The Sound of Silence (2019)

The Sound of Silence Poster

A successful "house tuner" in New York City, who calibrates the sound in people's homes in order to adjust their moods, meets a client with a problem he can't solve.

Film Synopsis
"The Sound of Silence" is a 2019 independent drama movie which was directed by Michael Tyburski and co-written by Ben Nabors and Tyburski. This distinct indie drama is a nuanced exploration of the sounds that fill our lives, each with its own story and significance. Set in New York City, the story is told through the eyes of a 'home tuner', as he harnesses the science of noises to solve emotional issues of individuals. The movie explores the poetics of sound, the strange methods it impacts human emotions, and its extensive impact on human relationships and mindsets.

Main Characters
The protagonist is a stoic and shy man Peter Lucian, played by Peter Sarsgaard, who works as a 'home tuner.' Utilizing his talent, he thoroughly examines the audio elements of clients' homes to recognize any malfunctions disturbing their emotional health, and provides suggestions for acoustic adjustments to solve the issue.

The film also introduces us to a customer, Ellen Chasen, played by Rashida Jones. Dealing with an ambiguous sense of apathy, she works with Lucian to check her house with hope to suppress her anxiety and fatigue.

Plot Overview
Peter Lucian sweats off a hypothesis that minuscule discrepancies in the home soundscape, like a poorly tuned radiator or errant hum of a fridge, can result in distress and distress. Lucian's unique method draws in a devoted customer base who swear by his practically restorative way of dealing with household sounds.

The story takes an interesting turn when he fulfills Ellen Chasen, a new customer who is dealing with exhaustion and anxiousness due to an unidentified problem in her home. Lucian finds a pattern with Ellen that he can not understand, in spite of all his gadgets validating that her apartment's acoustics are just right. As he ends up being obsessed with solving her problem, his clinical approach begins to split, impacting his own peace of mind.

Styles
Among the main themes of the movie is the link between our environments and our psychological health, presented eloquently through an audioscape we normally ignore. It also explores the quest of a man who is completely attuned to the world around him yet stops working to comprehend various aspects of humanity.

"Beneath its beguilingly placid surface, "The Sound of Silence" asks upsetting questions about the sorts of perception that we now engineer and extend, about the new sensory thresholds that our extensions have brought us to," as mentioned by critic Richard Brody.

Conclusion
This wonderfully cinematic movie highlights how we are consumed by numerous intangible frequencies each day. Peter's battle to decode Ellen's condition activates his own immersion in the overwhelming cacophony of city noise, drawing attention to our collective condition of sound pollution. This movie encapsulates the paradox of New York, a city filled with people constantly pursuing connection while grappling with the profound loneliness stimulated by the same efforts.

"The Sound of Silence" cultivates a newfound gratitude for the quiet moments. The movie also represents how technology might use innovative methods to resolve our issues, yet it's frequently an understanding human connection that really answers our ingrained emotional needs.

From its visually appealing cinematography to a careful noise style, paired with captivating performances of Sarsgaard and Jones, "The Sound of Silence" accommodates an ambitiously reflective vision that resonates long after the motion picture ends.

Top Cast

  • Peter Sarsgaard (small)
    Peter Sarsgaard
    Peter Lucian
  • Rashida Jones (small)
    Rashida Jones
    Ellen Chasen
  • Tony Revolori (small)
    Tony Revolori
    Samuel Diaz
  • Austin Pendleton (small)
    Austin Pendleton
    Robert Feinway
  • Kate Lyn Sheil (small)
    Kate Lyn Sheil
    Nancy
  • Bruce Altman (small)
    Bruce Altman
    Howard Carlyle
  • Tina Benko (small)
    Tina Benko
    Dr. Elizabeth Brookings
  • Theodore Bouloukos (small)
    Theodore Bouloukos
    Satisfied Client (voice)
  • Adit Dileep
    Carl
  • Alison Fraser (small)
    Alison Fraser
    Denise Feinway
  • Alex Karpovsky (small)
    Alex Karpovsky
    Landon