For a little digression, I must say that I understand the appeal of using plot twists to surprise or affect an audience, but it seems almost infantile to completely lie to an audience. Great thrillers require planting a suggestion in the viewer's mind, then reversing that idea when the truth is revealed. In the case of The Quiet, the writing bills Dot as a deaf mute and then reverses that idea a short way into the movie. And for those upset that I might have spoiled a major plot point, Dot (the girl who can’t hear or speak) is the film’s narrator from the beginning. At the end of all things, director Jamie Babbit should be asking one question: how can a movie with decent writing, strong directing, and amazing acting be so terrible?

If you enjoy slow burning plots or art house flicks, you might want to give this one a shot or at least make it a rental. If you’d rather see an explosion every five minutes or frat boys lighting farts, save your money for Crank or Jackass: Number Two.

Final Grade: C-

The Upside: The film is unflinching in tackling tough subjects like domestic abuse, teenage sexual pressure, and drug use.

The Downside: The suspenseful moments are ruined by bad pacing and choppy delivery. Plus, even if the suspense was built up to fever pitch, the payoff would just be that more disappointing.

On the Side: Camilla Belle also stars in The Chumscrubber, another tale of suburban life gone to hell. In fact, maybe you should just rent that instead.

Release Date: September 1, 2006

Cole Abaius is a contributor to Film School Rejects.