss on duty, but still has the badass chops to battle ruthless criminals in a Die Hard-esque scenario. The Silent Hour is a taut and lean thriller from director Brad Anderson (The Machinist, Session 9) with a fantastic plot hook that's cleverly executed throughout. The protagonists are hearing impaired. They must work together to survive while being hunted in a maze-like deathtrap. Swedish star Joel Kinnaman is a proven action hero. He shows his considerable dramatic range, portraying a man struggling with a disability but learning to adapt at literal gunpoint.
Frank Shaw (Joel Kinnaman) listens to swinging jazz music as he gets ready for work. He sips coffee on his balcony and takes in the Boston skyline. Frank closes his eyes and listens to the bustling city with his discerning ear. He has just bought his teenage daughter Sam (Katrina Lupi) a guitar for her birthday. Frank can't wait to listen to her play. He grabs his badge and gun to meet Doug Slater (Mark Strong), a dear friend and longtime police partner.
Doug warns Frank to tune down his cowboy antics. They're walking into a dangerous situation without backup. Doug's worries are fully realized when Frank quickly engages a suspect. A chase ensues with bullets flying, but it's not a gun that severely injures Frank. He lies on the street with blood pouring out of his right ear.
The Silent Hour Smartly Uses Sound (or the Lack Thereof) to Ratchet Up Suspense
The Silent Hour is directed by Brad Anderson and follows a hearing-impaired police detective who must protect a deaf murder witness from a group of criminals in her apartment building while working as an interpreter on the case.
- Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Cast
- Joel Kinnaman , Sandra Mae Frank , Mark Strong , Mekhi Phifer , Michael Eklund , Anthony Grant , Jonathan Koensgen , Mike Parish , Seán James Sutton , Djinda Kane , Jamaal Grant , Matthew Camilleri , Chris Dingli , Shane Rowe , Anselmo DeSousa , Marko Nikolic , Becky Camilleri
- Runtime
- 95 Minutes
- Writers
- Dan Hall
- A great concept and smart script is expertly used by director Brad Anderson.
- Joel Kinnaman, Sandra Mae Frank, and Mekhi Phifer are all wonderful.
- The film's setting is great and facilitates some serious suspense.
- A plot twist is pretty obvious, and you need to suspend your disbelief throughout.
Almost a year later, Frank's life has changed significantly. He wears hearing aids but struggles to use them. Loud noises are disorienting and cause blinding headaches. Sam begs her father to practice his sign language. Frank must accept the fact that he'll soon lose his hearing and fully become a member of the late deafened community (people who aren't born deaf but become deaf). Frank perks up a little when Doug gives him a chance to escape desk duty. A deaf woman, Ava Fremont (an excellent Sandra Mae Frank), witnessed a pair of cold-blooded murders. She needs to be interviewed immediately, but they can't find an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter in time.
Screenwriter Dan Hall gets top marks for his sharp script. The rub is that the baddies know that Ava saw their evil deeds and how to find her. That gets explained in a riveting second act loaded with twists. The plot also thickens with the primary setting's introduction. Ava's about to be evicted from an apartment building that's nearly vacant and undergoing major renovations. She's one of the last tenants in a haunting high-rise. Frank and Doug are walking into a box with easily covered exits.
8:38
The Silent Hour Director Dishes on His Action Movie & Its Focus on the Deaf Community
Brad Anderson (The Machinist) discusses his killer new action movie with Joel Kinnaman and his upcoming film from George Romero's last script.
Sound is integral to The Silent Hour's premise. The audience hears from Frank's perspective, and you quickly understand his difficulties and frustration. Frank's very basic ASL proficiency makes his interaction with Ava problematic. She can't be erratic or speedy with her signing. Confusion means certain doom. They have to think clearly and operate as a team to navigate around enemies and the building. Your pulse will quicken as they attempt to hide but don't realize their pursuers are in the next room. The cat-and-mouse aspect of the film is slickly done.
The Excellent Joel Kinnaman & Sandra Mae Frank Need Sign Language to Survive
Kinnaman is nuanced and compelling in a strong lead performance. There's never a doubt he can handle himself in a fight. It's his extreme disappointment, fear, and difficulty dealing with hearing loss that's most distressing. The thought of no longer being able to hear his daughter play music wounds him deeply. Frank loses his identity as a cop and a father. Saving Ava shows that he hasn't lost his purpose or become anything less than before. He's the same man with an extra hurdle that can be managed. Kinnaman has a knack for humanizing action heroes. He couldn't speak in John Woo's Silent Night, and can't hear in this film. Could a blind actioner be next?
9:30
Joel Kinnaman Reflects on Playing a Late Deafened Action Hero in The Silent Hour
Underrated action king Joel Kinnaman discusses his excellent new thriller The Silent Hour, from the director of The Machinist.
The Silent Hour has Die Hard tenets, but Frank isn't John McClane shredding terrorists as an invincible killing machine in bare feet. A pleasant surprise is the lack of body count. There's a note of realism to the violence. The gunplay and fighting aren't highly choreographed. Frank and Ava are doing their best to avoid confrontation. They're outnumbered and would be easily killed trying to actively engage their pursuers.
Mekhi Phifer Makes a Great Villain in a Film That Requires Some Suspension of Disbelief
Conversely, the antagonists aren't inept cannon fodder. Mekhi Phifer nearly steals the show as a smart villain contending with escalating levels of annoyance. What should have been an easy hit transforms into a messy situation. He knows they can only keep the building locked down for so long.
The Silent Hour does require willing suspension of disbelief. The biggest reveal is obvious from the first act. There are also some simple things Frank could have done to attract outside attention and solve their dilemma quickly. Frank and Ava are easy to root for, though, and the suspense is wonderfully executed. There's no fun in overthinking a film that's solidly entertaining with a great hook.
The Silent Hour is a production of AGC Studios and Meridian Pictures. It will have a concurrent VOD and theatrical release from Republic Pictures on October 11th. You can check out a clip from the film below.
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