Home Entertainment: ‘The Bay of Silence’ DVD Review

Based on the novel of the same name, The Bay of Silence is a mysterious and heart-wrenching thriller that ventures into some extremely dark areas. It also boasts an impressive cast with Claes Bang, Olga Kurylenko, and Brian Cox leading the way. Will (Bang) has the perfect life. He has a great job, a lovely house, a gorgeous wife, two beautiful step-daughters, and an adorable newborn son. His idyllic world gets turned upside down however, after his wife, Rosalind (Kurylenko), vanishes with the children. After a frantic search, he tracks them down, but is faced with awful news; their young son has passed away under strange circumstances. With his wife rendered almost catatonic with grief, Will is left in the impossible situation of getting to the bottom of what happened. As more evidence comes to light, it appears more and more likely that Rosalind had a hand in their son’s fate, but could Will really have fallen for such a cruel woman, or is something more sinister at play?

The Bay of Silence sucks the viewer in from the opening moments. We meet a carefree version of Will and Rosalind as we get a snapshot rose-tinted glimpse at their history together. We then fast-forward to the present where the couple are beaming and proud of the newest addition to their picture perfect family. Things here are as chaotic as family life usually is, and there’s a nice sense of normality. This doesn’t last for long though, and soon enough, just like Will, we the viewer are sent tumbling through the rabbit-hole. It’s here that the story really compels the audience’s curiosity. The film has been brilliantly written and directed, consistently providing just enough information to keep the viewer hooked. It’s a delicate balancing act, give too much away too soon and the viewer will figure things out, get bored, and switch off. But give away too little and the watcher will get frustrated, confused, and again, switch off. Luckily, director Paula van der Oest and writer Caroline Goodall have worked exceptionally hard to ensure that the audience are always in just the right state of intrigue and knowledge. 

Reflecting the duality of the plot, the title itself points to more than one meaning. On one hand, it refers to the Italian location, the Bay of Silence in which a portion of the story takes place. On the other hand, it expresses the gulf of secrets that threaten to devour the couple. Our narrative also has more than one component – the investigation into the circumstances of the infant’s death unfolds alongside an even bleaker story strand. Other films would have picked just one direction to explore, but by opting for both, The Bay of Silence gives the viewer plenty to sink their teeth into. At the same time, by not being the sole focus of the plot, each strand is allowed adequate time to breathe and unravel at its own pace.  

In addition to a wealth of mystery, The Bay of Silence tackles some really tough subjects. Through the story we explore mental health issues, several facets of abuse, and the tragic bereavement of losing a child. The latter is especially harrowing; the discovery sequence is horrifically haunting, searing the retinas, and will have parents waking up in cold sweats for weeks. All the issues are handled delicately though and it is by not sensationalising them that their full gravity really lands. These topics in less experienced hands could easily have slid into melodrama, and the restraint displayed here pays the utmost respect to these somewhat taboo subjects.  

It’s not just the people behind the camera that have worked to make this little film all it can be, the cast also throw their absolute all into proceedings. Claes Bang does an excellent job of portraying all aspects of Will. He is the character that the audience follows from start to end and he goes on just as much of a journey as we do. There are some incredibly difficult scenes for the audience to digest and Bang features in the bulk of them. It’s a lot of darkness to carry, but Bang manages the task with gusto. Playing opposite him as the enigmatic Rosalind, is Olga Kurylenko. Her performance as Rosalind is slow and deliberate, every slight movement she does has been thoughtfully considered and demonstrates that she is much more than her action movie persona. Brian Cox rounds out the main cast as Rosalind’s overbearing and shady father, and in typical Brian Cox fashion, is simply brilliant. 

A fantastically dark thriller that is both devastating and absorbing, The Bay of Silence is a properly chilling tale that will make your blood run cold. Buoyed by excellent performances and a slowly unravelling mystery that commands your attention, The Bay of Silence will enthral, entertain, and distress in equal measure.

The Bay of Silence arrives on home entertainment platforms from Monday 28th September 2020.