Director: Ildikó Enyedi
Writer: Ildikó Enyedi
Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Luna Wedler, Enzo Brumm, Léa Seydoux
Synopsis: At the heart of an old German university grows a majestic ginkgo tree, its lifespan measured in centuries. As the years pass, the distinguished plant bears witness to the private lives of those who seek shade under its boundless branches. Over time, each is transformed by the quiet, enduring, and mysterious power of nature.
One of the foundational aspects of being alive is the need for connection. Even individuals prone to introversion typically have at least a few close people they trust enough to be a part of their little community. What qualifies as connection is often extremely personal, and it is not always going to translate to an obvious, grand spectacle. Director Ildikó Enyedi is seemingly fascinated by the unseen, and perhaps unknowable, forces that bring us together. In 2017’s Oscar-nominated On Body and Soul, two outsiders found themselves drawn to one another when they realized they were meeting each other every night in their dreams. Now, in her long-awaited follow-up, Silent Friend, she transitions out of the mystical space of dreams and into the awe-inspiring wonder of the natural world. With so much emphasis often put on technology as the grand uniter of the world, it is rewarding to be reminded that, even when we feel at our most alone, we are always connected to something larger than ourselves.
Our story begins in the present era, as we serpentine through the neural pathways of an infant whose parents are aiding the work of a curious researcher. This observer is Tony (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), a neuroscientist from Hong Kong who is visiting a historic German university in early 2020. As you may guess from the date, Tony gets stranded on campus during the pandemic lockdown, completely alone outside of a territorial groundskeeper (Sylvester Groth) who eyes Tony with almost comical suspicion at every turn—an odd development for a film so steeped in subtlety. Unable to continue his research into the brain activity of babies, Tony pivots to a most unlikely subject: a noble ginkgo tree that has slowly been making itself a prominent fixture in the space since it was planted in 1832. Tony believes that he can measure the organic waves emanating from the tree to glean something about the complex internal life within this mighty presence.
Silent Friend is presumably one of only a handful of films in history that has a “Featured Plants” section in the closing credits, rightfully giving these plants the respect they deserve as pivotal characters in their own right. Enyedi gives us glimpses of the tree’s experience, from the stimulating fireworks of a hard rainfall to the unremarkable inevitability of someone losing their lunch over its roots after too much to drink. With such a long lifespan, this ginkgo tree has seen it all, and, as such, it acts as our shepherd to two other distinct time periods.
The oldest memory it shares is from 1908, when we meet Grete (Luna Wedler), who has just been admitted as the first female student at the university. Her story is the most overtly dramatic, especially in an introductory scene in which a panel of professors grills her on scientific procedures with a healthy dose of cutting sexism not even attempting to mask their disdain. The tightrope that Grete and Wedler have to walk to remain composed in the face of such an exasperating barrage is captivating to observe. In a movie with Tony Leung Chiu-wai, it is hard to emerge as the MVP, but Wedler certainly puts up a fight throughout her journey of persecution and self-discovery. Yet, even within this seemingly familiar arc, the movie does not take the most obvious roads, taking cues from the reserved nature of its central monolith.
We also spend time in 1972 with Hannes (Enzo Brumm), an aloof, young German student who appears eager to leave his simple farm life behind, even to the point of being dismissive of plant life altogether in one instance. Of course, this shifts a bit as he develops a friendship with Gundula (Marlene Burow), who has a passion for botany. Of the three stories, this one is the slowest to gain momentum, but it pulls its weight once Hannes begins to house-sit for Gundula and take care of a geranium on which she is experimenting. The movie shows such love and respect for plant life that you will find yourself wondering why you are holding your breath and gripping your seat as you await to see if any misfortune falls upon this flower.
The major barrier for many audience members will be the slow, luxurious pace of the movie that urges you to take time and truly observe every inch of the screen. The sentiment is lovely, yet even as someone who has bought into the narrative, you really start to wonder if the film necessarily needed to clock in at two-and-a-half hours. Enyedi and cinematographer Gergely Pálos combat the restlessness somewhat by keeping things visually interesting. While the modern time period has a crisp digital aesthetic, things get more hazy and imprecise in the ‘70s as the footage switches to 16mm, and, finally, black-and-white 35mm for Grete’s section in 1908. Each time period swirls together and fades in and out of one another in the editing process, lending credence to the belief that, even if we might feel isolated, we are all part of a larger story.
Silent Friend is an extremely thoughtful and ambitious narrative that eschews easy sentimentality in favor of something more meditative and cerebral. All the pieces are here for greatness, yet it comes up just short by playing things a little too emotionally cool and not completely earning its massive runtime. Plus, having Léa Seydoux in your film and confining her to a handful of expository Zoom calls with Tony Leung Chiu-wai feels like some sort of crime against the gods of cinema. Nevertheless, Ildikó Enyedi continues to earn our admiration for the way she approaches humanity and connection in ways that are not easily quantifiable. It is a work that lingers with you and makes you extra mindful that, even when no one else is in sight, life is all around you.
