In Sound of Noise, Amadeus Warnebring (Bengt Nilsson) is a policeman in a family of accomplished musicians that loathes music. He becomes obsessed with finding a group of drumming misfits who are on a mission to attack the city with music by using everyday objects. What elevates the film is how Amadeus ultimately relates to the group of musicians. It’s an idea that is completely unexpected and clever. Filled with amazing inventiveness and creativity, the film will delight you from beginning to end.
Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson won the Young Critics Award for Best Feature at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010 for this film, in which the group’s mission is intertwined with a musically untalented policeman who is in pursuit of them. The writers/directors had tremendous success with their 2001 short, Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers which was screened at Cannes and had won several awards.
As part of the hearing world, there are sounds all around that would not be considered anything else but noise. However, for these musicians, the seemingly boring sounds become instruments and are “played” to form beautiful music. Every “attack” is more complicated and ultimately encompasses the entire city.
The best way I can describe the actions of these musicians would be to compare them to chefs competing when given very limited ingredients to work with. It’s thrilling and engaging to watch them try to make the most of what is in front of them and make it into something wonderful. It may appear as though they are not enjoying themselves because of their precision, but that’s exactly what they enjoy. When playing they seem to have no regard for the consequences, yet all their actions are well planned as they avoid capture.
The sound design and editing is critical to the film and is a technical triumph. With so many musical pieces and little dialogue, the film manages to keep your attention and leaves you wanting more. Each piece is completely different from the last, however, they are all bound together and complete each other. Even as the credits roll, the song compels you to stay in your seat.
Rating: This film is so much fun, you’ll love every moment and hear the world in a whole new way (9/10)
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