What is your relationship with faith?
For me, I think mine started so deeply due to my family dynamic growing up. I grew up in my grandparents’ home where I live from when I was 2 years old until I was almost 21. This was a good old-fashioned God-fearing household. My grandmother was a lifelong devout Roman Catholic and she set the tone for the household. Coming from an Italian American and Irish American mixed family, you knew Catholicism was going to be playing a large role in my upbringing. My grandmother was the one who was committed so deeply to her faith. When you sat in the dining room in their home in Westmont, NJ, you had two big pictures on the wall. One was an old family photo of my mom, my aunt, and my four uncles all together in the 1970s. How did I know it was the 70’s? Those leisure suits…lol. And the mop tops and mustaches. It was quite a picture. But the other? Pope John Paul II. You knew you just walked into a good old-fashioned Catholic home at that time when JPII was hanging on the wall. My grandmother was the one who would go to church multiple times per week including when Easter rolled around (stations of the cross-time!).
But what was my specific journey with my faith?
I received my first Holy Communion and am a Confirmed Roman Catholic. My full Catholic name is Shane Charles Francis Conto (rolls off the tongue doesn’t?). Why did I choose Francis? I always loved animals and Saint Francis was that guy. There were waves of devout church-going in my life. There were times when it was every week, I got my combination exercise in faith and aerobics workout (fellow Catholics know what I mean out there). There were other times in my life when I went years without going to church at all. The church was never a mainstay in my life, and it never felt like an essential part of my existence. Today, I would consider myself an agnostic at this point. When I die and I find myself judged by my creator, I would not be surprised. If I died and there was nothing, then so be it.
I have always found it more important to live a life as a good person and that was always enough for me.
But I cannot deny that faith has always been a large specter in my life, looming there and it will never go away.
Why does this introspection matter so much to this discussion?
The film on tap…Silence. Martin Scorsese spent years attempting to raise the funds to create this modern masterpiece. This film transcends being a narrative experience and delivers one of the most deeply poignant contemplations on faith. Over my month-long journey through the filmography of Scorsese, I learned quickly that it is important to understand his faith. I can connect with his perspective and experience where Catholicism is so deeply entrenched in his upbringing and experience. His trilogy of films including The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, and now Silence all feel so deeply personal as they explore his own connection to faith.
Besides its introspective exploration of religion, what is Silence about?
In the 17th century, two Portuguese Jesuits priests took it upon themselves to travel to Japan to find their once well-respected mentor who has been rumored to have shunned his faith and turned to Buddhism. Father Ferreira is such a beacon for the Jesuit faith that these two young men, Rodrigues and Garupe, are willing to put their lives on the line for the missionary cause. Along the way, they grapple with the struggle to convert the people of Japan to Christianity while also fighting back against equal and opposite forces trying to destroy their faith. What starts as a rescue mission soon becomes a story of perseverance and commitment to one’s faith for Father Rodrigues. The mystery that builds is whether Rodrigues follows in his mentors’ footsteps to turn his back on his own faith.
Where does Scorsese and Jay Cocks’ script shine?
There are minimal narrative beats that would traditionally call for action or thrills but instead is a deeply affecting journey through the soul. From the opening moments, we witness the tactics of the Buddhist inquisitor and how far Inoue will go to convert those who come to convert them. When you strip away everything else, we find a story about the human condition. There are two powerful and unrelenting forces that will not budge in the face of each other. This film becomes an expertly paced and threads tale of stubborn nature and the will to protect one’s beliefs at all costs. We witness death and suffering in the face of faith while others are challenged to put others before their conversion mission. For a film filled with so much dialogue directly linked to the themes and ideas of the film, you never once feel like the film is preaching to the audience or beating you over the head with exposition. The dialogue of conflict is expertly crafted to challenge all those who sit through this epic film which forces them to confront their own feelings.
What does this film have to say about the nature of religion, faith, and belief?
The general reaction we see to the new Christians of Japan is that…they might not actually be Christians. What happens when people only can process complex beliefs and perspectives on the surface? That is certainly the result here as we see Rodrigues and especially Garupe struggle to process the distinct lack of understanding when it comes to Christianity. Paradise is not given…that must be earned down the road. The Son of God is not the literal fireball that fills our skies. One character, Kichijiro, is the perfect embodiment of the fallacy of forgiveness. This promise of forgiveness is not there to guarantee you an open invitation to live your life without regard for others or decency. This man betrays poor Rodrigues and God at every turn…but he will be forgiven, right? Rodrigues is forced to confront the consequences of his selfish stubbornness as The Interpreter (who he is paired with) throws it all back in his face at every turn. This biting and chastising entity is that voice that creeps into your head, leaving you with the guilt (that Catholic guilt) and doubt that a faithful person fears.
But this film is a tale of many forces, right?
