The kindness of strangers in “A Quiet Place: Day One”
The first “A Quiet Place” exceeded expectations, critically and commercially—a smash hit that announced John Krasinski as a major director to keep an eye on, spawning a sequel and now, its own spinoff in “A Quiet Place: Day One.”
A glimpse of Day One, or rather, the day the alien monsters invaded and made a mess of things, was shown in the introduction to “A Quiet Place 2,” but that was in a small town. We get much more of the terrifying initial alien attack here, and in the center of Manhattan, no less.
Lupita Nyong’o plays Samira, a poet in hospice care, surly and in pain, swapping out fentanyl patches while minding her cat Frodo, apparently the only thing left in the world she likes. When Reuben (Alex Wolff), the director of the hospice center, announces they’re going into Manhattan to take in a show, Samira only agrees when she gets a commitment from him that they’ll get pizza in Harlem.
Of course, after the show is when the planet gets invaded by terrifying creatures that move extremely fast, are all sharp angles, and have super-acute hearing (but are blind and can’t swim).
Chaos ensues, people all around are torn to shreds and all Sam wants is to make sure Frodo is safe. She passes out and comes to in a new world, where no one can make a sound lest they attract near-certain death.
This spin-off is the first of the franchise not directed by Krasinski. As he was busy with another dream project (“If”), he handed directing and writing duties to Michael Sarnoski, who made one of 2021’s best films, the Nicolas Cage-starring chef’s revenge drama, “Pig.”
Working off of a plot he conceived with Krasinski, Sarnoski introduces new characters and a different kind of dynamic, as strangers come together in the face of the end of the world.
Odd pairing
The film’s most important relationship begins when Frodo leads Eric (“Stranger Things”’ Joseph Quinn) to Sam.
It’s an odd pairing: The young, white Brit is in NY for law school and though both are clearly out of their depth as to what to do in the case of a world-ending alien invasion, Sam is doing a better job of keeping her wits about her. Eric is drawn to her strength, her will, her determination to get that slice of pizza up in Harlem.
But it’s not going to be an easy trip getting there.
There’s an unexpected platonic romance at play in “Day One.” While the two main characters seemingly have nothing in common, the fact that Frodo brought them together makes them feel fated.
We learn more about each person’s back story, and when Sam’s pain makes her effectively immobile and she keeps passing out from the anguish, Eric braves a solo trip to the nearest pharmacy to get what she needs.
Sam’s physical frailty is a contrast to her single-minded focus. While Eric is younger, stronger and likely in the pink of health, he is at a loss, adrift in a world itself unmoored.
Sarnoski puts them through their paces, coming up with some breath-holding sequences (a swim in a flooded subway tunnel is a highlight), but he also surprises with a poetry recital, a mime magic act and other unexpected moments that play better without dialogue.
He lets Nyong’o and Quinn talk to each other with their eyes, a distillation of cinematic storytelling. When you reach the finale, you understand the characters better and an act of agency speaks volumes.
