SILENT NIGHT (2021)

 

Written & Directed By: Camille Griffin

Cinematography: Sam Renton 

Editor: Pia Di Ciaula and Martin Walsh 

Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Sope Dirisu, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Rufus Jones, Davida McKenzie

Nell, Simon, and their 3 sons are ready to welcome friends and family for what promises to be a perfect Christmas gathering. Perfect except for one thing: everyone is going to die.

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This is a film. You should know as a little about before you watch it and let yourself be surprised by it that way it can be rewarding for you.

This is a dark comedy with a surprise ending that you don’t necessarily see coming, especially with this material. Which can be subtle but does leave a sting.

As a perfectly mixes, the joy and melancholy of the holidays. As a time of joy camaraderie, but also a time of darkness, especially if not feeling that particular joy and still feel a certain loneliness or emptiness

The film starts off at typical if not cynical, though eventually you find out the downside or tragedy of what brings all the characters together. Even though there are at the beginning.

We get to see the characters go through the emotions as it dawns on them what is coming and have to face their own mortality and their past. The film surprisingly has them talking about each other, but never becoming vicious or revealing secrets that would normally tear them apart, which would direct the film into a more territory. it to be point and somewhat realistic.

The drama of it all gets to you in the audience that has its fair share of humor that comes more naturally as some secrets are revealed.

What is that? The film isn’t reliant on one thing it’s the mixture of elements that works. The same way with the cast it’s an ensemble no real stars, though wish some of the cast members or other characters had more to do than what they are given here mainly Kirby Howell-Baptiste.

This is a film, where the melancholy hangs in the air no matter how light some scenes or the atmosphere might be.

When the heart is introduced, it gets dark and all the more real thou it is a release of the underlying tension that the film has been building up.

Soon as you see  Roman Griffin Davis in this film, you should know it’s a tragedy or whoever is playing his mother won’t survive. So far his career highlights have been this and JoJo rabbit so usually a quirky dark comedy. Though he is also the film’s director’s son 

Ultimately, the film has a climate change message and is very subtle with its theme and provocations. Especially when it comes to science and the government also the establish class and youth culture.. 

I’m surprised this film is more popular as it is a gem 

Grade: B