A pair of e-mailing lovers discover romance is more difficult in the real world than in cyberspace, especially when a highly unexpected rivalry comes into the picture in this understated comedy drama. Norman (Noël Burton) is a middle-aged college professor from Montreal who, through an on-line dating service, has been corresponding with Gladys (Vanessa Bauche), an attractive younger woman from Mexico. Emboldened by the dating service's prediction that their relationship has a 61 percent chance
of lasting, Norman flies to Mexico to ask for Gladys' hand in marriage. Gladys accepts, but only under the condition that her mother, Fernanda (Susana Salazar), can join them in Canada. Norman agrees, but it isn't long before both Norman and Gladys discover the chemistry they enjoyed through the mail doesn't work nearly as well in person. Gladys wonders aloud if Norman actually wrote his own letters, and Norman starts to suspect his new bride is more interested in a green card than in him. Matters become all the more difficult when Norman finds himself becoming infatuated with Fernanda, who is not much older than he is and quite attractive for her age. A Silent Love was the first feature film from director Federico Hidalgo, who co-wrote the screenplay with Paulina Robles, his spouse. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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.
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.
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 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.
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