The Place Of No Words

By: Ashlee Dell’Arciprete

What happens after you die is one of the most thought provoking questions one can have and one of the hardest to explain. Nobody knows the correct answer, even as much as they think they may. Mark Webber’s newest film, which he wrote, directed and stars in, just premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival explores this quandary. The Place of No Words is a metaphysical fantasy film that goes well beyond its initial premise of, “Where do we go when we die?”

The Place of No Words is an intricate and dynamic portrayal of storytelling and one of Webber’s best. Death is often the saddest part of life as it is, but as a result explaining it to young children especially is what can be the most harrowing and is what this film attempts to comprehend. The movie is a merge of fantasy with reality or what Webber calls his “reality cinema.” Like in his other films, Webber cast his own family in the principal cast, including his wife Teresa Palmer and son Bodhi Palmer.

In the film Bodhi is a three-year-old grappling with understanding that his father (played by his in real life dad) is terminally ill. The primary plot stems from Bodhi’s curiosity about death from only somewhat knowing that his father is ill and the only way three-year-olds really can—in creating your own world with your father in it. We do not know the extent to which Mark is ill until later on, but that is the point. The film opens with Bodhi as he’s laying on his father’s bed. Mark asks his son, “What happens when we die?” This leads Bodhi to an adventure of exploration in a fantasy world from the eyes and curiosity of a child.

The fantasized world is surreal, filled with magical bridges, Grumblers, fizzleberries and more. The film shifts between the fantasy and reality seamlessly where you are able to learn more about the characters while developing in the other realm as well. The cinematography by Patrice Lucien Cochran is powerful and breathtaking throughout every scene.

Bodhi Palmer is the breakout star of the film. His child-like wonder will leave you constantly in awe of how cute he is. Not only that, but Bodhi can actually act and his ability is beyond his years, but as the son of two great actors it’s not surprising. Speaking of, Mark Webber and Teresa Palmer are also outstanding in the film. If the film had gone more into Teresa’s headspace at the time, it would have given a great element to a woman who is a soon-to-be single parent on top of losing her husband, but all-in-all a minor critique. Also in the film is Nicole Elizabeth Berger, who shines as the angel in the fantasy realm. Eric Christian Olsen, Phoebe Tonkin and Sarah Wright also serve as part of the supporting cast in both the fantasy and reality sides, each having a different persona when in the fantasy realm from Bodhi’s eyes.

It appears as though The Place Of No Words was also a way for Webber to explore life after death as well and is clearly a film he made to show the love he has for his wife and their children. There are not quite many films like it, although Where the Wild Things Are comes to mind,Where the Wild Things Are and is an artful representation at an attempt to grapple with something so complicated as death. A film with family at the forefront, Webber’s “reality cinema” in The Place Of No Words is awe inspiring and the effort and care put into the film screams through every scene.