"A Quiet Place" Nonsense Movie Review

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The hilarious antics of The Office did not end in 2013. They merely took a few years off to prepare fans for the most intense, gut-busting narrative yet.

You've heard all about it. You've seen the countless Facebook ads after Googling it once. You've cringed at the bathtub scene in the trailer. A Quiet Place, despite being John Krasinski's directorial debut, is one of the year's highest-grossing movies, bringing in over $200 million worldwide. In fact, it has already made more money than any other movie in the mocumentary-turned-thriller/comedy genre. With a 95% Rotten Tomato score and a verifying tweet from Stephen King, this movie lives up to all the hype. In just under 90 minutes, Krasinski accomplishes what The Office failed to do in its final 1,000--being funny without Michael Scott.

Set approximately 12 years after the series finale, A Quiet Place throws the viewer into the lives of Jim and Pam Halpert with no real background information. Combine this lack of explanation with the recasting of Pam and it's easy to see why many people don't realize who the characters are. Emily Blunt (John Krasinski's real-life and on-screen wife) reportedly got so frustrated with everyone wanting her husband to leave her for Jenna Fischer that she took it upon herself to play Jim's love interest in the reboot. Their daughter, Cece, has also been recast by Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things. There are two more children, who the viewers must assume are the product of Pam's affair with the documentary sound guy.

The setting is an apocalyptic Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Venom-looking aliens have eaten nearly everyone while staying relatively thin. Along with having a high metabolism, these creatures possess a heightened sense of sound and a low tolerance for tennis shoes, causing everyone to walk barefoot wherever they go. The movie is less about fear than how annoying the smallest sounds can be. Krasinski takes the simplest parts of life and amplifies them to show just how irritating they actually are. Within the first few minutes, the viewer becomes more like the monsters on screen, hyper-aware of even the slightest sounds. A Quiet Place can be described in many ways, but it cannot be used to describe the movie theater in which you see it.

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"'A QUIET PLACE is an extraordinary piece of work.' -Stephen King"

-Ronny Cox

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What sets this movie apart is how beautifully it does what so many other thrillers fail to do--incorporate slapstick humor. The whole movie seems to reflect previous comedies, such as Home Alone and The Three Stooges, and the result is a pleasant, refreshing movie-viewing experience. Whether it is a kid falling into a grain bin, someone getting bopped on the head, or a highly-foreshadowed surprise on a step, Krasinski made sure to fill this movie to the brim with nonstop shenanigans. The funniest of which takes place when a child runs face-first into a tractor tire, knocking himself out cold. The moment brings AFV-style lightness to an otherwise dim moment.

The only thing this movie truly lacks is a bit more suspense and a cameo from Jim and Pam's other coworkers. Whereas the movie's darkness might not mesh well with characters like Andy and Kevin, others such as Creed and Toby would practically write themselves into the plot. These characters bring forth a natural tension that would help the film deliver on the apprehension promised in the trailers.

All in all, A Quiet Place does a great job reprising the original story while paving the way for seasons to come. It might not be a stereotypical mocumentary/thriller/comedy movie, but it is guaranteed to bring countless laughs and leave the viewer smiling.

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