Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound is defined by its restraint, almost to a fault. For a film centered on a romance between two men traveling the U.S. in the late 1910s to capture music, it feels surprisingly muted, with its emotional undercurrents often simmering too quietly to ever fully ignite. On paper, the pairing of Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor—two of the most compelling actors of their generation—should be electrifying. In practice, both give strong performances, but the film rarely provides them with material that resonates beyond fleeting moments.
The story follows Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor), music scholars who set out to record and preserve sound during a period when such things were rare and fragile. The journey allows for tender, contemplative scenes, yet too often the romance feels underplayed, as though the film is afraid to embrace the intensity that the premise invites. The roles themselves even feel mismatched: Mescal, best when cast in roles that hold mystery and vulnerability at a distance (Aftersun, All of Us Strangers), spends most of the runtime as the central perspective, which at times leaves the film dragging. O’Connor, who has shown time and again that he can command attention with subtlety (La Chimera), might have been more effective in Mescal’s role.
When they share the screen, the chemistry works, and O’Connor in particular remains captivating even in the film’s quieter stretches. But as the story leans more heavily on Mescal in the final act, the imbalance becomes harder to ignore. Hermanus’ direction is serviceable but not memorable, especially compared to his precise work in Living (2022), which earned Bill Nighy an Oscar nomination. Here, the polished cinematography and careful sound design give the film a certain elegance, but the overall effect is more muted than moving.
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The History of Sound isn’t without craft or value—it’s handsomely made, and there’s enough sensitivity in the performances to keep it watchable. But considering the promise of its cast and the weight of anticipation around it, the film feels underwhelming, too content to be quiet when it should sing. A respectable effort, but one that ultimately lands as a middling arthouse picture.
Score: 5/10
The History of Sound (2025)
- Cast: Paul Mescal, Josh O’Connor, Molly Price, Alison Bartlett, Chris Cooper, Raphael Sbarge, Hadley Robinson
- Director: Oliver Hermanus
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Runtime: 127 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: September 12, 2025
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