Providence is a silent film written and directed by Sharon Wilharm and on limited release throughout the states.  It stars Juli Tapken and Rich Swingle as some of the actors that portray two people at various stages throughout their lives.  The movie is unconventional, as it’s 2016 and this is a silent movie.

This is a Silent Movie, a Musical?

Yes, this is indeed, a musical.  As the movie starts, it’s showing the two in their teen years.  They fumble about and if you can tolerate the subpar acting with the teenagers.  They are awkward and they do lots of obvious plays with their facial expressions and pantomime performances that easily convey, “Yes, we should not be playing with other people’s emotions.”  We, the audience are privy to numerous activities they do as they are going through that stage in life where pimples and acne can ruin an evening.

The play list of songs is varied.  You’ll be watching these people interact with others, and the sadness is sometimes overplayed.  The song choices reel in the viewer, and do a decent job of making up for the interesting events that lead to them parting ways, as many first loves do in life.

Is the Soundtrack Acceptable?

You could play this in your car, and if you had no knowledge of the film, you would think that the songs were eclectic, some covers of songs that are not performed in their usual genre.  You can eat up miles with this or use this as background noise at an art fair.  If you like ambient sound, then this would be really enjoyable for you.

The First Act isn’t an Indication of Things to Come, Is It?

This movie really hits it’s stride once the second act starts.  The adults shuffle into their roles, the early adulthood is touch and go, How are you?  Warm hugs, long and lingering smiles.  There are some real events that should have been added to the footage, as the events that are portrayed show you two souls tangling together, but tied to others.  As each one of them goes their separate ways, you have small bits of the score uplifting the characters.

The continuing saga of each of them doing their separate things, touching souvenirs of an earlier time when they were happy, and it details quite well how each of them desires something more of substance in their life.  You can see the missed opportunities of people lamenting not being honest with each other and with those around them.  The parallel with these two and their fall from their spiritual connection is plain as day.

Not Every Goodbye is Permanent

What I infer from this is the final act is one of soul and spiritual redemption.  Both of these people endure heartbreak and loss.  It’s when they are amid, no, beside themselves, looking at the corpses of what was in their lives, that they reconnect in their middle age.  Both of them deal with their desires in prayer in different ways, but the result is the deliverance of what they need most.  They are reunited, and allowed to be as one.  Not just in a material relationship, but their faith is restored as well, and the credits roll shortly after. 

If you are a person who considers themselves a Christian, this movie will probably entertain you in ways that others would not.  And for those that need hope in this world, it is a cute little movie that will please you. All in all, the movie is great, but it might not be right for everyone. A 7.5 out of 10 is deserved.