This is a bit of a long read, even for a movie review, but well worth your time. J.
[Yes, there are “spoilers.”]
Silence is not a “Christian” movie. If it were, no doubt the climax would see Inoue and his translator converted, the Japanese Jesuit mission judged an astounding success, and both Ferreira and Rodrigues refusing to trample the fumie (the pictures of Jesus or Mary produced in seventeenth century Japan).
It is also not an easy movie to categorize. I should say, it’s not an easy story to categorize. I’ve read the novel by Shusaku Endo twice, and because the film adheres so closely to the book, they can be considered as one story told in two media.
But what kind of story is it? On the surface, it’s about a man riven with love for the Japanese and his Christian mission toward them, but who cannot seem to help them, no matter what path he chooses. If he holds fast to his faith, they suffer. If he…
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Wow this is a mature and nuanced look at the movie. I shared this with my sister who saw the movie and we had some conversations about it. This is very helpful.
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