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Review: Speak No Evil (2024)
A psychological thriller that takes place on what was supposed to be an idyllic vacation but the people you are sharing a roof with turn out to not be whom they seem??? Sign me UP. As a fan of Midsommar, Get Out and the general vacation shenanigans that take place in White Lotus, I had high expectations for this movie, and it did not disappoint.
"Speak No Evil", directed by James Watkins and actually a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name, is about a middle to upper class white couple, Louise and Ben and their 12 year old daughter Agnes who meet another family on vacation, consisting of the loud and free-spirited Paddy and his wife Ciara, and their son Ant. Louise and Ben agree to drive out to Paddy's farmhouse in seemingly the middle of absolute nowhere for a countryside vacation. Now you must be thinking, who in their right minds would do such a thing? But listen, Ben and Louise are going through a rough patch, they've both found themselves unemployed after moving their entire life to London and what's more - Louise was recently caught sexting another man! Scandalous! As you can see, they have a lot on their minds and personal safety is not a priority.
As you can imagine, things go astray the longer the family stays in this farmhouse. Their hosts are funny and kind one moment, but passive-aggressive the next. Their boundaries are continuously violated - Louise at their insistence eats a bite of goose despite being a vegetarian, they allow their child to stay with a babysitter they have never met and they overlook Paddy's borderline physically and emotionally abusive behaviour with Ant.
What was so incredibly frustrating for me watching this, but also what kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time is there are so, many times when this family could have chosen that they've had enough and leave. So many times! I think it is a very purposeful choice, serving as a lesson about how much we really allow others to get away with in the name of being socially polite. Themes of honesty are quite evident as well - both Ben and Louise are being dishonest with each other about the state of their relationship, Paddy and Ciara are obviously hiding something from Ben and Louise and the only person who appears to be trying to convey the truth is Paddy and Ciara's son, Ant, who is unable to due to a speech disability. Ironic, huh?
I also think it's interesting that there was not a single character of colour in this movie, as it was centered around two white couples. I do think this was also a deliberate choice, and perhaps a commentary on how privilege blinds us into a false sense of security. Also due to the nature of Paddy and Ciara's schemes, they specifically target wealthy, isolated Caucasian couples - truly a white-on-white crime!
This movie also did an excellent job blending humour with horror, mostly due to the incredible acting job done by James McAvoy (of X-men fame) who plays Paddy. While I was still tensing every muscle in my body the whole time, there were also genuinely hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments as well which were really expertly incorporated. The entire cast gave amazing performances, but I do think Mackenzie Davis also stole the show in her role as Louise and deserves many future scream queen roles. The cinematography and the mix of claustrophobic, dimly-lit indoor scenes contrasted with the beautiful, green, expansive outdoor scenes in the countryside made it such a visually engaging film.
Overall, a fantastic, thrilling, rollercoaster of a way to spend 110 minutes! I give them a strong 4.5/5.
