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Kaitlyn Dever embarked on her acting journey in 2009 and has since established a formidable presence in Hollywood. Her breakout performance came with FX’s “Justified,” and she has since graced the screen in notable productions like “Booksmart,” “Dopesick,” and “The Last of Us.” The latter two roles earned her prestigious Emmy nominations. In 2023, she took on a starring role in the Hulu original sci-fi drama, “No One Will Save You,” which may have slipped under the radar for some viewers.
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In this film, Dever portrays Brynn, a young woman who finds herself alienated in her own community. Still mourning the loss of her mother and a dear friend, Brynn faces an extraterrestrial intruder in her home. As she escapes to the town, she uncovers that her neighbors have also been targeted by the alien presence. However, it soon becomes clear that the remaining townsfolk might be under the alien influence.
“No One Will Save You” transcends the typical alien invasion narrative, offering a chilling story that nearly qualifies as a horror film with minimal dialogue—featuring only five spoken words. While it didn’t receive any award accolades, the film was met with favorable reviews from critics. Echoing the suspense of cinematic gems like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “10 Cloverfield Lane,” this film stands out as an overlooked sci-fi thriller deserving of more recognition.
The film’s near-silent approach makes it unique, depending heavily on Kaitlyn Dever’s compelling performance, alongside strong direction and visually captivating cinematography, to pull the audience in. One might think this ambitious narrative style was premeditated, but writer-director Brian Duffield reveals otherwise.
In an interview with Collider, Duffield was questioned about his initial goal to create a silent movie. He recounted that the concept emerged while scripting a scene where Brynn visits a police station. “I always knew how that scene was going to wind up, and that scene didn’t have dialogue,” Duffield explained. “When I reached that point, I was surprised by where we were.” Embracing the idea, Duffield found stripping away existing dialogue was not only feasible but added a unique twist, describing it as “a cool little bit of whipped cream on it as opposed to the main event.”
No One Will Save You was originally written with dialogue
Hulu
Containing barely any dialogue at all, “No One Will Save You” is truly distinct in its storytelling, relying on star Kaitlyn Devers’s performance, strong direction, and stylish cinematography to engage the viewer. You might assume that such an ambitious concept was carefully planned from the start, but according to writer-director Brian Duffield, that’s not the case.
Speaking to Collider, Duffield was asked if his initial intent was to make a silent movie. He admitted that he was writing a scene involving Brynn visiting a police station when the idea struck him. “I always knew how that scene was going to wind up, and that scene didn’t have dialogue,” he recounted. “And I got to that point, and I was just very surprised at where we were at.” Confident in the approach, Duffield figured removing any existing dialogue wouldn’t be that difficult, and might even be more interesting. “It just felt like a cool little bit of whipped cream on it as opposed to the main event.”
Ultimately, the film wouldn’t be the same without its silent approach, forcing the viewer to follow the action. The story speaks for itself on screen, and its dialogue-less nature is one of its defining distinctions.
