Silence (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Martin Scorsese has never been one to shy away from controversial subjects. i.e., his 1988 film, The Last Temptation of Christ, which tackled Jesus' commitment to his cause - a film that dealt with issues of faith. And faith is a topic that Scorsese is exploring again in this 160 min. religious epic, 'Silence' (based on a novel by Shusaku Endo), which he's been trying to make for some 30 yrs. The film opens in the early 1600s and introduces us to two Portuguese Jesuit priests, Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) & Garrpe (Adam Driver), who receive a letter from their mentor, Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson), who - while preaching Christianity in Japan - has supposedly renounced his faith & adapted a Japanese lifestyle. Rodrigues & Garrpe can't believe it: how could their leader betray them & God? Rodrigues & Garrpe insist on traveling to Shogunate Japan to discover the truth. And so begins the trek to Japan, where they quickly take on more than they bargained for.
At this point in Japan's history, Christians (outsiders & Japanese) are being hunted & persecuted. So while waiting on word of Ferreira, they decide to help some frightened hillside peasant believers by holding nighttime masses, baptisms, & confessions ... all in complete secrecy. Even owning a tiny crucifix could get you killed. They're welcomed by these locals - including a slippery Kichijiro (Yosuke Kubozuka) - as a sign that God has not abandoned them. But danger strikes. Our 2 priests eventually separate to different towns. And after journeying inland, Rodrigues comes to the sobering realization that the idea of faith is not so simple; 'belief' can take on many forms. In the 1600s, the Japanese scorn, humiliate, & punish by boiling, crucifying, even beheading practicing Catholics. Do the Japanese Catholics deserve this? Of course not. But are the priests arrogant {as described by The Interpreter, played by Tadanobu Asano} in their assumptions? Perhaps.
After Rodrigues is captured, Inquisitor Isoue (Issei Ogata) tells him over & over again that all he has to do is publicly renounce his faith by stepping on a stone emblem of Jesus, & there will be no further abuse of his fellow Catholic prisoners. As Rodrigues fiercely (and stubbornly) clings to his beliefs, he is forced to watch as The Inquisitor & his underlings torture/kill civilians who've converted to Catholicism. You'd think that God would want Rodrigues to bite the bullet & step on the stone, but for a Jesuit priest in that time & place, and under those intense circumstances, it's an excruciatingly painful choice for him to make. And Rodrigues wonders why, in the face of so much viciousness & misery, are his prayers not answered -- why is God silent? When Ferreira finally appears & we learn the truth about where he's been, it further serves this film's central theme about the conflict btwn. adhering to one's beliefs & doing the right thing on a more practical level.
'Silence' is long, methodically-paced, a bit unwieldy, & a bit gory. But it's also thought-provoking, masterfully directed, & magnificently crafted. It's been a long, long time since we've seen a film like 'Silence': old Hollywood grandeur combined with existential, religious soul-searching. Even cinephiles/film purists would find it difficult to recall a film quite like this -- it's pretty special. The 1st half of the film is intriguing enough (journeying to find Ferreira & aiding the Japanese Christians in secret). But it's in the 2nd half where the film gets even richer. We see how Rodrigues' doubts start to grow; doubts in his prayers, doubts about Father Ferreira, & doubts about 'doing the right thing'. The movie turns into a powerful examination of keeping one's faith and how to stay true to one's beliefs.
Andrew Garfield has had quite the year; giving physically & emotionally demanding performances in both this film & Hacksaw Ridge. The story here is witnessed through the sorrowful eyes of his Rodrigues. Throughout the dangerous predicament he's placed in, Garfield nails Rodrigues' frail deterioration & crisis of faith. He is the heart & soul of 'Silence'. And who knows what we would have done in his shoes at that time, place, & situation (facing all sorts of literal & philosophical terrors). All the Japanese actors compel. One of the standouts is Issei Ogata as the vampish, oddly charismatic villain, Inquisitor Isoue. His mind-f*ck mistreatment of Rodrigues is just as brutal as the physical punishments he inflicts on the Christian peasants. Adam Driver impressed me as Garrpe. And Liam Neeson - who we only see a handful of times - quietly knocked me out as the fallen padre. He gives so much weight to the minor role of Father Ferreira.
