Speak No Evil, 2024.
Written and Directed by James Watkins.
Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Alix West Lefler, Aisling Franciosi, Dan Hough, Kris Hitchen, and Motaz Malhees.
SYNOPSIS:
A family gets invited to spend a whole weekend in a lonely home in the countryside, but as the weekend progresses, they’ll soon realize that the family who invited them has a dark side laying inside them.
On the one hand, I agree with the train of thought that if you remake a film, try to do something different and make it distinct. When it comes to Hollywood remaking a foreign film that isn’t even five years old, the waters become murky there, yet I still wouldn’t say I’m opposed to a filmmaker shaking parts up. And to be fair, writer/director James Watkins’ take on Christian and Mads Tafdrup’s Danish thriller Speak No Evil does sprinkle in a couple of fresh scenes tapping into the darkly comedic but unshakably uncomfortable tone, but its plans and executions for a brand-new third act come across like studio notes begging for sanitization, routine ca-and-mouse action, and a much more palatable ending for American audiences, rather than the voice of an artist. Oh well, at least they nailed the intense, primal scream scene.
The question then becomes, what the hell are we doing here if the film isn’t going to commit to that sadistic, unpleasant ending that was also an extension of the themes explored? If Universal and the filmmakers had the gall to unleash that ending on an unsuspecting American audience, that would have been something to commend. That major fumble is incredibly disappointing since this remake is well-cast, dynamically performed, and tense, and it understands that this story is about taking politeness and respect too far, even when there is no denying something is wildly off about the things being said and done to them. At least until it suddenly doesn’t care about purpose anymore, trying to forge its own path about half-baked redemption and overcoming familial strife.
For those unfamiliar with the setup, that dynamic is between two families who meet while on vacation. In Italy, Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis) with their young daughter Agnes Alix West Lefler) meet Paddy (James McAvoy having the mischievous time of his life, balancing kindness with a sinister side waiting to come out) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) together with their nonspeaking son Ant (Dan Hough.) The Daltons are somewhat uptight and stressed and become won over by the more free-spirited, happy-go-lucky couple enough to take them up on their offer to visit their countryside home. For reasons that come to light over time, Ben and Louise, Americans living in London, believe that visiting this residence and having a relaxing stay could benefit the family.
Almost immediately, Paddy and Ciara start crossing boundaries, with the former typically coming up with a reasonable justification, such as forgetting that Louise was vegetarian before insisting she try the roast first. These microaggressions persist, with Ben trying to rationalize some aspects as cultural differences or an exciting sign of how chill they are. Meanwhile, anyone with a brain knows that Paddy and Ciara are messing with this family, but for what purpose remains unknown. It also doesn’t necessarily matter because these altercations and the complete unwillingness of one family to stand up for themselves are played for pitch-black humor.
By the time young Agnes, who has trouble sleeping and carries around a stuffed animal bunny for anxiety purposes, creepily ends up lying in bed at night next to Paddy and Ciara, Louise puts her foot down and tries to leave with her family, but they get roped back into staying a little bit longer. Everyone’s tolerance for the baffling politeness or blunt stupidity of these people will differ, but much like the original, the material works when it’s taken as a sick sense of humor.
As dark as the ending to the original is, it works because, in a twisted way, it could be argued that this family eventually gets what they deserve. The same revelations are also here, with Ant trying to do whatever he can to alert Agnes that something is wrong with his parents. James McAvoy is infectiously locked into the demented wavelength here, not to mention built like a brick house, and terrifying here when the film calls for chilling aggression. Again, the entire ensemble is terrific, and James Watkins maintains a respectable amount of suspense, making this a solid American imitation for about 75 minutes. Then, everything comes undone because Hollywood is trying to fit some Hollywood into a movie where that simply does not fit in the context of the story. Speak No Evil, see no more softened Americanized remakes.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
