How does music make you feel? It’s a universal language for everyone, a form of art that can surpass cultural barriers. For some, it simply fills their morning commute to work. It’s background noise to fill the silence. For others, music is their life, articulating their deepest feelings.

That’s what music is for Lionel Worthing and David White in the new film “The History of Sound,” starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor respectively. Music brings the pair together — and is eventually what pulls them apart.

After meeting at the New England Conservatory in the 1920s, David White (Josh O’Connor) and Lionel Worthing (Paul Mescal) start a partnership romantically and musically. The pair travels the East Coast of the United States, collecting songs from people who live in the small rural towns. Once the trip is concluded, they part ways and are forced to build “normal” lives, forever attempting to escape their secret love affair.

Directed by Oliver Hermanus, and with two of the biggest names in Hollywood at the helm, “The History of Sound” is a highly anticipated watch for many and a huge let down for many others.

While the premise seems intriguing, it fails to take off in an interesting way. It’s drab in color, tone and plot. It fails to thoroughly engage the viewers during its lengthy two hour and seven minute run time.

In an attempt to be subdued, the film relies on the main messaging being in the subtext. It could take a big swing and make a statement, but the film hides its true meaning beyond the dialogue and under layers of attempted thematic messaging.

While this is effective in some cases, it isn’t saying anything bold enough to be picked up on, keeping the audience at arm’s length. It takes the phrase “show, don’t tell” a little too far, showing us nothing and telling us even less.

Unfortunately, the main romantic tension also lies in this subtext. When intimate moments happen between the lead characters, they get cut short, never letting the audience experience that vulnerability. While this can sometimes be a beneficial tactic, muting the main romantic storyline leaves the viewers feeling disconnected and unaffected by the attempted emotional payoff at the end.

Although O’Connor and Mescal give their all to the film, their performances feel mediocre due to the boring writing. Their relationship feels more like that of best friends rather than romantic partners, and the tension that would be expected of a romance is illusive.

It is always a win when a film about an LGBTQ+ romance gets its time in the spotlight, but the community deserves good representation that puts that first, and doesn’t leave it as an afterthought. 

With lackluster performances and writing, poor representation, a lengthy run time and a quiet release strategy from MUBI, “The History of Sound” won’t have much staying power in the minds of the viewers or the current pop culture conversation.

Related Stories:

• Behind the battle for ‘One Battle After Another’
• ‘One Battle After Another’ review: Paul Thomas Anderson’s multi-genre joy ride is generational
• DePaul lands a top 10 film school ranking. But do students agree?