Generally I only have the opportunity to review DVDs. Having a family takes precedence over going to the theatre… at least until our daughter gets a little older. In the meantime, we occasionally sneak out to catch a good screening, but only a handful. I don’t mind this arrangement, but what I do miss is the chance to see short films. This is worse than missing the big budget Hollywood pictures because they are not often available on DVD. Over the past few weeks however, I've been able to see several short films made over the last year, and so far there hasn't been a disappointing one in the bunch. One that really stands out however, is Marshall McAuley's "Quiet." This is indeed one of those films that came from the hands of a filmmaker who not only has an innate sense of what he wants us to see, but what he wants us to hear… or rather… not hear. In "Quiet" we meet Lindsey (Kendra Cover), a young woman whom we quickly learn loses her hearing after a terrible car accident.

The first few minutes of this film shows her as she tries to adapt to her loss, in both positive and negative ways. After one particularly troubling day, she returns home to find an intruder in her apartment. The rest of the film features an intense game of cat-and-mouse, with Lindsey trying to escape her attacker within the confines of her small apartment.

What is most impressive about "Quiet" is that it takes the time to develop Lindsey's character fully enough for viewers to empathize with her, making her plight all the more emotionally draining. The actual attack seems to go on forever, or at least the feeling of anxiety I had did. This is impressive because her story was told in only 12 minutes. Since there was so little time to grab the audience before the payoff, it is important for a director to have a tight script, the right cast, and the ability to put them together in a concise, yet entertaining format. With "Quiet", McAuley, along with writer Steven Barr, did just that.

Kendra Cover does gives a terrifically realistic performance, both in the seconds before the accident as she is having fun with her friends and the aftermath of dealing with headaches, ringing in her ears, muffled voices and learning sign language. As a woman fighting for her life, she employs the just the right mix of vulnerability and determination. Tim Trobec takes on the unenviable role of the intruder, and in doing so is also allowed to show multiple sides. At first he seems to nothing more than a shy admirer but his demeanor quickly changes, turning him into a monster capable of unimaginable horror.

McAuley has a great eye for setting up the camera shots, turning Lindsey's world into a claustrophobic one. But it is in his sound mix that the emotional strength of "Quiet" resonates. We experience her hearing loss as it goes from bad to worse, sometimes catching the sound of the ringing in her ears and eventually… nothing. We get the impression of how she might 'experience' her heartbeat as her terror builds as well as the maddening silence that helps her attacker stay hidden even as he smashes through the house like a bull in a china shop.

"Quiet" is the type of short film that can only come from the imagination of a gifted filmmaker. It is a film that tells more of a story in a few short minutes than one of those Hollywood blockbusters can in 2 hours.

Directed by: Marshall McAuley
Starring: Kendra Cover, Tim Trobec
Extras: None
Studio: Socal Film Group
Release Date: Available
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R
Website

We'll give Quiet an A.