A Quiet Place: Day One
A poignant film that embraces death as an inevitable human experience.
While John Krasinski directed the first two Quiet Place films, 2018 and 2020, he backed away here. However, he is a co-writer with Director Michael Sarnoski.
The film’s basic plot will surprise no one. An alien invasion destroys much of New York City. A woman dying of cancer, played magnificently by Lupita Nyong’o, joins other survivors trying to avoid being eaten. Everyone must remain absolutely silent as the four-legged beasts responded to the slightest sound.
While it didn’t bother me, even though I wear hearing aids, all of the dialogue after the attack involved humans whispering to each other. Nonetheless, the facial emotions of the dominating characters will break your heart.
Ms. Nyong’o won a best supporting actor Oscar for 12 Years a Slave (2013). Her performance here as Sam merits serious consideration for a best actor nomination this year.
Here you follow her as she leaves a treatment facility with her cat Frodo while suppressing her constant desire to eat pizza. Tragedy strikes as she eventually joins forces with Eric (Joseph Quinn), a stranger who she meets on the street.
Though staying at arm’s length, their relationship strengthens as they spend every minute of every day hoping to survive. While I won’t give away the ending, it involves trying to get to a rescue boat given that the monsters can’t swim. I was left a bit teary eyed as one escapes with Frodo.
Monsters or no monsters, death was closing in on Ms. Nyong’o. In the process it was clear that she was honoring her dear friend Chadwick Boseman, who did several years ago of colon cancer after both starred in Black Panther (2018).
Life had meaning for her whether she lived months, days or hours. She could face her destiny with honor if she found a way to save Frodo and Eric.
