Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Redundant and unnecessary.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

There is a difficulty in allowing for the motion picture to represent much of anything let alone something as involved as a study in the problems of an disabled childhood brought on by Autism.The picture the silent fall does involve and ultimately provide somewhat of an attempt to look at a developmental disorder called Autism.It is not entirely unworthy a look at however that is do mostly to the fact that this is presented as a motion picture and not as a study of the disorder per se.The other element to this otherwise engaging film is that there exists a very gruesome find of a double murder,the parents to a autistic child have been murdered in there home with the young autistic child named Tim being a witness to the double murder.It is also worth noting that a short while after the discovery of the double murder we discover a daughter,tall though only 18 years old appears to be covered in blood crouched in a corner of a closet.It is the young boy who gets our attention very early on and to a degree serves as almost a mis-direction.He has a huge Kitchen knife and like the scene is as well covered in blood while all the while sounding very unintelligible and providing a very near threatening though incoherent picture of this traumatic event.The Sheriff sends Dr.Rainer a message through a deputy with a call for help with the added incentive,"you owe me one". Dr. Rainer played by Richard Dreyfus is reluctant though he bares witness to the sciences with a noticeable care given this demanding scene which he is called in to if you will deal with.He does deal with the scene and provides something of a rescue for there is no telling just what may of been in store for the child had not this noted childhood practitioner not been so well situated and as well so very much accomplished in childhood developmental disorders.The Mis-direction as suggested earlier was that the Law asked the question could the young boy have committed this crime,this may of been a bit of a mis-direction however the tumult,that is the asking of the question was brought about by the degree of difficulty the knife played in the very early going.The child actually did pose a threat though Doctor Rainer as explained did diffuse the confused youngster.The story is involved and presents an increasing involvement as there is the demand made to get to the childs ability to reveal what he saw or what he heard.It is the daughter who is not questioned as the crime may of required though I suspect it was due to the subject matter that evolves finally into a very near death experience for Doctor Rainer and a worthwhile climax.This is in fact a story that has the propensity to keep your attention and with subtly open,by way of a right of discovery find a problem that though not anywhere to be found it unlocks a very real entanglement.This film does possess a unsettling premise and it will further provide more of the same in its conclusion.The value though to all is that neither the young boy nor the girl are damaged beyond redemption with a very real credit hereby awarded Dr.Rainer for courage and belief as his experience paid off with the saving of perhaps as many as two souls.The young girl and the autistic child,but perhaps mostly Tim have someone to thank and that is Dr. Rainer.I might suggest that this film provides a good story telling ability,which it does however it is not only in its story telling ability that there is something to champion.The champion here is the care that is given and what that means as the young boy is as good to the Doctor as the Doctor is as good to young boy.A credible account is agreed to and that is worth a honorable mention.The story is as well not without intrigue and lesser discoveries all along the way however there is a near miss with disaster that make special mention of the accomplishment with which this review felt necessitated an award for Doctor Rainer.A useful film,interesting storytelling and not an entirely predictable storyline add up to worthwhile viewing.

An autistic boy appears to be the only witness to a murder. Because of the boy's inability to communicate with others, a child psychiatrist must work with the child to solve the crime. I presume that the film's "take" on autism is at least reasonably accurate. But, as a murder mystery, the film was a disappointment. There just isn't that much to the story, which contains large amounts of filler. The plot is contrived. And the film's pace is very slow.One gets the impression that the real purpose of the film is to "teach", or tutor, viewers on the subject of autism. I have no problem with that, except that by using a vulnerable child as a major character, the film becomes manipulative, in that it uses the child to invoke a sympathetic response from viewers.The film's music, costumes, and production design are fine. Ben Faulkner, as the little boy, does a fine job in a difficult role. Other actors also give credible performances. But Richard Dreyfuss, as the psychiatrist, is dreadfully miscast. An older actor with a more refined persona would have been more believable.If you have an interest in autism, "Silent Fall" is worth watching. And the film does have moments of suspense, especially toward the end. But the film lacks the complexity and depth to be a truly entertaining whodunit.

I really have to commend Bruce Beresford for his directing abilities because his movies (the ones I've seen so far) are always entertaining no matter what they're about. This one is no different. A very solid cast makes it enjoyable when it could have easily been just another TV movie with a bunch of unknown actors. And here lies the problem; "Silent Fall" doesn't aim high enough and doesn't realize its potential, while with its stellar cast and perhaps a plot and a twist that would actually make the viewer think, it could have been big, since the predictability of it all is almost offensive.The daughter just had to try to kill the shrink in the end just to make the viewer feel less sorry for the kid for losing his sister too. A solid, yet somehow disappointing "mystery" thriller with some nice moments and a good sense of pace. Plus it's the first movie attempt by the sexy Liv Tyler who always makes me want to be the lipstick on her upper lip.6/10

I saw this movie a few years ago, I think when it was a new release on VHS... rented it with family/friends without knowing ANYTHING about it... I get scared easily in movies, and this movie absolutely petrified me... I was too scared to go to sleep that night, and didn't want to even leave the room because I was so frightened. I can't even remember if it was a decent movie, but I think that the suspense element must've worked if it freaked me out so much. See it... see if you're less of a wimp than I am... : )