'Silence' is a somnolent, but powerful study of spiritual agony, and the fear of wondering if God is even listening. The atmosphere Scorsese creates is palpable. This leisurely-paced film contains moments of silence {no pun intended}, but is also heavy on dialogue & plot incident. The sound work is crisp & crafty {the unique noises of feudal Japan are superbly conveyed}. The make-up/hair styles are exceptional. Dante Ferretti's production design & costumes are exquisite {caves, fields, cages, huts, crosses, houses, 17th century attire, etc}. And not only is the film gorgeous to look at, but cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto gives the 17th c. beauty a surreal look, as well -- every frame of the film is visual poetry. 'Silence' is a film you might ponder long after it's over -- there's a lot to take in. Its whole is greater than the sum of its parts. But it's theme of blind faith and how it can be miraculous OR warped to inspire acts of violence ... is one of stunning duality.
At this point in Japan's history, Christians (outsiders & Japanese) are being hunted & persecuted. So while waiting on word of Ferreira, they decide to help some frightened hillside peasant believers by holding nighttime masses, baptisms, & confessions ... all in complete secrecy. Even owning a tiny crucifix could get you killed. They're welcomed by these locals - including a slippery Kichijiro (Yosuke Kubozuka) - as a sign that God has not abandoned them. But danger strikes. Our 2 priests eventually separate to different towns. And after journeying inland, Rodrigues comes to the sobering realization that the idea of faith is not so simple; 'belief' can take on many forms. In the 1600s, the Japanese scorn, humiliate, & punish by boiling, crucifying, even beheading practicing Catholics. Do the Japanese Catholics deserve this? Of course not. But are the priests arrogant {as described by The Interpreter, played by Tadanobu Asano} in their assumptions? Perhaps.
After Rodrigues is captured, Inquisitor Isoue (Issei Ogata) tells him over & over again that all he has to do is publicly renounce his faith by stepping on a stone emblem of Jesus, & there will be no further abuse of his fellow Catholic prisoners. As Rodrigues fiercely (and stubbornly) clings to his beliefs, he is forced to watch as The Inquisitor & his underlings torture/kill civilians who've converted to Catholicism. You'd think that God would want Rodrigues to bite the bullet & step on the stone, but for a Jesuit priest in that time & place, and under those intense circumstances, it's an excruciatingly painful choice for him to make. And Rodrigues wonders why, in the face of so much viciousness & misery, are his prayers not answered -- why is God silent? When Ferreira finally appears & we learn the truth about where he's been, it further serves this film's central theme about the conflict btwn. adhering to one's beliefs & doing the right thing on a more practical level.
'Silence' is long, methodically-paced, a bit unwieldy, & a bit gory. But it's also thought-provoking, masterfully directed, & magnificently crafted. It's been a long, long time since we've seen a film like 'Silence': old Hollywood grandeur combined with existential, religious soul-searching. Even cinephiles/film purists would find it difficult to recall a film quite like this -- it's pretty special. The 1st half of the film is intriguing enough (journeying to find Ferreira & aiding the Japanese Christians in secret). But it's in the 2nd half where the film gets even richer. We see how Rodrigues' doubts start to grow; doubts in his prayers, doubts about Father Ferreira, & doubts about 'doing the right thing'. The movie turns into a powerful examination of keeping one's faith and how to stay true to one's beliefs.
Andrew Garfield has had quite the year; giving physically & emotionally demanding performances in both this film & Hacksaw Ridge. The story here is witnessed through the sorrowful eyes of his Rodrigues. Throughout the dangerous predicament he's placed in, Garfield nails Rodrigues' frail deterioration & crisis of faith. He is the heart & soul of 'Silence'. And who knows what we would have done in his shoes at that time, place, & situation (facing all sorts of literal & philosophical terrors). All the Japanese actors compel. One of the standouts is Issei Ogata as the vampish, oddly charismatic villain, Inquisitor Isoue. His mind-f*ck mistreatment of Rodrigues is just as brutal as the physical punishments he inflicts on the Christian peasants. Adam Driver impressed me as Garrpe. And Liam Neeson - who we only see a handful of times - quietly knocked me out as the fallen padre. He gives so much weight to the minor role of Father Ferreira.
'Silence' is a somnolent, but powerful study of spiritual agony, and the fear of wondering if God is even listening. The atmosphere Scorsese creates is palpable. This leisurely-paced film contains moments of silence {no pun intended}, but is also heavy on dialogue & plot incident. The sound work is crisp & crafty {the unique noises of feudal Japan are superbly conveyed}. The make-up/hair styles are exceptional. Dante Ferretti's production design & costumes are exquisite {caves, fields, cages, huts, crosses, houses, 17th century attire, etc}. And not only is the film gorgeous to look at, but cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto gives the 17th c. beauty a surreal look, as well -- every frame of the film is visual poetry. 'Silence' is a film you might ponder long after it's over -- there's a lot to take in. Its whole is greater than the sum of its parts. But it's theme of blind faith and how it can be miraculous OR warped to inspire acts of violence ... is one of stunning duality.