REVIEW:

by NOel Murray April 8, 2022

The surprise success of this year’s best picture winner, “CODA,” may lead some viewers to seek more movies about Deaf culture. For something more offbeat than “CODA,” they should try the inventive comedy “What?,” which applies the look and techniques of classic black-and-white silent movies to a contemporary showbiz story. Written and directed by Alek Lev, the film stars John Maucere as Don, a deaf actor who is popular in his own community but would rather be taken seriously in Hollywood. Lev can’t reconjure the visual magic of Chaplin and Keaton; his staging and shots lack their meticulous design and focus. But while this movie could use more comic snap, it’s quite sharp about the daily challenges a Deaf actor faces in an industry built on winning people over with well-spoken bluster.