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Parents' Guide to

Silent Hours

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

British crime drama has sex, violence, strong language.

Movie NR 2021 155 minutes
Silent Hours Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 3 parent reviews

martineque
martineque Parent of 15-year-old
January 4, 2022
age 18+

LOTS OF CLOSE-UP FEMALE NUDITY & GORY DETAILS

Of course we expect some blood because of the theme and we expect naked dead bodies, but this is basically a platform to show a guy getting his fantasy kicks out of slapping bare bottoms and oral sex, with VERY close up details of nipples in one of a few scenes that lasted several minutes! Okay for blokes i guess, but any woman would feel uncomfortable and exploited by this film.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.
WonkyB
WonkyB Adult
December 29, 2021
age 18+

Yawn

Like a stilted 70’s police drama. Waaaaay too long and what’s with the repeated view of body parts, did they get a job lot? I think the critics were generous with the amount of time and effort they put in to their reviews. I am going to waste no more of either on this film.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SILENT HOURS, ex-Navy commander turned private detective John Duval (James Weber Brown) finds himself the prime suspect in a police hunt for a sexual killer, after three women are brutally murdered. Police DI Jane Ambrose (Dervla Kirwan) is convinced it's no coincidence that he keeps turning up in the wrong place at the wrong time. But as Navy Commander William Calthorpe (Hugh Bonneville) and psychologist Dr. Catherine Benson (Indira Varma) become entangled in the process, can any evidence or motives really be trusted?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

With a bloated running time of over 2.5 hours, there's a strange pacing to this movie that makes sense when considering it was adapted from a three-part drama series. Mark Greenstreet has maintained an episodic structure for Silent Hours, but it doesn't sit particularly well in movie format. Exposition comes thick and fast, with every detail either spoken aloud or pointed out clumsily via camera shot -- the scenes in the psychologist's office are particularly jarring.

Despite the grisly subject matter, the film struggles to conjure much in the way of immediacy or danger, relying on generic, tired genre tropes, without building on the basics. Even narrative techniques where reality shifts, or past events are revisited through a new lens don't feel as clever as they should. Performances get a bit lost in the mix, with Kirwan the only one consistently managing to keep her head above water. This is a classic story that is beginning to feel somewhat outdated -- a tale told a hundred times over and, sadly, a hundred times better.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how women are represented in Silent Hours. What potentially damaging gender stereotypes are used concerning both men and women in the movie? Why must we be careful of stereotyping people?

  • Discuss the violence in the movie. Was it shocking or thrilling? Did the fact that a lot of the violence happened off-screen make a difference? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

  • Talk about the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • Discuss how the movie portrayed sex and nudity. Was it affectionate/tasteful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • Talk about the character of John Duvall. Did your feelings toward him change during the movie? If so, in what way?

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