Seat gripping.

Rating: 7/10 (16 April 2018)

I spent nearly the whole film peaking out from under my jacket, with my breath held - it's been ages since I've seen something to wonderfully thrilling. The tension is the product of some really exceptional photography, and awesome sound design that really wields silence. Inevitable comparisons to HUSH will arise, but I thought A QUIET PLACE made different, refreshing choices - the score is present, throughout, and you are given places where you feel comfortable shifting in your seat, and eating popcorn.
Notably, there are places where eating popcorn seem utterly deafening. Or, as my theater had to deal with, if someone two seats behind you had a cold? Sniffles are loud.
Krasinski and Blunt are surprisingly good, together - I was worried about two people who are actually married trying to replicate that sensation in a way that someone could see on screen; individually, this seemed like a defining role for Krasinski, who showed an air of confidence and maturity I haven't seen before. Blunt was terrific, which did not surprise - it's so hard to see when she's working, an underrated skill.
The daughter was awesome, and carried so much of this movie's surprising heart around on her young shoulders.
A personal aside: This felt, to me, almost frame by frame, to be a classic M.Night flick. The exact sort of linear, generous, and rewarding movie-making he has managed for years, but is usually panned for, bc of he weight of peculiar expectations - if you told me he secretly wrote and directed this, I wouldn't blink, and I intend that as a real compliment to Krasinski.
I loved this. I think you should see it.