Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
The History of Sound is an historical drama about two men, Lionel Worthing (Paul Mescal) and David White (Josh O’Connor), who meet while studying at The New England Conservatory of Music in 1917. They bond over their mutual interest in American folk songs and soon start a romantic relationship. When David is drafted into the army during World War I, Lionel returns to his home in Kentucky to care for his widowed mother.
After the war, David returns and asks Lionel to travel through rural America to record folk songs. The project is funded by the college where David works in Maine. As they travel, the two men become close. But as their work comes to an end, they must part ways, and this is where the drama begins.
Some Thoughts:
The History of Sound has everything necessary to make a fine piece of cinema. It has great acting, a decent script, beautiful cinematography, and a director who understands mood and pacing; however, it fails to get the viewer invested enough to pack the emotional punch needed to make it unforgettable.
Director Oliver Hermanus knows how to make a movie. If you’re a film student or have a love of cinema, The History of Sound is worth your time. Those looking to while away some time with a typical romance should look elsewhere. While it has all the amorous intentions necessary for the genre, it won’t deliver the emotional intensity you’re looking for by the end.
The film falls short because once Lionel and David part ways the second time, we don’t get enough of Lionel’s longing to get us fully invested. Because of that, the viewer doesn’t feel emotionally tied to him. All we would need is a scene or two for this to happen. It’s a shame because director Oliver Hermanus put so much effort into perfecting everything else.
The Final Verdict:
The History of Sound is a great movie for film students and the art crowd. If you’re looking for a romance with emotional highs and lows, this isn’t it.