Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- wistful
- intimate
- quiet evening
- arthouse date night
What critics said
Critics broadly find the film heartfelt and emotionally moving, praising its period atmosphere, performances, and melodic treatment of intimacy and cultural preservation while noting occasional flaws and a potentially slow emotional build.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lionel and David's relationship develops during World War I and is shaped by separation and the limits placed on male homosexuality.
The protagonists travel to document the lives, voices, and folk music of American communities.
Lionel and David's shared musical project becomes the concrete medium through which their emotional bond deepens.
Critical reception specifically highlights the detailed set design, costumes, and atmospherically powerful images.
Films like The History of Sound, and why
Brokeback Mountain
period LGBTQ romance shaped by separation, memory, and restrained emotional longing
Atonement
melancholic wartime romance centered on choices, sacrifice, and enduring attachment
Maurice
intimate queer period romance with literary atmosphere and suppressed desire
Bright Star
music-infused historical romance using artistic collaboration to explore intimacy and loss
Movie Details
- Director
- Oliver Hermanus
- Release Date
- 2025-09-12
- Runtime
- 128 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (157)
Cast
- Paul Mescal
- Josh O'Connor
- Chris Cooper
- Molly Price
- Raphael Sbarge
- Hadley Robinson
- Michael Schantz
- Peter Mark Kendall
- Emma Canning
- Alison Bartlett
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The History of Sound about?
- Two young musicians transform a wartime folk-music expedition into a haunting record of love, memory, and lives nearly lost to history.
- What is The History of Sound like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The History of Sound as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The History of Sound violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The History of Sound.
- What did critics think of The History of Sound?
- Critics broadly find the film heartfelt and emotionally moving, praising its period atmosphere, performances, and melodic treatment of intimacy and cultural preservation while noting occasional flaws and a potentially slow emotional build.
- Which films are like The History of Sound?
- Films with a similar feel include Brokeback Mountain, Atonement, Maurice, and Bright Star.
- How long is The History of Sound?
- The History of Sound runs 128 minutes.
- Where can I watch The History of Sound?
- In United States, The History of Sound streams on Hulu, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel.
