There’s loving music and enjoying music, and then there’s being able to taste sound and see colors in sound. That is how Paul Mescal’s Lionel experiences music. It’s more than just music to him, and when he meets Josh O’Connor’s David at the Boston Music Conservatory in 1917 after he hears David singing a ballad that he used to sing back on his farm in Kentucky, the two automatically form a bond through music that lasts their lifetime. Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound tells the story of Lionel and David by understanding the power of sound and music and how it shapes our emotions. Spanning over several years, Hermanus reveals a deep romance between two men who find love with each other as well as the folk songs and ballads of rural Maine.
Oliver Hermanus Puts Folk Songs at the Center of ‘The History of Sound’

Image via Cannes

One thing that became clear to me when watching The History of Sound is Oliver Hermanus’s dedication to folk songs and ballads. It is the star of the show and exists as the emotional anchor of the film. Every significant moment comes on the heels or right before a folk song; it is how David and Lionel first meet, it’s how they bond, and it is ultimately Lionel’s first love. It’s rare to see so many classic folk songs and ballads highlighted in the way that The History of Sound does. Normally, when music plays a large part in film, it is modern or classical music, or music made by geniuses and savants, sung by famous musicians with colorful pasts.
But The History of Sound lifts up the music of the people. Folk songs that are passed down from generation to generation, sung and written by everyday people. These songs are living culture, and they form the soul of the film. In the scenes that are the most emotional, in the moments that are the most impactful, a ballad is being sung or listened to. This is music with a history of its own, intensely regional yet also immensely universal. Hermanus doesn’t just use this music as a backdrop for the love story between David and Lionel — it’s an active participant. And because of that, it is that much more impactful.
It’s impossible not to feel the deep emotion and heart when you hear someone singing one of these songs. While a classical church choir might sound angelic, it doesn’t have the same soul as a ballad like “Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies.” Songs about heartbreak, lives lost, sorrow, and joy; they are derived from the most fundamental human emotions, and without their presence, the film wouldn’t be nearly as strong.
Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor Deliver Standout Performances

Image via Mubi

The History of Sound primarily revolves around Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, with the protagonist being Mescal’s Lionel. The two actors have a tense romantic chemistry that is immediately reminiscent of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain. However, their romance is fully realized, and in the moments when they’re together, the two characters are honest and open with each other. Both Lionel and David can be very closed off to the people around them, but with each other, it is different.

Related

Dakota Johnson Delivers a Standout Comedic Performance Alongside ‘Andor’s Adria Arjona In Their Fresh Relationship Comedy

The movie also stars Adria Arjona and Kyle Marvin.

This just makes their scenes together more compelling. Mescal, in particular, is enigmatic as Lionel. Sometimes he’s hard to read, with his true emotions buried deep down inside of him, but his actions and his intention speak louder. He actively pursues O’Connor’s David, whom he clearly has deep feelings for. It’s only later, when we see an older version of him played by Chris Cooper, that we feel the full weight of his emotions come crashing down. The film culminates in a final scene with Cooper’s Lionel, now much older and a celebrated musical figure, reminiscing about the past. It’s the highlight of the film that could only have the impact it does with the foundation of Mescal and O’Connor’s intense scenes together.
‘The History of Sound’ Is Visually Beautiful, but Loses Some of Its Momentum

Image via Mubi

Travelling from rural Kentucky up to the forests of Maine to urban cities like Boston to sun-drenched churches in Rome, The History of Sound doesn’t just sound beautiful, it looks it too. Oliver Hermanus embraces the mood of each location, from the cool blue tones of a Kentucky winter to the hot summer days of Rome. Every frame of the film is rich in color, saturated by light and hues. However, all these locations also serve as a detriment to the story, as the film loses some of its momentum halfway through the film.
Once Lionel goes out on his own, leaving his farm in Kentucky behind, the film wanders a bit aimlessly as he goes from job to job. The effect is obvious; without David in his life, he feels lost, still in love with a man who has fallen out of contact with him. However, the segment of the film drags on, and it often felt like I was watching a biopic, simply going through the motions more than a narrative story.
It’s only when the story turns back to the folk music, and we are drawn back into the past, that the film lands on solid ground again. Despite the meandering middle portion, The History of Sound starts strong and ends strong. The emotional culmination of events comes in the final act, which had me bursting into tears in the theater as we listened to an older Lionel talk about his past. Artfully combining song, romance, and unique settings, Oliver Hermanus offers a heartbreaking and emotional film that reminds us not only of the enduring nature of love but also the power of sound and song.
The History of Sound premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

The History of Sound

Oliver Hermanus hits at the heart of folk music, while telling a moving love story about two musicians.

Release Date

January 14, 2026

Runtime

127 Minutes

Director

Oliver Hermanus

Writers

Ben Shattuck, Oliver Hermanus

Pros & Cons

Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor have naturally strong romantic chemistry with each other.
The film highlights folk songs and ballads and makes a strong impact as a result.
The final act is made even stronger with a powerful performance by Chris Cooper.

The middle of the film drags as it loses some of its focus when the two main characters are apart.