“A Quiet Place” is a 2018 American horror film directed by John Krasinski, who also stars alongside Emily Blunt, his real-life spouse. In this movie, the family of four must navigate their lives in silence after mysterious creatures that hunt by sound threaten their survival. In the year 2020, most of Earth’s population was wiped out by these sightless creatures with incredible hearing ability. The Abbott Family – husband Lee, wife Evelyn, sons Marcus and Beau, and deaf daughter Regan – must communicate through sign language.
The silence brings a whole new meaning to horror. What impressed me the most, is how much emotion I felt even though no one spoke. The ways in which the actors and actresses conveyed their emotions through their facial expressions and actions, was extremely impressive. This movie was really more than just the shock value of scary monsters. It was about survival, forgiveness, and family. These themes were ever-present and interwoven into the horror genre.
However, throughout the fear and fight, the audience can see the immense amount of love this family has for one another. Lee, played by John Krasinski, gets his family through every day – he protects them. You can see how much Lee fights for the safety of his wife and children. A typical movie leads up to the big fight, however, in this movie, the big fight is the entire movie. I would find myself saying, “This family just can’t catch a break!” Every single day is a struggle for survival and the audience can see that.
The actress who plays Regan, Millicent Simmonds, is deaf.
In casting, John Krasinski sought a deaf actress for many reasons The first of which being that he wanted someone who lives life in silence. It is important to note how impactful it was to have a deaf actress in this movie. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but her “disability” (if that’s even what you want to call it) turns to be vital to their survival. It is important in the deaf community to have a representative in this story. The hope is that Millicent Simmonds inspires not only filmmakers, but the deaf community as well.