At the forefront, we have our protagonist, Rodrigues, portrayed with an incredible commitment by Andrew Garfield. Outside of a passable accent, Garfield fills this character to the brim with confidence, zeal, and a spirit that is incredible to watch. We see the struggle on Garfield’s face as he must waver between his steadfast beliefs and the doubt that creeps into his brain. We sit on the edge of our seats waiting to see if this young man turns his back on his whole belief system and accepts this new way of life. Hardheadedness and stubbornness reveal themselves until one fateful moment of clarity help Rodrigues see the error of his ways. God speaks to him (great choice for Ciaran Hinds to offer up this moving and powerful verbiage). He lets his faith go…or does he? The final moments of this film are impressive as they reveal the true strength of faith and will that our protagonist had all along (I cannot bring me to ruin that for you so make sure to check this out).
But Rodrigues is not our only “hero” here to do right by God, is he?
Garupe, Adam Driver, brings a whole other level of energy to his turn in the film. Intense and frustrated, Garupe always wears his feelings visibly on his sleeves. He is the first to air frustration over the hypocrisy of their new coverts and their distinct lack of understanding. Drive injects this character with his own impressive brand of intensity. He is one of the most impressive actors working today (and so is Garfield) and he rises to the occasion as he portrays staunch commitment better than anyone. This character is tragic in the end as his complete commitment to faith is what brings about his end. But along the way, Driver gives a performance that is hard to ignore.
Is Liam Neeson contractually obligated to only appear in Scorsese films for no more than 15 minutes?
Obviously, that is a joke but there is no joke to what Neeson brings to this film in his limited screen time. From the jump, you see a man broken and shaken in his faith. We rarely get to see Neeson so vulnerable in roles anymore and that just makes it that much more impactful when we see Ferreira for the first time in this film. But he really makes an impact when he arrives in the third act (making an expertly crafted entrance that leverages his sheer size and presence). His confrontation with Rodrigues is poignant and powerful. Neeson shows why he is such great talent (well beyond the realm of cheesy action-thrillers). When he raises his voice and shuts down Rodrigues, there is a distinct feeling in the air. The atmosphere changes. That is the command that he has on-screen.
What about this talented group of Japanese actors?
It is easy to overlook them as an American audience member as you are drawn in by Garfield, Driver, and Neeson BUT there are impeccably rendered performances by the rest of the cast. The Inquisitor is such an essential character. He is the antagonist. He stirs the pot. The dialogue he is given is biting and impactful. The actor bringing this character to life needs to walk a fine line between an eccentric old man and a vicious opponent in the sparring between faiths. Issei Ogata offers up a performance that towers over our expectations. Tadanobu Asano is strong and formidable as the Interpreter who must break down Rodrigues every chance that he can get. Yoshi Oida is memorable, tender, and resolute in his role as Ichizo (one of the strongest converts to Christianity). He does so much in this role all the way up to his tragic crucifixion and drowning at sea. Yosuke Kubozuka is quite the high-energy wild card that Kichijiro needs to be to work.
But we haven’t even gotten to the filmmaking…and this is a Scorsese film, isn’t it?
When I first saw this in theaters back in 2016, I was not the level of cinephile I am today. My experiences with Akira Kurosawa were quite limited. But watching this film now, the opening scene feels ripped from the frames of Kurosawa’s films. The striking visuals, the somber atmosphere (which this scene has PLENTY of atmospheres), and the narrative mix together perfectly to capture the spirit of this legendary Japanese filmmaker. Scorsese has always been and will always be a student of the game. There are big effects moments at times but generally, this film thrives on the stark intimacy of the tale. Scorsese is able to craft a somber yet oddly hopeful atmosphere around the film (which honestly might be his own perspective on the world today).
Is it time to honor Scorsese’s crew?
For a film that runs 160-minutes, this moves so well. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker (one of Scorsese’s greatest collaborators) comes to play with piecing this emotional epic to life. A relative newcomer to Scorsese, Rodrigo Prieto, offers up one of the most beautiful films in recent memory. From the overhead shot of the priests walking down a giant staircase to the sharp horizontal movements of the camera while trapped in a cage, everything on this end feels inspired. Finally, the score is generally subtle yet emotionally affecting. But the sound is where the magic comes to life. The crickets and cicadas fill the air as silence sets in, making each scene that much more moving and emotional.
But what is so upsetting about this masterpiece?
Scaled beautifully, shot impeccably, and acted impressively, Silence is one of the true masterworks that no one saw.
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No one saw it. This film was pushed for a December release due to the Oscars. The film only received a trailer the month before. This is one of Scorsese’s most interesting ventures but, in the end, Scorsese has some of the best films of all time. This is also not the type of film that screams $1 billion. My goal? To make sure Silence does not live in silence.
