October 30, 2025
FILM: THE HISTORY OF SOUND
DIRECTED BY: OLIVER HERMANUS
STARRING: PAUL MESCAL, JOSH O’CONNOR, MOLLY PRICE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
When it was announced that Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor were going to play lovers in The History of Sound, fans were eagerly anticipating a hot, steamy romantic film that could have the same impact Brokeback Mountain with Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal did twenty years ago. Afterall, Mescal and O’Connor are two of the most sought after actors working today and, well, the camera loves them… Then the film played at a couple of festivals, including Cannes and Telluride, and viewers saw this something different: a period drama about two men with a love of music who do meet and strike up a relationship but the steaminess is underplayed in favor of a deeper, more heartfelt story.
The film begins in 1910 in Kentucky where we meet young Lionel, who has an extremely sensitive ear which can easily identify keys, notes, and general sound patterns. Jump ahead to 1917 when the now adult Lionel (Mescal) is studying voice at a New England conservatory. There he meets David (O’Connor) who he hears playing piano in a pub. There’s an instant connection between them. Without wasting time and indulging in their physical relationship, filmmaker Oliver Hermanus focuses on their common music interests. World War 1 then calls up men to fight taking David overseas while Lionel goes back to work on the family farm. They meet up again in Maine where David has a project to capture music from all over the region. The bond between the men becomes stronger and more beautiful as they camp, hike, and record the songs of many locals.
It is here that we do feel the influence of Brokeback Mountain. Their quiet time alone, outside by the fire, and the tender glances they give each other draws us into their relationship. However, whereas Brokeback Mountain did indulge in the sexual side of the two main characters, Hermanus doesn’t overplay it and suggests their physical connection is a given and not needed for viewers to feel something for them. I applaud this choice. Whenever the two are separated, due to the realities of money and Lionel’s family farm, there’s a real sense of emotional loss that is heartfelt and bittersweet.
As far as the characters go, most of the narrative is spent with Lionel. We actually learn very little about David during their time together. This is not a fault of writer Ben Shattuck’s script, which he adapted from two of his short stories, because the story is from the point of view of Lionel and such character details are revealed when they offer the greatest emotional impact on the film.
There are a few leaps in time which are clearly noted with captions on screen but a couple of scenes do leave out the reasons certain other characters appear, such as a young man whom Lionel sits with at a café in Rome. While details about this relationship may have been cut from the script, I believe they were done so to keep our focus on Lionel and the emptiness he feels whenever David is not around.
Both Mescal and O’Connor are superb in their roles. Mescal as Lionel initially comes across as a bit prim and buttoned up. O’Connor as David is more of a live wire with a thirst for adventure. They complement each other quite well. Mescal fans will be happy to see that he is shot more than once without a shirt on, still sporting some of the muscle he gained for Gladiator 2. There’s a wide-eyed joy in O’Connor for much of his time on screen. When he smiles at Mescal as Lionel, we know he means and feels it.
So, while this is essentially a love story, it is also about times lost or never captured. Lionel is so in tune to sounds that he laments all that has not been recorded in the history of sound. Thankfully he and director Hermanus have both captured something quite beautiful. Be ready though: It may even lead to a few tears.
The History of Sound had a brief theatrical run in September but begins streaming on MUBI, November 1st. Let’s hope the film finds its way to other streaming platforms soon!
FILM: THE HISTORY OF SOUND
DIRECTED BY: OLIVER HERMANUS
STARRING: PAUL MESCAL, JOSH O’CONNOR, MOLLY PRICE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
When it was announced that Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor were going to play lovers in The History of Sound, fans were eagerly anticipating a hot, steamy romantic film that could have the same impact Brokeback Mountain with Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal did twenty years ago. Afterall, Mescal and O’Connor are two of the most sought after actors working today and, well, the camera loves them… Then the film played at a couple of festivals, including Cannes and Telluride, and viewers saw this something different: a period drama about two men with a love of music who do meet and strike up a relationship but the steaminess is underplayed in favor of a deeper, more heartfelt story.
The film begins in 1910 in Kentucky where we meet young Lionel, who has an extremely sensitive ear which can easily identify keys, notes, and general sound patterns. Jump ahead to 1917 when the now adult Lionel (Mescal) is studying voice at a New England conservatory. There he meets David (O’Connor) who he hears playing piano in a pub. There’s an instant connection between them. Without wasting time and indulging in their physical relationship, filmmaker Oliver Hermanus focuses on their common music interests. World War 1 then calls up men to fight taking David overseas while Lionel goes back to work on the family farm. They meet up again in Maine where David has a project to capture music from all over the region. The bond between the men becomes stronger and more beautiful as they camp, hike, and record the songs of many locals.
It is here that we do feel the influence of Brokeback Mountain. Their quiet time alone, outside by the fire, and the tender glances they give each other draws us into their relationship. However, whereas Brokeback Mountain did indulge in the sexual side of the two main characters, Hermanus doesn’t overplay it and suggests their physical connection is a given and not needed for viewers to feel something for them. I applaud this choice. Whenever the two are separated, due to the realities of money and Lionel’s family farm, there’s a real sense of emotional loss that is heartfelt and bittersweet.
As far as the characters go, most of the narrative is spent with Lionel. We actually learn very little about David during their time together. This is not a fault of writer Ben Shattuck’s script, which he adapted from two of his short stories, because the story is from the point of view of Lionel and such character details are revealed when they offer the greatest emotional impact on the film.
There are a few leaps in time which are clearly noted with captions on screen but a couple of scenes do leave out the reasons certain other characters appear, such as a young man whom Lionel sits with at a café in Rome. While details about this relationship may have been cut from the script, I believe they were done so to keep our focus on Lionel and the emptiness he feels whenever David is not around.
Both Mescal and O’Connor are superb in their roles. Mescal as Lionel initially comes across as a bit prim and buttoned up. O’Connor as David is more of a live wire with a thirst for adventure. They complement each other quite well. Mescal fans will be happy to see that he is shot more than once without a shirt on, still sporting some of the muscle he gained for Gladiator 2. There’s a wide-eyed joy in O’Connor for much of his time on screen. When he smiles at Mescal as Lionel, we know he means and feels it.
So, while this is essentially a love story, it is also about times lost or never captured. Lionel is so in tune to sounds that he laments all that has not been recorded in the history of sound. Thankfully he and director Hermanus have both captured something quite beautiful. Be ready though: It may even lead to a few tears.
The History of Sound had a brief theatrical run in September but begins streaming on MUBI, November 1st. Let’s hope the film finds its way to other streaming platforms soon!