From the beginning, A Silent Voice was intensely sentimental. Not even twenty minutes into the 129-minute movie, I was crying. You will relate to it in one way or another because it covers some very distressing subjects and hard facts. I will say though, I had no idea that this movie would reach such dark depths at parts, and there should have been a warning of some form since it could be highly triggering to some. It made me think about aspects of my own past that I had not in a while.
Dealing with topics like bullying, social anxiety, sadness, and suicide ideation, the film was incredibly emotional and unvarnished. Fundamentally, this movie explores the very real-life consequences of bullying in childhood and how it does not go away at school or after the bullying ceases. As you get older, its consequences can seriously affect your mental health and how you view other people and yourself.What goes around comes around in life. When they were younger, Shoya teased Shoko because of her voice, her inability to establish friends due to her deafness, and her difficulty communicating with their peers, who also teased her to a lesser degree. Even while Shoko is adamant about not letting Shoya's or their classmates' bullying affect her, Shoya still chastises her, which may be rather upsetting to witness at times. Having gone through bullying myself in school,
It was devastating to see this little girl being tormented because of something beyond her control. She consequently begins to despise herself. Everyone turns against Shoya for being the child who bullied the deaf girl after his behavior with Shoko is revealed when she is eventually forced to change schools. He becomes the victim instead of the bully.
To the extent that he is unable to even look people in the eye, Shoya withdraws from society and isolates himself. He has no idea what friendship or any other kind of deep connection is like. Like Shoko, he starts to despise himself and feels so hopeless that he thinks the world would be a better place without him. He even considers planning his suicide, but fortunately changes his mind at the last minute. This movie did a great job of depicting how having no friends can seriously harm one's sense of self-worth and leave one feeling very alone.Since no one really bothered to learn sign language at their previous school because they saw Shoko as an inconvenience rather than a classmate who wanted to make friends, Shoya tries to make amends and atone for what he did to her in elementary school. He even goes so far as to learn sign language to improve his communication with Shoko. This obviously does not go as planned because others remember him as the bully from her youth and they make it hard for for him to approach her at all. Shoya gradually establishes a conversation with her and they become friends. Even though years have gone by and they are on good terms, the aftereffects of bullying still persist and it is difficult to get away from, even if they are able to make new friends with both old and new acquaintances.
This movie explores the mental health issues of suicidal ideation and depression in great detail. These affect both of the major protagonists, although Shoko is the one who endures the most hardship. You witness how isolated life with a disability in a world full of people with able bodies can be. How bullying may turn a person's thoughts into a pit of hopelessness, low self-esteem, and self-loathing. Shoko did nothing wrong, like the majority of bullied people. She was bullied because of a condition she could not control, and as a result, she began to despise herself and her life to the point where she no longer wanted to live. All she wanted was to make friends and be like everyone else. It proves that bullying involves more than just a few hurtful remarks. It goes beyond simple teasing. It has a significant impact on an individual's self-perception.
A large number of the characters in this film are reminiscent of people you have most likely known in your life. A popular girl who acts polite but does nothing to halt bullying because she fears that her reputation will be damaged tarnished, a new girl who is bullied, the outcast who does not belong, the shy but good companion who is also bullied, etc. Seeing these characters mature from their school years and see how being the victim or the bully impacted them as adults was fascinating. While some people never change, others do. It takes a lot more to convince some people that what they did was wrong, while others remain the same. Some individuals will never be aware of that. It was a pretty accurate portrayal of how bullying impacts individuals differently based on their stance.Despite some gloomy moments, there is hope for the future in this film. It demonstrates that you can recover even if you are in a dark place, without giving away too much in case you want to see the film for yourself. because nothing is worth dying for, no matter how horrible life gets. There is always good in the world, even though life can be difficult and people can be awful. When you are in a bad spot, having friends is a huge assistance. Individuals are subject to change.
I shed a few tears while watching this film.
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