Silence (2017)

Review

161min

Genre:       Drama

Director:    Martin Scorsese

Cast:         Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson…and more

Writers:     Shûsaku Endô, Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese

-Synopsis-

When two 17th century Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan on mission to determine the fate of their fallen mentor and spread the faith, they encounter open hostility and face persecution in Martin Scorsese’s historical period drama adaptation of Shūsaku Endō’s award-winning novel.

Aside from his controversial 1988 film on the conflicts within Jesus in ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’, even a close look at the remarkable filmography of Martin Scorsese would only hint at his deeply-held religious faith and Catholic upbringing. But after decades of contemplation and disappointment, Scorsese finally makes his passion project a reality; reuniting with Jay Cocks to adapt a sombre historical drama which explores the contradictions between religion and belief, in a cinematic pilgrimage towards a deepening of his own faith… and perhaps that of many others.

Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver star as father “Rodrigues” and father “Garrpe” respectively; two Portuguese Jesuits smuggled into early a 17th century post-feudal Japan where Christianity is outlawed and its practice severely punished, on a mission to determine the fate of father “Ferreira” (Liam Neeson) who is suspected of abandoning his religion and branded an apostate. But their perilous journey quickly becomes a test of faith as the two young “padres” encounter poverty-stricken hidden Christians in rural Japan, punished for their beliefs and looking to them for spiritual nourishment, together they will all face the ultimate test of faith in the face of human suffering.

Given all the gangster flicks and gritty street dramas he’s masterfully crafted over the years, it’s easy to forget about Scorsese’s ability to be more subtle and restrained, as seen by some of his earlier work. And the delays over decades in getting ‘Silence’ off the page and on to the screen have probably served him well, allowing him to bring an extra experience and versatility to bear on the project.

As the original source material demands, Scorsese’s adaptation is a retrained, slow-burn, near three hour introspective drama with characters and events loosely based on actual accounts, but strongly rooted in real 17th century history. Even the more harrowing scenes of oppression and suffering are not overdone or too difficult to stomach, and never as bloodthirsty as something like ‘The Passion of the Christ’, and whose impact is elevated by the religious context and some instantly recognisable iconography.

With a title referring to the relationship many have with their conception of a deity, often proving to be one-way dialogue in their hour of most need; ‘Silence’ is also true to its name in terms of being a very quiet film with soft tones and a sense of perverse serenity in suffering, featuring expert sound design and a subtle but evocative score from the Kluges, which doesn’t overly heighten the drama or drown out the characters while complimenting the narrative. The cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto (Argo, The Wolf of Wall Street) is also top-notch, capturing the landscape’s hazy and melancholy quality in low light, reflecting a country having just gone through centuries of strife and violence.

Indeed the film’s historical context, vividly brought to life by meticulous costume and production design, is not only essential to the narrative but is arguably its most interesting element. This is a story set in a Japan coming out of its feudal era having achieved relative peace and security, with regions tentatively united under powerful ruling “Shogun” in a country closed off from the outside world. With leaders weary of their culture and history being diluted by the spread of foreign religion and culture, for good reason considering the effects of Christianity around the globe, the persecutions of outlawed Christians was relentless, but only one part of a larger overall brutal crackdown on dissent and social unrest.

Like all films made from a distinct religious or ideological perspective, after all this is a movie made by a practising Catholic and adapted from the work of a devout Japanese Christian, ‘Silence’ is partisan and unable or unwilling to be objective or balanced, despite one singular scene of self-reflection when opposing ideologies clash over some brief frank discussion. When you look through the haze of faith and suffering, whether intentionally or not this is a politically charged film, after all religion has always been and will probably always will be the politics of belief.

Ultimately the self-righteousness of the human drama, depicting Christian missionaries and converts suffering for their beliefs in a foreign land, proves to be tragically ironic when you consider the persecution and atrocities committed over a millennia to spread the word of Christ and in the name of Christianity, not to mention the historical intolerance shown towards other religions when it comes to their own “back yard”. And ask yourself this question, is suffering for your faith really any more noble or profound than suffering for any other reason?

This is unquestionably a fascinating historical piece and a powerful human drama which depicts the suffering and tough decisions required of the faithful in the most extreme of circumstances, while providing a small measure of self-reflection in a film which is nevertheless a champion of “pure” faith. But ‘Silence’ failed to move us as much as it probably should have and no doubt was designed to, nor does it shed any substantial light on the mystery of deep-held faith and the metaphorical cross some people are willing to bear for it.

Because of its baggage, ‘Silence’ is a difficult film to look at objectively and its success will depend on the emotions it provokes; for some it will be a deeply moving and profound experience, somehow elevated by the virtue of faith and religion, plus the passage of time. But for us ‘Silence’ is no more introspective or profound than any number of contemporary human dramas we see every year, just more historically significant and expertly executed by a cinematic master.

The Bottom Line…

A perfect example of a film which gives you as much as you take into it, ‘Silence’ a powerful drama but a slight disappointment as the personal opus and passion project from a director of Martin Scorsese’s quality. Nevertheless the fascinating context, accomplished performances and meticulous craftsmanship involved bring to life a unique human drama which will captivate you if you have the will and patience to give it a chance… although it might raise more uncomfortable questions than it answers.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

The Mission (1986)

In the 18th century depths of the Amazon jungle, a group of christian missionaries struggle to protect a converted indigenous tribe from a crisis of faith and the brutal whims of Portuguese conquerors with their ruthless colonial aspirations.

Directed by Roland Joffé and starring Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons and Ray McAnally among others.

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