The Sound of Silence

It is stunted and meandering, barely filling out its 85 minutes.

..."The Sound of Silence" is a modest, contemplative study of ideas that itself exemplifies those ideas in its design, not least its sound design; it embodies a conceptual rumination.

Lucian is a man with a theory, desperate to extrapolate from what he knows is true to what it might imply, and if you've ever known such a man, you will likely appreciate Sarsgaard's performance

This is based on a short film and I wonder if it would have worked better as a short film, because it does feel very stretched out and elongated beyond what the central premise can sustain.

[An] ambitious, tonally intriguing comedic drama...

There are moments in which the movie seems to veer decidedly toward self-knowing comedy but never quite gets there, and then turns so sad as to be tragic... The lead performances, though, are compelling - both intelligent and vulnerable.

Aside from its technical accomplishments, it's a film that piques the viewer's interest yet ends just as it starts to hint at more beneath its premise.

In an age where so many things are overdone, overblown and overwrought, it's nice to have such a simple, quiet movie about a totally relatable and universal human experience.

The uniquely intellectual drama runs with a soulfully promising story as far as it can go before getting backed into a corner by a director who doesn't know how to handle it.

I can't recall seeing anything last year that approaches its canny psychological clout.