''Sweet Nothing in My Ear'' is a 2008 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made fo ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Joseph Sargent Joseph Sargent (born Giuseppe Danielle Sorgente; July 22, 1925 – December 22, 2014) was an American film director. Though he directed many television movies, his best known feature-length works were arguably the action movie '' White Ligh ...

and is based on a 1998 play of the same name by Stephen Sachs, who also wrote the teleplay.Sweet Nothing in My Ear
'' LA Weekly'', April 16, 2008. It stars Jeff Daniels and

Marlee Matlin Marlee Beth Matlin (born August 24, 1965) is an American actress, author, and activist. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for a ...

as the parents of a Deaf child, played by Noah Valencia, who struggle with deciding to give their child an implant that will allow him to hear again. The film premiered on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

as a '' Hallmark Hall of Fame'' presentation on April 20, 2008. This was the final film directed by Sargent before his death on December 22, 2014, With the film

Hallmark Channel The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies a ...

and producer-director

revisited

deafness Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is written ...

with a universal theme contemplating the relationship of a minority group to society at large, 23 years after their previous film on a similar theme, the Emmy-winning '' Love Is Never Silent'' (1985). Daniels studied American Sign Language before filming, in order to portray the language accurately.

Plot

Dan and Laura Miller (Daniels, Matlin) have been married for nine years, are separated, and in a custody dispute over their deaf son, Adam (Valencia). Their close relationship began to change when Adam loses his hearing at the age of four, the condition was initially accepted as Laura is deaf since her youth. Adam turns eight years old and he is injured when Dan is unable to warn him of oncoming danger. Dan begins to explore the idea of

cochlear implants A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis that provides a person who has moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss with sound perception. With the help of therapy, cochlear implants may allow for improved speech unde ...

. Flashbacks show how various situations in their lives have been advantageous and unfortunate to be deaf. The effects of deafness on the relationships of the grandparents are explored as one set is deaf and the other hearing. The issue of Deaf Pride and Deaf culture weighs in from the family. The attorneys and the witnesses at the custody hearing focus on the benefits and disadvantages of cochlear implants. The case is to resume following the weekend. Both parents see that living separately is not helping with the raising of their children and they will make the decision as a family.Sweet Nothing in My Ear
''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

''.Sweet Nothing in My Ear
''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...

''.

Cast

as Laura Miller * Jeff Daniels as Dan Miller * Noah Valencia as Adam Miller *

Rosemary Forsyth Rosemary Forsyth is a Canadian-born American actress most notable for her role as Bronwyn opposite Charlton Heston in '' The War Lord'' in 1965. Early years Forsyth was born in Montreal, Quebec. Her father, David Forsyth, was Scots-Canadian ...

as Louise Miller *

Sonya Walger Sonya Walger (born 6 June 1974) is a British actress who also holds American citizenship. She had starring roles in the short-lived sitcoms ''The Mind of the Married Man'' (2001–2002) and ''Coupling'' (2003) before landing her role as Penny W ...

as Joanna Tate *

Ed Waterstreet Ed Waterstreet (born May 5, 1943 in Algoma, Wisconsin) is a Deaf American actor and the founder and artistic director of Deaf West Theatre, which was established in 1991, and was the first resident theatre company in America operating under the di ...

as Max * Phyllis Frelich as Sally *

David Oyelowo David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo ( ; born 1 April 1976) is a British actor, director and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards as well as nominations for two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards ...

as Leonard Grisham *

Deanne Bray Deanne Bray (born May 14, 1971) is an American actress. Bray was born deaf and is bilingual in American Sign Language and English. Early Life and Education Bray was born in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California and has spent most of her life in ...

as Dr Walters *

Shoshannah Stern Shoshannah Stern (born July 3, 1980) is an American actress and writer. Life and career She was born in Walnut Creek, California, into an observant Jewish and fourth-generation Deaf family, the daughter of Ron Stern and Hedy Marilyn Stern (née U ...

as Valerie Park

Reception

The film was reviewed by Brian Lowry for ''Variety''; the review summary reads, "Hallmark and producer-director Joseph Sargent revisit deafness with a universal theme that contemplates the relationship of a minority group to society at large. Here, the pivotal question involves a choice unavailable to most minorities — whether they would opt out of that status if possible. Buoyed by Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels' strong performances, the Hall of Fame's 233rd entry suffers a tepid ending but still gets its thoughtful point across, loud and clear."

References

External links

*
''Sweet Nothing in My Ear''
at CBS.com
''Sweet Nothing in My Ear''
at Hallmark.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Sweet Nothing In My Ear 2008 television films 2008 films American Sign Language films Films about deaf people 2008 drama films American films based on plays Hallmark Hall of Fame episodes Sign language television shows Films directed by Joseph Sargent Films scored by Charles Bernstein

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links