Dot (Camilla Belle) is a shy, reclusive teenager who has been deaf and mute since her mother died when she was younger.  She is forced to live with her dysfunctional godparents when her father passes away.  Her new sibling, Nina (Elisha Cuthbert), is the quintessential popular cheerleader with a mean streak stemming from years of insecurity.  Nina does her best to make life horrible for her bizarre new sister.

Despite her alienation from the high school clicks, Dot starts to intrigue those around her, which leads to many a dark secret being whispered in her presence.  However, despite acting as a human confessional, Dot has a secret of her own... She is faking.  I am not giving to much away here because the previews allude to this possibility and the revelation comes early in the film.

Nina's lack of self worth comes from the years of sexual abuse at the hands of her father.  Many nights, when all the lights are out, she is forced to endure an incestuous visit from the sick man.  She dreams of one day having the courage to kill him, ending her misery and freeing herself from the constant fear.  Nina becomes aware of Dot's charade, and uses that knowledge to gain sympathy and to manipulate.

The film flies dangerously close to an accusation of melodrama.  However, the director manages to elicit some fabulous performances amidst a gorgeous cinematographic palette, balanced with a script that never quite steps over the line into lurid detail or innuendo.  The film gives its subject the respect and emotional weight it deserves.

I was blown away by Elisha Cuthbert's effort here.  The lovely Canadian actress from the hit TV show "24" has never really had much to do other than to look like a petrified or confused sex kitten.  We have all been waiting for her to actually prove she can act.  Well... case closed.  She is really great as Nina, bouncing in and out of virtually every emotion with ease in a very tricky role.  This character could have been a campy caricature, but she manages to imbue Nina with depth and nuance that I certainly wasn't expecting.  I hope we get to see a lot more of these meatier projects from her in the future.

Camilla Belle seems to be one of the new "it girls".  She has already received plaudits for her work in "The Ballad of Jack and Rose" and "Chumscrubber".  And she recently set a world record for being in every frame of a movie called "When a Stranger Calls" (OK - I am exaggerating, but it was close).  She has a tough cookie to crack with Dot, relying heavily on voice-over work and facial reaction shots.  It reminds me a little of the job Holly Hunter had to do in the 1994 film "The Piano".  It is a very understated performance that merits a lot of praise.

I also thought that Edie Falco and Martin Donovan were really tremendous as Nina's parents.  Each had a lot to do as flawed characters with multiple layers.

"The Quiet" live up to its name.  There are very few histrionics and the film doesn't venture down cliché lane.  It is beautifully shot and creates a chilling mood.  The set up is original, the heart of the film is balanced on a knife edge, and the ending is not typical.  I really could not have hoped for more.  This is one of those films that will probably just miss out on my year end top ten list.