In 1917, two young music students attending the Boston Conservatory bond over a mutual love of folk music. They reconnect a few years later, embarking on a song-collecting trip in the backwaters of Maine.
The History of Sound (2025) is a drama, romance and music film directed by Oliver Hermanus, released on September 12, 2025 with a runtime of 2h 8m. It stars Paul Mescal, Josh O'Connor, Chris Cooper and Molly Price. Viewers rate it 6.9 out of 10 across 142 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The History of Sound before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The History of Sound.
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Paul Mescal
as Lionel Worthing
Josh O'Connor
as David White
Chris Cooper
as Older Lionel
Molly Price
as Lionel's Mother
Raphael Sbarge
as Lionel's Father
Hadley Robinson
as Belle Sinclair
Michael Schantz
as Bob Sinclair
Peter Mark Kendall
as Nathan McCloud
Emma Canning
as Clarissa Roux
Alison Bartlett
as Samantha
Alessandro Bedetti
as Vincent
Briana Middleton
as Thankful Mary Swain
Directed by Oliver Hermanus, written by Ben Shattuck and Ben Shattuck, produced by Lisa Ciuffetti, Andrea Roa and Andrew Kortschak.
Average viewer score of 6.9/10 from 142 ratings.
The History of Sound: The Casablanca of the 21st Century "The History of Sound" is an incredibly powerful love story, I'm calling it the "Casablanca" of the 21st century. That's not hyperbole. Like Bogart's immortal line: "If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life." Oliver Hermanus's film understands the…
Reviewed on November 7, 2025
Brokeback for Academics I liked it, but it needed much much much more music. My folk music loving heart is melting.
Reviewed on November 9, 2025
Man of the moment Paul Mescal also had a hand on the tiller of this drama about a musical prodigy (“Lionel”) who grew up subsistence farming in rural Kentucky. With little to entertain the family but their own skills, he was not only a singer but he could imagine music as something altogether more tangible than most. It’s at a conservatory that he encounters kindred spirit “David” (Josh O’Connor) and swiftly the…
Reviewed on January 30, 2026
This film didn't get the attention it deserved. It is a slow, slow burn, and patience is required. The payoff is explosive. What an incredible story, brought to life by actors who have such a gift and understanding of the power of subtlety and nuance.
Reviewed on February 9, 2026
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The History of Sound (2025) is available to stream on Hulu, MUBI and MUBI Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The History of Sound (2025) includes Paul Mescal, Josh O'Connor, Chris Cooper, Molly Price and Raphael Sbarge. The film was directed by Oliver Hermanus. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The History of Sound was released on September 12, 2025 and runs for 2h 8m.
The History of Sound (2025) holds an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from 142 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama, romance and music films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The History of Sound trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
