‘Speak No Evil’ Review – An Unhinged Crowd-Pleaser

Synopsis: When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare

As talks of modern masculinity continue to galvanize the internet, and words like alpha, beta, and sigma are being used like never before, one very crucial fact is being negated. Women are the backbone of civilization. Not only do these so-called “high-value” men have an odd disdain for women, but apparently their fragile egos give them amnesia when it comes to women’s contributions and what they have to go through. Women carry, care for, and raise children. It may not always be a solo task but they tend to bear the most responsibility. When in relationships, they tend to sacrifice more often to be a support system for their partner. It’s giving driver-seat energy. They make the tough decisions. She knew the answer before she asked, but she wanted you to feel important. They are endlessly sought after and unfortunately, some men don’t know how to handle rejection, therefore women have to be on guard constantly. To top it all off, they continue to thrive and make strides in a world that belittles them, pacifies them, and attempts to permanently sit them in the passenger seat. Seems like they were born to lead. Seems pretty alpha to me.

“It’s going to be a great weekend.”

We’ve told our children for the longest time not to talk to strangers. It would seem that as adults, we need a refresher course. You can’t always go with the flow with people you don’t know. Written and directed by James Watkins, Speak No Evil is an unhinged crowd-pleaser. Whatever your expectations are about this film, they will be exceeded. The setting is gorgeous, the writing is fantastic, the score is perfect, and the performances are incredible. This twisted pyschological thriller rivals all summer blockbusters as far as theater experience is concerned. It transports you to your living room where you feel comfortable yelling at the screen when our American family of three, the Daltons ignores every red flag. Residing in the darkness of current headlines, the subject matter is darker than it appears. What you assume is a psychotic family tricking and attacking an innocent one, is far more sinister. The film dives head-first into manipulation, abuse, coercion, and infidelity among other things. The prevailing themes that matriculate throughout are gender roles and expectations. It pits opposite archetypes and family dynamics against one another and the longer you watch, the darker the tone gets. From Vespa rides and breaking bread to secret rooms and guns to the head, it’s a wildly entertaining experience.

Knowing that terror will reign at some point, the film excels in never indicating when the tone will switch from Vacation Friends to House of 1000 Corpses. When it does, the Firefly family would be proud. As we watch subtle yet purposeful slips of the tongue expose the truth, denial kicks in because as most of us think, that bad thing could never happen to us. Moreover, the descent into chaos is methodical and the most frightening part is how easily this could actually happen. No one suspects a charming Doctor and his family. It’s what sets this idyllic haunt apart from something like The Strangers.

“I need you to be brave.”

Speak No Evil doubles down on the expression, when people show you who they are, believe them. It also flips the “cabin in the woods” trope. They are still isolated in the middle of nowhere with zero cell service, but you’ve been with your attacker the entire time. While the film has more comical moments than expected, this is a grim cautionary tale. It charms the audience, like the Daltons, into a false sense of security and before you know it, you’re as trapped in your seat as the family is in Paddy’s clutches. This fight for survival is a must-see with a large audience, or at least a group of friends because it is one hell of a ride. James McAvoy’s Best Actor nomination has now entered the chat. Its rewatchability is high.

Pace & Pop

This film has a great pace. With an almost 2-hour runtime, there is no need or urge to check the time. Until the credits roll, you get hit with nonstop interesting or exciting moments. The only quarrel is that it could have gotten to the thrills earlier to make it last longer. What popped for me, besides the force that is James MaAvoy, was the performance of young newcomer Dan Hough as Ant. He conveys so much fear and desperation without saying a word.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough and Scoot McNairy

From top to bottom, these performances are nothing short of astonishing. While this is ostensibly an ensemble outing, James McAvoy delivers his best performance yet. His portrayal of Paddy is charming, electric, explosive, terrifying, and ridiculously mesmerizing. Paddy is toxicity at its peak. In what seems to be his silver screen debut, Dan Hough has a bright future ahead of him as he proves he has the chops with any dialogue. Mackenzie Davis dazzles as the film is essentially her character, Louise Dalton against Paddy as well as her scary ass husband. Speaking of Ben, Louise’s other half played by Scoot McNairy, he will endlessly infuriate you. Alix West Lefler as Agnes Dalton delivers the most grounded performance next to Davis. And lastly, Aisling Franciosi as Ciara is both an eerie and sympathetic character. With a horrific past that we eventually discover, she is difficult to pin down. Is she a friend or foe? I expect a nomination of some sort to bless this cast.

Speak No Evil releases in theaters on September 13, 2024. Stay safe and don’t go back for the stuffed animal.

Rated: R Runtime: 1h 50m Director: James Watkins Screenplay: James Watkins Based on Screenplay by: Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafdru Producers: Jason Blum, Paul Ritchie Executive Producers: Beatriz Sequeira, Jacob Jarek, Christian Tafdru