How Benicio Del Toro Uses Sign Language in ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado’ | Anatomy of a Scene

In this crime-on-the-border sequel starring Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, explosive action is peppered throughout. But this scene provides one of the movie’s quieter moments. Read the New York Times movie review: https://nyti.ms/2tKwYJy

Here, Alejandro (Del Toro) is trying to protect Isabela (Isabela Moner), the daughter of a drug lord. They request shelter from a deaf man (Bruno Bichir), with whom Alejandro, whose daughter was deaf, makes a connection. The director Stefano Sollima discusses how the scene came to be, and how Mr. Del Toro suggested it be done in sign language.

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I'm Stefano Sollima,

and I'm the director of
"Sicario: Day of the Soldado."

This scene is the main
moment in which

we see something
changing in Alejandro,

played by
Benicio Del Toro.

It's a sort of reminder
of his past, of his loss,

of his family that was killed,
of his own daughter.

And then, of course,
having Isabel next to him

during this reminiscence plays
a key role in their relationship.

And this is sort of
a switch of emotion.

Because until now,
Isabel has only

being a sort of pawn
in Alejandro's hand

to win this dirty war,
to get his vengeance.

I feel interested
in this scene,

because it's the
first scene ever

where we introduce
a skill of Alejandro

that has nothing to do
with his vengeance.

I felt it was important
to bring down the volume

after one of the biggest action
set pieces in the movie.

I felt that there was a big
need of a quieter moment.

Because by listening to
the silence in this sequence,

and feeling the humanity
and the normal life

of this deaf, mute man,
we are able to put

the loudness and the violence
of the action a bit in perspective.

In the original
script, it was spoken.

And it was Benicio's idea
to change it into sign language exchange.

I think it's really smart.

Because in this way, we create
an immediate bond between the two guys.