The phrase "placid surface" means a calm and peaceful exterior.
Sentences with «placid surface»
Surges of emotion roil under placid surfaces in the new drama «Columbus» — at least in theory. (thewrap.com)
And this is a different kind of movie for Luc and Jean - Pierre Dardenne, in which the urgency pulses beneath the seemingly placid surface, and it is all keyed to Haenel's extraordinary performance. (awardsdaily.com)
Michael Pearce's Beast is a quiet sort of thriller, a dark and disquieting mystery with its most pressing drama roiling beneath a comparatively placid surface. (villagevoice.com)