Speak No Evil – Film Review
On their vacation in Italy, the Dalton family do what they usually do, pretend to be happy. Unassertive, Ben (Scott McNairy) has lost the respect of his nagging wife Louise (Mackenzie Davis) while their almost 12-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) still behaves like a child half her age. But this trip will change everything.
Amidst their bickering, the Daltons meet what appears to be the perfect couple, Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi). The pair appear to be everything that the Dalton‘s are not, full of energy and passion for one another. Their son Ant (Dan Hough) however, is unable to speak. Born without a tongue, he is extremely shy and standoffish. Upon returning home to London, the Daltons wish to escape their unhappiness act upon an invite from the new friends who they know next to nothing about. They travel to Paddy and Ciara‘s countryside villa to extend their vacation.
Things start off pleasant but almost immediately become tense as Paddy and Ciara‘s overbearing personalities begin to show. Meanwhile, Ant may not be able to speak but he is definitely trying to tell the Daltons something. Soon, the family realise that things are not what they seem. If they want to survive the weekend, they need to do what they do best; smile and pretend like everything is fine.
Blumhouse Productions brings us an American remake of the 2022 Danish psychological thriller of the same name – Speak No Evil. The original film, written and directed by Christian Tafdrup, was a depraved satire of social niceties and the extents we can go to be seen as polite. Here, filmmaker James Watkins writes and directs his vision of the story, adapting it for English language audiences.
I’ve made no secret of my dislike for Hollywood remakes of recently successful foreign language films. In the case of Speak No Evil however, I admit that I had no idea of the story’s origins until after a screening and was able to view it on its own merits. Having since caught up on the Danish original, I can say that Watkins approach maintains much of that film’s intensity but diverges to appeal to its intended wider audience.
Particularly in its approach to the story, this still feels very unlike a Hollywood movie. Well, at least at first. The slower pacing and much more psychologically taxing film for the most part is miles apart from your typical ‘Saw’ or ‘Halloween’ horror thrillers. One might even say the film takes far too long to get to the point and can be fairly repetitive at times. We all know where the movie is headed and it takes nearly the original film’s entire runtime for Watkins‘ to cross that line.
Still, those initial parts of the film feature its greatest asset, the fine performances. McNairy and Davis play off each other well, as it’s paradoxically their lack of chemistry which feels authentic to a marriage on the verge of collapse. Lefler, playing a child who is forced to grow up really fast, makes her character of Agnes even more interesting than the parents.
Watkins does create a suitably uncomfortable experience as we witness the most awkward holiday ever. It is without doubt that it’s McAvoy who sells this movie as the volatile Paddy, being charismatic, yet at the same time, knowing there is something very dark bubbling under the surface. McAvoy‘s dark take on masculinity was inspired by notorious influencer Andrew Tate and it’s easy to see. He is exactly the type of twisted confident figure to draw in a weak willed sap like Ben.
Watkins‘ take is a particularly well-acted and compelling movie when it works. Although, one where they grow frustrated questioning characters actions in the wake of several red flags. Unfortunately, it’s very clear where Watkins‘ Speak No Evil departs from its source, with the finale feeling very modern Hollywood-esque as opposed to the unconventional. Still intriguing with its opening, Speak No Evil is still intense and the cast remain great.
Ultimately, Speak No Evil loses something in translation. I can applaud James Watkins for not wishing to just recreate the cynical and difficult-to-swallow nature of Tafdrup’s original script, but that’s exactly what made Tafdruf’s original film such a hard hitting satire. Watkins’ Speak No Evil in comparison feels torn between its roots as a slow burn psychological thriller and its desire to please mainstream Blumhouse Productions fans.
