WATCH NOW
Nouveau Noir, I get it, but who killed Edgar Williams? This is what his young thorough documentary filmmaker nephew needs to find out. Considering he has been dead for quite a while now, coming up with clues is going to be a challenge. Creepily enough, someone has started leaving flowers on his grave. According to the gravestone, the dude died in 1960 and only lived for sixteen years. Although he has been dead for decades, it is quite clear that he is still on everyone’s mind and his memory is as fresh as ever. The dude had one short and gruesome life and that too with his head crushed by a freight elevator. With that said, R.I.P.
So off he goes to find the answer to this six-decade-old family mystery. He is being paid handsomely by Aunt Linda to do so. With a child of his own on the way and a wife requiring additional help around the house, it is fair to say that Chris needs to move quickly to collect his paycheck and grant his aunt some peace of mind. I ain’t goin’ to lie, people are strange in the way they seek closure.
For me, I would just say that man has been dead for over sixty years. Moved on with life, family or not. Nonetheless, I understand I am not like everyone else, if I had as much mystery and ambiguity surrounding the death of someone I loved, I might very well be compelled to investigate it myself. Maybe. He does strike me as a decent gentleman, and I appreciate the fact that he is doing his part in supporting the family in more than one way.
Before long, several thugs visit and begin punching Chris’ ribs while ordering him to stop. I don’t know too many journalists who would simply give up, and when those fences begin to rattle, that’s when you know that things are truly progressing. Chris decides to ignore the warning given to him by these mysterious henchmen and continue to find out more about the puzzle that surrounds him. If I’m being honest, if Chris does not start being careful, he may find himself losing Naomi, his beautiful wife, who is starting to lose all of her patience for how obsessed he has been starting to take on this recent detective work.
After watching this film, I am convinced that Brad Podowski did a great job in directing and producing this film and he definitely got the best out of Kunicki in his performance as Chris Nowak. The shots look good and the audience together with Chris attempt to solve the pieces of the puzzle as he picks out the clues, overall Silent As The Grave is moving in the right direction in its mystery-based approach which is fun but not too fun. It does not get grim to the point where viewers feel uncomfortable and has a good number of moments that almost guarantee a smile as it unfolds along with just the right amount of silliness that does not get in the way of the seriousness that the film needs in order to keep us intrigued. As far as raising points whether it all correlates with the information provided without having gaps in the storyline, is challenging to justify. A little over an hour into Silent As The Grave, I had just started to ponder what in the world was happening to my calculations when Chris suddenly out of the blue got an odd phone call and heard earlier on that Edgar was called a good man by a colleague.
His life story is shrouded in mystery and does not receive as much attention as one would expect, especially considering the sheer amount he supposedly achieved by the age of sixteen according to the gravestone. Overall, it did seem like the ending somewhat resolved the issues and provided the information we sought via flashbacks, however, it appeared that the climax of Silent As The Grave was not the most memorable part of the film which was quite odd.
Podowski’s film is practically too balanced. The path leading towards the real thrill is nearly as engaging as putting together the pieces of the mystery you’ve been watching unfold. In a way, that’s a good thing, I suppose, but I do, however, think that this same consistency might be what is hindering Silent As The Grave as well. The drama that we so desperately need to find within this mystery appears to be absent and I could certainly picture numerous spectators out there feeling like needing a bit more out of the conclusion to Silent As The Grave even if it checks all the boxes by answering your questions as it tries to conclude things. The film is based on a true story and I believe a decision like that would be deliberate so they don’t sensationalize the material too much, but they do lose a fair amount of the excitement a mystery like this could create if they went the other way. I feel like a solid three and a half stars is deserved. It’s coherent and consistent, and it has the benefit of a solid lead and Kunicki, but I personally would have preferred if they upped the suspense in this mystery too.
To watch more movies like Silent as the Grave (2023), visit 123Movies
Also watch for more movies like:
