The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Martin Scorsese’s latest directorial effort, Silence, is a grueling and at times frustratingly slow drama, which through its spectacular imagery and undeniable heart attempts to explore the ideas of faith and belief. It’s an affective film, but, thanks to its fragile narrative structure and distinct storytelling approach, will not be welcomed with open arms by all.

Co-written by Scorsese’s long-time collaborator Jay Cocks – Gangs of New York, The Age of Innocence – the story begins with two 17th century Portuguese priests, Father Sebastiao Rodrigues (Garfield) and Father Francisco Garupe (Driver), who are shocked to learn that their long-time mentor, Father Cristovao Ferreira (Neeson), has committed apostasy and officially renounced God during his stay in Japan.

Convinced that this is all just a rumor, the two priests soon set out to travel to Japan – a country where the practice of Catholicism is strictly forbidden and is often punished by death – in order to track Ferreira and learn the truth.

With the help of a drunken fisherman, Kichijiro (Kubozuka), Rodrigues and Garupe find their way into the country, finding a temporary sanctuary in the hills of small village populated mainly by secretly-practicing Christians.  However, their presence soon attracted unwanted attention from governing officials, led by Inoue (Ogata) – a merciless inquisitor who is tasked to wipe the idea of Catholicism from Japan entirely. As they undergo a merciless treatment from Inoue and his men, the two priests, Rodrigues in particular, soon begin to question their faith in God altogether.

Adapted from a 1996 novel of the same name written by Shusaku Endo it’s safe to say that Silence is definitely not for everyone.  Slow and extremely methodical in its approach – which will almost certainly test the patience of moviegoers who might have been hoping for something a little grander – it takes quite a while for the story to come into its own and apart from the spectacular cinematography there is not much to the story to keep one thoroughly engaged.

Silence itself is present throughout the minutes and Scorsese uses its power to bring the often-prolonged scenes to life, but given the fact that the narrative itself is a little frail, the effect is often wasted. Moreover, the acting itself is a little questionable with Garfield, who gets more screen time ahead of Adam Driver, struggling to emotionally engage the audience into his inner conflict, whilst most of the Japanese cast lack the necessary development.

All in all, Silence is one beautifully crafted, but often frustrating, mixed bag. Clocking in at just under three hours, it’s definitely not an easy sit and unless you are a die-hard Scorsese fan – or are someone who is simply intrigued by the subject explored – you might not walk away completely convinced or touched by the entire experience.