The Look of Silence

Drafthouse Films | Release Date: July 17, 2015

8.2	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 87 Ratings

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FilmPhonicJul 19, 2015

A companion piece for Oppenheimer's powerful 2012 documentary 'The Act of Killing', 'The Look of Silence' takes a more introspective view of the events where a failed military coup was blamed on "communists" and prompted the militaryA companion piece for Oppenheimer's powerful 2012 documentary 'The Act of Killing', 'The Look of Silence' takes a more introspective view of the events where a failed military coup was blamed on "communists" and prompted the military government to foster a general hatred leading to an anti-communist "purge" that brutally claimed the lives of at least half a million people, made all the worse by the negligence and often complicity of Western governments that were utterly consumed with the cold war and fighting communism, a stance which led to atrocities across the globe with Central & South America and other parts of South-East Asia getting more attention than Indonesia.

Oppenheimer gives the narrative a more personal touch by focusing on a single family and the effect of losing their brother in such a senseless and brutal manner, the legacy of the killings you might expect would have the same harrowing effect on hundreds of thousands of families and the country as a whole, hence the title whereby families continue to suffer in silence with many of the perpetrators still in power and apparently untouchable.

With a lack of almost any archival footage or photographic evidence 'The Look of Silence' relies on the testimonies of victims and their families and the disturbingly candid & borderline boastful descriptions from the perpetrators for dramatic content, depending on your point of view this might make it a more or less powerful film but given that there is no way to independently confirm what happened between 1965-66 it might make the whole documentary somewhat controversial.

The Bottom Line...
A powerful and personalized account of one of the more overlooked genocides in recent history, 'The Look of Silence' is a stark warning against stoking the fires of political & religious hatred and most effective when accompanying Oppneheimer's 2012 documentary 'The Act of Killing'.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

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EpicLadySpongeMar 18, 2016

I can still love something even if it means giving support to those critics who actually gave movies a great score such as this one. Oh, look, a 0 in here. You know what that means.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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shineandreJul 20, 2015

Disappointed. Really guys don't go watch this low grade porn effected spy perversion. Value life's beauty and your moral conscience. It's just another Nielsen's copy loaded with sexual graphics that leaves the movie tasteless. No imaginationDisappointed. Really guys don't go watch this low grade porn effected spy perversion. Value life's beauty and your moral conscience. It's just another Nielsen's copy loaded with sexual graphics that leaves the movie tasteless. No imagination just slap in your face.… Expand

2 of 33 users found this helpful231

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kathytreeceFeb 18, 2016

A very serious documentary showing a situation (from the 1960's) in Indonesia that was very sad to watch. Pretty scenery, but very sad situation. What a courageous man is the main character. Plus it was cool to see how a healthy seniorA very serious documentary showing a situation (from the 1960's) in Indonesia that was very sad to watch. Pretty scenery, but very sad situation. What a courageous man is the main character. Plus it was cool to see how a healthy senior citizen (over age 90) lives in Indonesia. And, I enjoyed the humor shared between the main character and his parents. I saw this movie on Netflix dvd.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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JLuis_001Nov 30, 2022

From this same director I preferred The Killing Fields, I particularly liked it more, however, without diminishing it in any way this documentary is equally a harrowing and shattering experience.
A success of course, but one that is not easyFrom this same director I preferred The Killing Fields, I particularly liked it more, however, without diminishing it in any way this documentary is equally a harrowing and shattering experience.
A success of course, but one that is not easy to watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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o_retyFeb 20, 2021

'm not an Indonesian and I found this lacking in substance. It could be easily edited and compressed to like 25 min. War is never nice and domestic ones are the worst. I don't know the country's history enough to judge who was right in this'm not an Indonesian and I found this lacking in substance. It could be easily edited and compressed to like 25 min. War is never nice and domestic ones are the worst. I don't know the country's history enough to judge who was right in this conflict but I've seen enough of this movie to judge it's not even trying to be impartial. And no, stating that communists are godless and immoral is not propaganda. If they were God-fearing, moral people, they weren't communists.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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UltimobeakerJun 13, 2021

A way more traditional documentary (perspective piece) film than its sister film The Act of Killing. Whereas AoK was grand in scope and consequence, The Look of Silence is a narrower, personal take on the same Indonesian genocide. Though thisA way more traditional documentary (perspective piece) film than its sister film The Act of Killing. Whereas AoK was grand in scope and consequence, The Look of Silence is a narrower, personal take on the same Indonesian genocide. Though this film definitely succeeds in tugging on the heartstrings (more of a yank), it does not quite reach the heights of its predecessor in terms of originality, artistic achievement, or self-reflective impact. Regardless, its a story that should be told and a film worthy of that story.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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