Silence

Name: Silence
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Released: December 23, 2016
Duration: 161 min
Rating: 79
Cast: Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield, Ciarán Hinds, Issei Ogata, Liam Neeson

2016

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 348 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	Your Score
7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 348 Ratings

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Silence

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: December 23, 2016 | R

Starring: Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield, Ciarán Hinds, Issei Ogata, Liam Neeson, Shinya Tsukamoto, Tadanobu Asano, Yoshi Oida

Summary: Two Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe, travel to seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact. There they witness the persecution of Japanese Christians at the hands of their own government which wishes to purge Japan of all western influence.Two Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe, travel to seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact. There they witness the persecution of Japanese Christians at the hands of their own government which wishes to purge Japan of all western influence. Eventually the priests separate and Rodrigues travels the countryside, wondering why God remains silent while His children suffer. … Expand

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, History

Rating: R

Runtime: 161 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Steve Persall

Jan 12, 2017

Only Scorsese could craft a film of such moral gravity for multiplexes and fascinate for nearly three hours. Read full review

100

Justin Chang

Dec 22, 2016

Building implacable dread and tension from scene to scene, the story is as simple as its underlying ideas are endlessly complex. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

Dec 10, 2016

Silence, more successfully than not, artfully addresses the core issue of its maker's lifelong religious struggle. Read full review

Jamie Graham

Dec 10, 2016

Scorsese blends his twin religions of Catholicism and cinema to considerable effect. Read full review

Calvin Wilson

Jan 12, 2017

This may not be Scorsese’s best film, but it’s unquestionably his most impassioned. Read full review

Robert Abele

Dec 10, 2016

It’s an invitingly austere movie, designed for both searching believers and curious others. The film can be cinematically rigorous, but it’s never ritualistically flashy. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Jan 5, 2017

Still, when you’re making a Christian epic and the best thing about it is the guy playing the inquisitor, you have a serious problem. Read full review

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User Reviews

Annamolisa

Dec 24, 2016

It's bold beautiful and brutal. Amazing ensemble cast. Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver are incredible. Issey Ogata might be the best villain of the year. It starts a bit slow but the second half of the film is stunning.

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

Lovemovies2017

Jan 13, 2017

After seeing the play many years ago, the movie is a tribute which follows the events closely. This is a movie requiring patience, thought and reflection as it is a powerful, moving testatment how a person interprets religious beliefs. Do we follow blindly or recognize & accept differencesAfter seeing the play many years ago, the movie is a tribute which follows the events closely. This is a movie requiring patience, thought and reflection as it is a powerful, moving testatment how a person interprets religious beliefs. Do we follow blindly or recognize & accept differences amongst cultures, beliefs and spiritual journeys.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

PeterAlexander

Jan 23, 2017

Spectacularly brutal, Martin Scorsese's Silence is physically and mentally hard to watch at times. Compelling performances from Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver add to a beautifully shot film which does not shy away from crossing the boundaries of modern cinema.

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Jess_Hill

Feb 19, 2017

This is an exquisite treatise on faith which wrestles with difficult theological and philosophical questions whilst providing few answers. The cinematography is masterful, and Scorsese carefully explores the intricacies of proselytisation and apostasy in the 1600's to force discussions andThis is an exquisite treatise on faith which wrestles with difficult theological and philosophical questions whilst providing few answers. The cinematography is masterful, and Scorsese carefully explores the intricacies of proselytisation and apostasy in the 1600's to force discussions and parallels for today. The cast is superb, Garfield is particularly moving in his performance, and whilst this is a complex film, it is one worth your time. An introspective, powerful experience not for the casual viewer. 8.79/10… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

CalumRhys

Jan 5, 2017

To this day, Martin Scorsese remains my all-time favourite director, a man whose approach to cinema completely differs to others in Hollywood, his appreciation towards cinema as an art form is his finest quality in what makes him arguably the greatest film director around. With 'Silence'To this day, Martin Scorsese remains my all-time favourite director, a man whose approach to cinema completely differs to others in Hollywood, his appreciation towards cinema as an art form is his finest quality in what makes him arguably the greatest film director around. With 'Silence' promoted as Scorsese's 20-year passion project, it was a film I couldn't resist seeing, the legend back behind the camera focusing on a subject not fully studied in cinema, a subject that's mostly misunderstood.

I want to start with my conclusion and go from there. 'Silence' won't be everybody's film, the same way other ambitious films like 'The Revenant' or 'The Tree of Life' weren't, however despite my respect to Scorsese's mastery and level of detail, in my own honest opinion I believe this film fell short due to the lack of insight into it's main theme and thus instead transformed into a slow and somewhat dreary tale that arguably didn't need it's near 3-hour running time to tell its tale.

Now don't get me wrong, in regards to the film's craft it is a masterpiece, the cinematography is raw and epic, the direction from Scorsese is phenomenal and the set design is gorgeous. Accompanying this are a series of fine performances, most notably from Andrew Garfield who should receive monumental praise for his role, I haven't seen such a visceral performance in years, the raw emotion is uncanny. But unfortunately the technicalities and craft can't cover up the flaws that lie in the running time and the tediously slow plot that didn't want to end.

If there's anything I can leave you with from this review to help you decide as to whether it's a worthy watch or not, let me just say this: 'Silence' isn't a piece of entertainment, it's instead an experience; and whilst a technically masterful one at that, many audience members may find themselves slowly drifting off to sleep - as my neighbour in the cinema did. It isn't really a case of liking it or disliking it, it's more a case of the adventure, and despite my partial disappointment with it, the adventure was more than worthy enough for the viewing. Scorsese is still an exquisite auteur, flaws or not.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

cyndie

Jan 17, 2017

A harrowing portrayal of God's supposed silence, but solemn stolidness alongside us through our trials and tribulations, Silence is set during the mid-1600s.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

qamaster

Mar 18, 2017

This film is for believers. For whom religion is of great importance. If you are not believer, for you the film will not be interesting. Very tedious story. Full of scenes of sadism and endless reflections on God

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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67	#67 Best Movie of 2016
63	#63 Most Discussed Movie of 2016
70	#70 Most Shared Movie of 2016