By Naomi Anderson, Entertainment Editor
A Quiet Place, directed by The Office star John Krasinski, follows a family of four that try to live a life in silence while hiding from monsters that hunt by sound. When I left the theater, my chest hurt from how much I held my breath.
The family, parents Lee (Krasinski) and Evelyn (Emily Blunt), use sign language to communicate with their kids, Marcus (Noah Jupe), and their deaf daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds).
A year after their youngest son Beau, (Cade Woodward), plays with a toy rocket ship given to him by Regan and attracts a monster that kills him, the family is surviving on its farm and is safe.
If they separate, they use lights outside when it’s dark to talk to each other. White means everything is okay, and red is danger.
The family has a soundproof room in the basement and markings on the floor so they walk in spots where the floor doesn’t creak. They wear no shoes and use sand for paths around their home to muffle their sounds. Regan, feeling guilty about Beau’s death, separates herself from her father, and Evelyn is in the final stages of her fourth pregnancy. Lee takes Marcus to the woods to teach him how to fish, and everything is fine until Evelyn goes into labor when she’s alone at the home.
I really enjoyed this movie. The acting was phenomenal, featuring a new actress I’ve never seen before. Blunt’s acting, especially while her character was in labor, is unbelievable. Marcus’ bravery is sweet.
Simmonds is a new face to me but she does not disappoint! She plays her stubborn but smart character very well and she has that face of fear that gives me goosebumps! Krasinski even said he wanted the character to be played by an actress who was actually deaf. According to a deaf journalist from Huffpost, “Many people in the deaf community (myself included) are cheering the film on, because it provides the hearing mainstream with even more exposure to what psychologist Harlan Lane calls the ‘Deaf-World’ and because it signals yet another media victory for the deaf community as it continues to try to re-center deaf identity with the idea of ‘Deaf Gain.’”
Krasinski’s character is so gentle and loving to his family, especially to his wife. He is determined and always has a plan ready, and he’s quick on his feet. This is a family I would stay with if monsters with ears for heads took over the world.
Not only does this movie make you feel like you’re breaking a law if you eat during it, but this movie has a beautiful message to it. It’s not only about surviving, but it’s also about the love they all have for each other and how far they’ll go to keep each other safe.
In January 2016, co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods began writing A Quiet Place. Krasinski read their script the following July, and the story of parents protecting their children attracted him. By March 2017, Paramount had bought Beck and Woods’s spec script. The studio hired Krasinski to rewrite the script and direct the film. Blunt read Krasinski’s draft and asked him if she could be in the film with him, and he agreed. Filming took place from May to November 2017 in Ulster and Dutchess in New York.
At press time, A Quiet Place had earned more than $162 million after spending several weeks at the top of the box office and with Rampage following close behind. This movie is a definite must-see and I give it a five out of five stars!