From the performances to the moving screenplay and the heartfelt beats of singing, there’s a lot to appreciate about Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound. Josh O’Connor and Paul Mescal deliver gorgeously moving performances every time they’re on screen, making the entire film a wholeheartedly vulnerable showcase of humanity. The pacing and overall tone, however, are an unfortunate hindrance that stops the film from being something truly sensational.
Pacing is always a tricky thing to criticize because what works for some people isn’t guaranteed to work for others. It also bears noting that even while it feels like parts of the film are too slow, it’s still thoroughly intriguing and easy to watch. O’Connor and Mescal ensure that viewers care enough about the characters to keep going, even as we’re simultaneously looking at the clock.
A large part of the reason The History of Sound stands out is that there’s a tenderness threading the entire film together. There’s warmth in every gaze and smile. There’s a delicacy in the somber heartache that touches on how fragile humanity is, making the entire thing achingly heartbreaking.
In addition, music naturally plays an enormous role in the film, and as a driving force of the plot, parts of the silence are elevated by the sound of instrumentals. Someone who understands music better can put the emotions into more eloquent words, but music really encompasses something different for so many of us that there’s no true way to define what those emotions evoke.
Still, ultimately, The History of Sound doesn’t have a happy ending, and it’s understandable given the time period, but a film like this could’ve been so extraordinary if it had left us with hope in the end. A real, tangible beat of hope. Sadly, that’s not what the film is about, but rather a recollection of how one person can change your life for the better. How they can mold and carve a space so intimate in your heart that no matter how many years pass or how many people cross your path, no one manages to come close. No one touches that space again.
It bears repeating yet again that it’s the performances that make the film worth watching. Too many people are sad today and want something happier in their fiction. People want joy in a way that they can frequently revisit. The History of Sound leaves a mark with its performances, but the heartbreak sours the sentiments. It makes the melancholy too loud, too dark, and too sad. If you’re in the market for something lighthearted, this film isn’t it. But if you want an account for how memories fuel a person’s future, then it’s phenomenal. More than anything, the performances prove that these actors are some of the best in our generation.
There’s a monologue toward the end that perfectly encapsulates what music is, why it matters, and how it leaves a mark on human beings. It wraps up the film with a profound showcase of how love can last when it’s real, raw, and achingly all-encompassing.
The History of Sound is now playing in select theaters.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Mubi