Speech is just one form of communication; there is also writing, language, signing, touch, and various other ways humans connect. Therefore when you are blocked from these kinds of connections, it can be both frustrating and isolating. In her film, The Sounding, director, writer, and actress Catherine Eaton portray Liv, a woman who lives off Maine's coast on a remote island.
Under her grandfather Lionel (Harris Yulin), Liv has remained in her little bubble — literally. Though she developed normally as a young girl, Liv suddenly stopped speaking and still has not resumed decades later. Though Lionel, a scientist, was desperate to find a cause or cure for Liv's self-imposed silence, he's resigned himself to just making her happy. However, amid a health crisis, he's determined to find a path forward for Liv when he's gone.
Summoned to the island by Lionel, Michael (Teddy Sears) finds himself mesmerized by Liv and her condition. He is wholly determined to find the root of her silence, despite Lionel's pleading to protect her. Things escalate further when Liv begins to speak through Shakespeare's prose to express herself, forcing Micheal to choose between Lionel's wishes and his desire to "help" as a doctor.
Any fan of Shakespeare will undoubtedly be moved by Eaton's vast knowledge of the iconic playwright's words. Also, the chemistry between herself and her co-star, Sears, is palpable. However, that's where the interest and intrigue in The Sounding ends. Even enthusiasts of Shakespeare will probably be exasperated as Liv launches the thick prose at Michael and later when she rebels in a psychiatric hospital.
Her outbursts and acts of violence seem to come out of nowhere since the audience is offered no insight into this side of her personality prior. The outbursts are neither consistent nor revelatory, adding no information or details to the character or the film overall.
Moreover, there is never any real explanation regarding Liv's condition, leaving the audience increasingly frustrated with the narrative's direction and even less intrigued than when the film opened. Instead of a full-fledged script, The Sounding appears to sit on an idea of lovely acting and striking scenery.
This is not to say all is lost; rounding out the cast with Eaton, Yulin, and Sears is a veteran actor, Frankie Faison as Roland, Lionel's friend and lawyer. The ensemble alone shows poetic handling of the often dense dialogue and lush silences. Moreover, The Sounding is a stunning film. Along with her cinematographer, David Kruta, Eaton creates a majestic sequence of images rivaling any big-budget project.
Yet, despite having all of the right pieces, The Sounding doesn't quite come together in the end. Instead, we are left in the same place we began.
The Sounding is now available on VOD.