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Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

While renting this film, I had high viewing hopes, seeing who was in the cast, and the fact that it was River Phoenix's last performance. After watching about an hours worth, my hopes were dashed. The story itself is attention-grabbing, but the presentation is way too drawn out. The film never quite gets up to speed.My father, who watched this with me, is a big fan of westerns, and even he did not enjoy this film. Although, I do have to say, this film is a couple steps up from Pursuit (an even more abysmal western, which I have unfortunately watched).The ONLY reason I rated this film a 2 instead of a 1, is because you get to see Bill Irwin, a young Dermont Mulroney, some good trick riding, and, of course, River's final performance. Without those, if I could have, I would have rated this film a .5.

Although it's rated as "western" and the story happens during "bang bang times", "Silent Tongue" is much of a supernatural drama than anything else. It was kind of sad watching it just a few days after Richard Harris' death. It's also sad seeing River Phoenix in such good phase of his career considering that now his is (unfortunately) dead. We will always miss Harris and Phoenix.The film itself is not so great. The plot is interesting and I really like the cast, but the movie is a little slow. We always expect something explosive to happen, but nothing really does. The symbolism is nice. There are quite a lot of them in the movie. It's just a matter of paying close attention and let your mind work on them. My rate 6/10

I find it rather odd that anybody who loves movies would find this movie slow or dull. The characters are wonderful. Complex characters, each contains both virtues and self serving vices; each at times you feel pity for what has happen to them, yet feel pity for what they have done. There is no end, for what the father has done in the name of his son can never have closure. Mixed with top notch acting, a gripping musical score, perfect sound and wonderful cinematography by under rated Jack Conroy this movie works as a feast for the not just the mind but the eyes and ears as well. Hardly a second passed by where I was not entranced by the spirt of this film. Slow to those fail to understand the each moment in time begins a anew, for each moment is this movie changes a character and in turns changes the story. Perhaps a few scenes went on a few seconds too long, and one can find faults here and there regarding all but the greatest works, but in this movie the faults are mainly hidden by the strengths and story which should leave you thinking about the human heart for some time to come.

Silent Tongue looks and feels like a great lost 60s spaghetti oater crossed with a Japanese ghost story. Richard Harris is excellent (and restrained!) as the father of River Phoenix, who is haunted by the less than ethereal remains of his late wife, a half breed purchased from traveling huckster Alan Bates (over-the-top but enjoyable!). Give playwright Sam Shepard his props for some outstanding direction: this man understands how to frame a shot better than 90% of the Hollywood hacks making big budget crapola. Strongly recommended.