The History of Sound
First screened in September 2025
Director: Oliver Hermanus. Cast: Paul Mescal, Josh O'Connor, Molly Price, Raphael Sbarge, Tom Nelis, Aedin Moloney, Alison Bartlett, Dion Graham, Briana Middleton, Emma Canning, Michael D. Xavier, Emily Bergl, Peter Mark Kendall, Sam Breslin Wright, Hadley Robinson, Michael Schantz, Gary Raymond, Stephanie Fayerman, Chris Cooper. Screenplay: Ben Shattuck (based on his short stories "The History of Sound" and "Origin Stories").

   
Photo © 2025 Focus Features / Film4 / End Cue / Fat City /
Tango Entertainment / Closer Media / Storm City Films
In Brief: First hour fumbles things you expect to go well. As shape gets stranger and mood sinks, film starts working.

VOR: ②  Suffers from most obvious comparisons and adopts staid style without maximizing on what that might afford, even as it ultimately moved me.

Grade: B–

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