In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael discuss Soft & Quiet (2022), Beth de Araújo’s tense and deeply unsettling thriller that follows a group of women over the course of a single afternoon as casual prejudice spirals into something far darker.

Through the show’s voice note conversation format, the hosts talk about the film’s real time structure, its use of a continuous take aesthetic, and how it builds dread through conversation rather than conventional horror mechanics. They explore the banality of extremism, the dangers of group reinforcement, and how ordinary social interactions gradually reveal more disturbing beliefs and intentions.

They also discuss the film’s refusal to provide easy distance from its characters, its portrayal of radicalisation and complicity, and why Soft & Quiet is so effective at turning everyday settings into a source of mounting discomfort and terror.