A Silent Love (2004)
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Theatrical Release: Oct 29, 2004 Limited
Synopsis: In this sophisticated romance, Norman (Noel Burton), a middle-aged Canadian professor, meets a young Mexican woman, Gladys (Vanessa Bauche of AMORES PERROS), through an Internet dating service. The two meet in Mexico. Norman proposes and, a bit tentatively, Gladys agrees, but with one... In this sophisticated romance, Norman (Noel Burton), a middle-aged Canadian professor, meets a young Mexican woman, Gladys (Vanessa Bauche of AMORES PERROS), through an Internet dating service. The two meet in Mexico. Norman proposes and, a bit tentatively, Gladys agrees, but with one stipulation: her widowed mother, Fernanda (Susana Salazar), must be allowed to come back to Canada with them. Soon, the intricacies of the non-virtual world begin to trip up the married couple: Gladys wonders if Norman had "help" writing his charming emails, and Norman suspects Gladys of using him to get a green card. The intelligent and beautiful mother-in-law does her best to mend the fraying edges of the relationship, but slowly she becomes the greatest obstacle of all because Norman finds himself falling in love with her, and she with him. Under the sure hand of director Federico Hidalgo and with rich and nuanced acting by the three leads, this film, which easily could have been a contrived or situation-driven story, delves deeply into the complex emotional lives of the characters as they strive for companionship and love. [More]
Genre: Foreign Films
Starring: Noel Burton, Vanessa Bauche, Susana Salazar
DVD Info
Release:
May 15, 2007
DVD Features:
- Keep Case
Audio:
- Dolby Surround - English, Spanish
- Subtitles - English, Spanish, French - Optional
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
Director Federico Hidalgo moves the film at a thoughtful pace and refuses to impose a tidy prefabricated conclusion on his story of marriage and misunderstanding.
Puts an unusual spin on some of the clichés of the romantic comedy.
An unimposing film of many a film festival, Federico Hidalgo’s “A Silent Love” is a decent film full of true human emotions
Its charms sneak up on you because of the nuanced performances of Burton, Bauche and particularly Salazar as their characters discover that what people think they want and what ultimately makes them happy aren't necessarily the same thing.
They’re vibrant individuals with minds of their own, which is another way of saying that they only occasionally obey the dictates of Hollywood romantic-comedy convention.
This story of a shy Canadian professor who weds a younger Mexican woman he has met online is not content to be a feel-good intercultural idyll.
Robles and Hidalgo ring enough changes on a stock situation that you're never sure where it's going, and that alone is no mean achievement in a genre as formulaic and enervated as romantic comedy.
A Silent Love manages to entertain while saying something about loneliness and culture shock.
A gentle character study that puts a fresh spin on mother-in-law trouble.
A poor script, occasionally baffling editing, and actors who cannot rise above the various missteps combine to make A Silent Love a messy, confusing debut that more resembles a student film than a theatrical release.
Salazar ... pulls the audience over to her corner early on and never lets go of them.
The potential for a rebound love, and for disaster if it all falls down, keeps the movie quietly burning.
Steers clear of the emotionally obvious; it's a film that's funny without laughter and sad without tears.
Hidalgo takes us on an interesting journey into the hearts and minds of people who uproot themselves and spin slightly out of control in a new milieu.

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