“The Quiet Girl” Movie Review

 

“The Quiet Girl”

Movie Review

 

  

Colm Bairead wrote and directed the 2022 Irish coming-of-age drama film The Quiet Girl. The majority of the dialogue is in Irish. The film, set in 1981, follows a withdrawn nine-year-old girl who, for the first time, spends the summer on a farm with distant relatives in Rinn Gaeltacht, County Waterford. 

 

In the summer of 1981, nine-year-old Cáit, played by Catherine Clinch, is one of many siblings living with her impoverished and neglectful parents in rural Ireland. With her mother pregnant again, it is decided to send their quiet daughter away to live with Eibhln Cinnsealach, a middle-aged distant cousin played by Carrie Crowley, and her husband Seán, played by Andrew Bennett. 

 

Eibhln immediately welcomes Cáit into the Cinnsealach home, showering her with love and teaching her how to do chores around the house and farm. She also shows Cáit a well on the property, claiming that the water has healing powers while warning her that the well is deep and that she should use caution when retrieving water from it. Eibhln places Cáit in a spare bedroom and initially dresses her in boys' clothes left in the wardrobe because she arrived at the Cinnsealach home with no luggage. She later buys Cáit new girls' clothes. 

 

Seán, on the other hand, is reserved and initially dismissive of his foster daughter. When Eibhln is away, Cáit accompany Seán to the far side of the farm, where the latter cleans the milking parlor. Cáit wanders off while he is occupied. Seán panics when he notices her absence and searches the property for her. He scolds her and orders her not to wander off again. Cáit flees the house, terrified by his outburst of rage. Seán expresses regret and begins to make an effort to connect with Cáit. Slowly, the girl opens up to her foster father, and the two become close. 

 

The Cinnsealachs attend a wake one day. When a gossipy neighbor notices Cáit becoming restless at the event while Eibhln and Seán console their friends, she offers to look after her for a few hours. Eibhln hesitates but agrees. While the woman and Cáit are walking together, the former reveals that the Cinnsealachs had a young son who drowned in the family slurry pit some years before Cáit's arrival.

 

When the Cinnsealachs later pick Cáit up from the neighbor's house, they notice the girl's withdrawn demeanor and inquire as to what the neighbor said to her. Cáit tells them the truth, which upsets the older couple quietly, but they do not deny the neighbor's story. 

 

Cáit's mother has given birth more than a month into her stay and has asked the Cinnsealachs to return Cáit in time for the start of the school year. Cáit, Eibhln, and Seán express their sadness at having to part ways, but the couple agrees to drive Cáit back to her biological family. Cáit sneaks off to the well to get some water, but she becomes overwhelmed by her quickly filling the bucket and is dragged into it. While looking for Cáit, Eibhln comes across her soaked and upset return from the well and comforts her. 

 

Eibhln and Seán return Cáit to her home a few days later. Cáit's mother barely acknowledges her daughter's return, and her father chastises her for sneezing. They reluctantly bid farewell to Cáit and begin to drive away after a tense conversation between the adults, with Eibhln telling Cáit's parents that the girl is welcome to stay with them at any time. 

Cáit sprints toward the car as it drives down the driveway, catching up to the couple just as Seán closes the gate to her family's property. The foster father and daughter embrace, while Eibhln sobs quietly in the car. Cáit notices her father angrily marching toward them and calls out "Daddy" to alert Seán to his presence. She says "Daddy" again after a brief pause.

 

The Quiet Girl, directed by Colm Bairéad, is a beautifully understated film that has earned Ireland an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature. With its simple, uncomplicated story, this is a title that sneaks in and wiggles its way into viewers' hearts while leaving a lasting impression. The Quiet Girl, a standout in this year's awards season, is an earnest depiction of family and unexpected connections that lingers long after the credits have rolled.

 

Bairéad, who also wrote the screenplay, never overburdens a scene with dialogue or action. This initially emphasizes Cait's loneliness. Bairéad stages scenes so that she is clearly isolated, even when she is sitting with her siblings. Kate McCullough, the director of photography, contributes to this by using wide, unmoving shots that make the most of the space, giving a clear sense of Cait's world. The juxtaposition of Cait's family home and Eibhln and Seán's house tells the viewer which place brings the eponymous heroine more comfort. Editor John Murphy weaves it all together in a way that evokes long-forgotten childhood memories. 

 

The Quiet Girl is a unique film that is anchored by a strong performance by a young actor. Clinch makes her acting debut in this film, and it's impressive to see how much she can accomplish with so little. Cait does not always speak, instead relying on physical gestures to convey her thoughts and feelings. She gradually begins to open up throughout The Quiet Girl. Surprisingly, the film's title never becomes inaccurate. Bairéad, on the other hand, sends the message that Cait's newfound comfort does not negate her inherent shyness. Eibhln and Seán accept her for who she is, whereas her biological family does not. Bairéad makes Cait's relationships with the two adults feel natural and earned. There is no dramatic climax, but rather a series of soft, poignant moments. A cookie left as a treat, a makeshift chore competition. There is no dramatic climax, but rather a series of soft, poignant moments. A cookie left as a treat, a makeshift chore competition. The little things that make up a quiet life's domesticity.

The most dramatic part of The Quiet Girl takes place in Eibhln and Seán's past, with the secret the two have kept from Cait for quite some time. Bairéad does not reveal the reveal ahead of time, but when it does, it causes several scenes to fall into place like puzzle pieces. Eibhln and Seán develop into full-fledged characters with flaws and desires, which only strengthens their bond with Cait. The Quiet Girl steadily builds that relationship until its shocking ending. The final scene ends on an ambiguous note, leaving the viewer to imagine what happens next.

The Quiet Girl is not a flashy drama, which may give the impression that it is unimportant and unimportant. The opposite is true, and its strength comes from the straightforward manner in which it tells Cait's story. It reaffirms the idea that everyone has a place in the world. After the recent years of unease and disconnection, it's a comforting thought.

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