Shadows on the Wall | The History of Sound

The History of Sound

dir Oliver Hermanus
scr Ben Shattuck
prd Sara Murphy, Andrew Kortschak, Lisa Ciuffetti, Theresa Ryan Van Graan, Oliver Hermanus, Zhang Xin
with Paul Mescal, Josh O'Connor, Chris Cooper, Emma Canning, Briana Middleton, Hadley Robinson, Molly Price, Raphael Sbarge, Tom Nelis, Peter Mark Kendall, Sophie Hearn, Emily Bergl
release US 12.Sep.25,
UK 23.Jan.26
25/UK Film4 2h07

CANNES FILM FEST

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Director Oliver Hermanus takes his gently, observant approach to an understated story that's infused with American folk tunes. Chronicling a secret romance between two men, the film is an odyssey that spans the 20th century. The intriguing story and finely performed characters keep us engaged, even as the insistently morose tone makes scenes feel somewhat claustrophobic. That said, the story's big emotional beats are meaningful and strongly moving.

Gifted at feeling music all around him, Lionel (Mescal) leaves his backwoods home to study music in 1917 Boston. There he meets composer David (O'Connor), and they bond over their love of folk ballads. They also begin to quietly fall for each other. But David is drafted to fight in Europe, and Lionel returns to his family's farm in Kentucky. After the war, they reunite on a research trip into Maine to record rural people singing songs that have been passed down through generations. But Lionel and David understand that their time together is temporary.

Soaring harmonic music and goofy humour liven things up, but the pace is slow and Alexander Dynan striking cinematography feels rather dark, especially as its accompanied by a dour voice-over from the older Lionel (Cooper). In Kentucky, the Civil War hasn't ended yet, which gives Lionel experience of American culture that David has never seen. And their musical expertise helps them communicate with each other in offbeat ways. So as years pass, their connection informs their choices, even when they're apart.

All of this is seen through Lionel's eyes, as he catches details others miss, so the film is his voyage of self-discovery. Mescal reveals his lively internal life, which helps balance Lionel's outwardly glum persona. He seems scarred by leaving his mother (Price) alone on the farm to reunite with David, whom O'Connor plays as a serious young man with understated charm. They create their own world camping in the woods as they travel the countryside and visit an island populated by ex-slaves.

Like them, Lionel and David know their freedom is an illusion. Lionel understands that he needs to find a wife and have children, while David says he could never do that. But even when Lionel later works in Rome and Oxford, where he finds a girlfriend (Canning), he keeps thinking about David. This adds a strong thematic and emotive kick to the over-extended final act. And the film is also a lovely reminder of the surpassing importance of music to the human soul.

themes, violence, sexuality 8.Sep.25

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