“All You Hear is Noise”

“All You Hear is Noise” is a documentary where the subject is distinctive but the film isn’t. This by-the-book documentary from co-directors Ned Castle and Matt Day is tired and repetitive, but at least it shows an unexpected angle of three athletes who are training to compete in the Special Olympics.

Striving for victory as well as acceptance, the film follows the individual journey of Trent Hampton, Melanie Holmes, and Chris Wines, a trio of intellectually disabled athletes who give everything they have in a quest to succeed at the Games. Their training routines and preparation rituals are caught on camera in the most intimate moments, which gives an inside look at how hard athletes work to be the best of the best. It’s a story of physical and emotional pain and sacrifice, and the movie follows the typical sports documentary roadmap. What’s different is that it also explores the misconceptions and overall bias that these athletes face in everyday life.

Castle and Day thankfully don’t rely on tired ideas that proclaim that people with disabilities are just like “regular folks” and can do the same things, too. I expected some form of that outdated messaging (which seems to be the norm in typical inspirational stories), but it is absent here. Not shying away from the real-life hurdles, personal issues, and discrimination that Chris, Melanie, and Trent face lends a huge boost of sincerity that is refreshing and real.

The film isn’t put together well and feels like it’s rambling at times, making it not as compelling as it could have been. I suppose it may resonate with you if you participate in sports yourself or if you know or support someone who does, but the empowered athlete story line is a dime a dozen. As much as I admire these Special Olympians, “All You Hear is Noise” sadly loses focus and the stories just aren’t that engaging.

By: Louisa Moore