Netflix’s latest horror flick The Silence has only been out for 24 hours, but it’s already racked up a fair share of online criticism, and not just for being a lesser A Quiet Place. Viewers claim the film poorly portrays the deaf community—probably because its sole deaf character is played by actress Kiernan Shipka, who can hear just fine, according to PopBuzz.
The film follows a family trying to survive in a world that’s been taken over by bat-like creatures attacking anything that makes noise. Fortunately for them, the whole family knows sign language. That’s because the 16-year-old in the family, played by Shipka, lost her hearing three years prior.
And, according to the deaf community, the sign language used throughout the film is laughably inaccurate.
“If everybody knew sign language, The Silence on Netflix would be a comedy film,” deaf activist and model Nyle DiMarco wrote on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/NyleDiMarco/status/1116004381533409281
Director John Leonetti previously called Shipka’s portrayal “flawless, like she’s been signing her entire life” and that she has “an almost innate sense of what it’s like being a deaf person.” Actual deaf people beg to differ.
DiMarco said Shipka uses incorrect grammar throughout the movie and tweeted several clips of her signing alongside videos detailing her mistakes.
https://twitter.com/NyleDiMarco/status/1116163251211866112
https://twitter.com/NyleDiMarco/status/1116163479239446528
https://twitter.com/NyleDiMarco/status/1116163581781762050
Many also pointed out the film’s obvious plot holes. For example, Shipka appears to hear a dog growl, and family members manage to understand her without seeing her signing. Critics argue the flubs could have been avoided by reaching out to deaf consultants or hiring a deaf actress.
Netflix has not yet released a statement regarding the film’s backlash. But here’s to hoping all the negative press coverage will save us from being subjected to a new version of the Bird Box.
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H/T PopBuzz