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The Quiet Room

  • 1996
  • PG
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
617
YOUR RATING
The Quiet Room (1996)
Home Video Trailer from Fine Line
Play trailer1:55
1 Video
9 Photos
Drama

A seven-year-old girl adopts a vow of silence in protest when her quarrelsome parents grow increasingly hostile to one another.A seven-year-old girl adopts a vow of silence in protest when her quarrelsome parents grow increasingly hostile to one another.A seven-year-old girl adopts a vow of silence in protest when her quarrelsome parents grow increasingly hostile to one another.

  • Director
    • Rolf de Heer
  • Writer
    • Rolf de Heer
  • Stars
    • Celine O'Leary
    • Chloe Ferguson
    • Paul Blackwell
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    617
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Rolf de Heer
    • Writer
      • Rolf de Heer
    • Stars
      • Celine O'Leary
      • Chloe Ferguson
      • Paul Blackwell
    • 11User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Quiet Room
    Trailer 1:55
    The Quiet Room

    Photos8

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    Top Cast9

    Edit
    Celine O'Leary
    • Mother
    Chloe Ferguson
    • Girl Age 7
    Paul Blackwell
    Paul Blackwell
    • Father
    Phoebe Ferguson
    • Girl Age 3
    Kate Greetham
    • Kate, the Babysitter
    Todd Telford
    • Workman
    Peter Ferris
    • Carpet Cleaner
    Peter Green
    • Carpet Cleaner
    Trudy Talbot
    • Well Dressed Woman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Rolf de Heer
    • Writer
      • Rolf de Heer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    6.7617
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    Featured reviews

    Eljay-3

    From a mother's point of view

    This movie opened my eyes and got me down to a 7 year old's level. Actually I should say up to a 7 year old's level, in this movie the adults seemed more childish than the child!

    It was great to see life in a not so harmonious household from the child's point of view! So many things I've heard myself say to my own child, the mother in the film said and I swear I will always think before speaking to my kids!

    It's a very original and thought provoking movie - I recommend it to everyone!
    8dwpollar

    Excellent story of a child's perspective on life...

    1st watched 10/15/1999 - 8 out of 10(Dir-Rolf De Heer): Excellent story of a child's perspective on life with parents who are having a hard time making things work.Definetly not a hollywood movie, but rather a slice of real life.Why can't us Americans make more time for movie's like this?(This film is Australian made.)
    9Mad-Scientist

    don't overlook the importance of colors in this movie!

    I was glad to notice a movie by Rolf de Heer in the TV guide, since I really liked his "Bad Boy Bubby". But this was a totally different movie. It's about a girl who decides not to speak to her parents anymore to get them closer together since their marriage is not what it once was. But what I really wanted to point out is the use of colors in this movie.

    I didn't see it at first but there are two main colors used to indicate the mood of the people. Blue points out a very sad mood, whereas red points out the opposite, happiness. Notice the extremely red sweater the girl is suddenly wearing near the end of the movie...
    gamma693

    Nearly made this metalhead cry

    I found a used copy of this on ebay and bought it because I saw Bad Boy Bubby (one of Rolf's earlier films) and loved it. While it was completely different, I enjoyed it just as much as I did Bubby.

    I've read other users complain of how De Heer spells out everything in his films and doesn't give the viewers a chance to pick up on things for themselves... When this movie started, I felt the same way but soon got used to it and was able to look past it. The film is about a girl who decided to quit talking, but we hear narration through out the film, answering all of her parents questions, etc. More silence might have made for a better film, but it also could have made it a bit more boring. It did drag a bit as is, but the girl was great in the movie (even her stupid rhymes) and I couldn't stop watching.

    Being a child of divorce, one of the fight scenes hit a little close to home. I remember feeling exactly as the girl did when it happened in my family, covering my head trying to block it out, crying etc. This movie took me right back to those times, like it or not.

    I liked how none of the characters had names and also how small the cast was. The movie works because of how simple it was. I'm curious to see more of Rolf's films now, too bad none of the rental stores here carry any of his stuff.
    8pwstamps-1

    inside scoop on divorce

    This movie is GREAT! It has a very unique point of view, learning about divorce through the eyes of a child. The audience is given the ability to read the childs mind, in a sense, because she is unable to speak. Very much worth watching!!

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    Related interests

    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Writer-director Rolf de Heer said of this film: "I'm really interested in the way children think, and I have quite strong memories of childhood and how I thought" explained de Heer. "I do remember quite strongly feeling that adults underestimate the way children think and that I must never forget that, so that when I became an adult I wouldn't make the same mistake."
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Girl Age 7: Hey diddle diddle, the cow did a piddle behind the kitchen door. The little dog laughed to see such fun, so the cat did a little bit more.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Movie Show: Episode dated 11 May 1997 (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Row Row Row Your Boat
      Traditional

      Sung a cappella by Chloe Ferguson with modified lyrics

      Reprised a cappella by Phoebe Ferguson with modified lyrics

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • March 21, 1997 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Australia
      • Italy
      • France
    • Official site
      • Vertigo Productions
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La habitación silenciosa
    • Filming locations
      • Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Fandango
      • Marvel Movies
      • SBS Independent
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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