Parents' Guide to

The Quiet Ones

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Loud jump shocks and blood in irritating horror movie.

Movie PG-13 2014 98 minutes
The Quiet Ones Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

Movie Review Maven
Movie Review Maven Adult
June 1, 2014
age 14+

Quiet Ones inspires a noisy teen audience

Movie Title: The Quiet Ones PG-13, 1 hour 38 minutes Grade: C In a Nutshell: This is a campy horror film that is inspired by supposed true events. Led by the talented Jared Harris of Mad Men: Seasons 1-4 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows , this creepy movie has all the familiar ingredients: mysterious noises coming from cob-webbed rooms in a dimly-lit house, scary gags that make you jump in your seat, sinister characters that make you laugh nervously, and a plot that unravels if you shine the light on it. The movie title certainly wasn’t referring to the audience I sat with. The teenagers in the audience yelled “OMG!”, screamed, laughed, and commented loudly on every scene, providing additional entertainment in an otherwise empty theater. During the scene where an older man and younger girl kiss, one of the girls in the audience yelled “Get out!” Whenever something unbelievable would happen, another teen in the audience would scream “Shut up!” ha ha Theme: Who is the REAL crazy one? Talk about manifesting your negative energy! Things I liked: Director John Pogue successfully creates an atmosphere that provides an air of ethereal history. Nice touch to show artifacts and old photographs at the end of the film. It’s a good movie for teens to watch on DVD on a Friday night when they want to laugh and be scared at the same time during a party with their friends. Things I didn’t like: It’s ironic that a movie entitled The Quiet Ones spends so much time cranking up the volume on screams to get a reaction out of the audience. The jiggly camera effects made me more dizzy than scared. Everyone in the movie is always crying or sweating. A bit predictable. Even the twist ending isn’t original. Interesting lines: “You’re scared because you can’t explain what you’ve seen.” - Professor Joseph Coupland “It’s human nature to question and be skeptical.” – Professor Joseph Coupland “He saved me from myself.” - Jane Harper Tips for parents: Despite its PG-13 rating, the movie will give young kids nightmares. There is very little profanity.
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What's the Story?

In 1974, at Oxford, professor Joseph Coupland (Jared Harris) teaches his students that the so-called supernatural only consists of things we don't yet understand. Then he gathers up two students, plus a cameraman, Brian (Sam Claflin), to conduct an experiment on a disturbed young woman, Jane (Olivia Cooke), who appears to be possessed. Joseph believes that Jane invented the secondary personality, called "Evey," and that she has the power to make "Evey" disappear as well. But after much arguing, filming, and some painful-looking experiments, Jane starts to exhibit behavior that's not so easily explained. Can the academics solve the problem?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (4 ):

The experience of watching The Quiet Ones is more agitating than it is scary or fun. Supposedly based on a true story -- which four different writers then adapted to the screen -- the film doesn't actually tell a story or develop any kind of rising suspense or tingling chills so much as it presents a series of jump-shocks and sudden, loud noises. Half of these are actually related to the movie, and the other half are false scares, like a champagne cork going off or someone accidentally dropping something. And the annoying, abrasive musical score makes noises like a repeating staple gun that simply grow louder.

Rather than developing the main five characters, building a dynamic, and increasing the stakes, director John Pogue simply shows the characters arguing with one another and Jane screaming or undergoing some kind of cruel test. Harris gets in a few stylish moments, and the 1970s outfits are amusing, but otherwise there's little to recommend this film.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Quiet Ones' violence. How does it compare to what you've seen in other horror/scary movies? How do the violent scenes make you feel? How do the filmmakers achieve this?

  • Is The Quiet Ones scary? What's the difference between a "jump shock" (or a loud, sudden noise) and something that causes tingles and feels truly frightening?

  • If this movie is based on a true story, how much of it feels real? How much seems to have been invented to become a horror movie? How does it compare to other "true story" horror movies you've seen?

  • The movie takes place in the '70s, which is likely why the characters smoke so much. Is it jarring to see that happening on screen, or does it reinforce the era the movie takes place in? How are things different today?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: April 25, 2014
  • On DVD or streaming: August 19, 2014
  • Cast: Jared Harris , Sam Claflin , Olivia Cooke
  • Director: John Pogue
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studios: Lionsgate , Hammer Film Productions
  • Genre: Horror
  • Run time: 98 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: intense sequences of violence and terror, sexual content, thematic material, language, and smoking throughout
  • Last updated: December 23, 2022

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