We headed to Cineworld to check out the release of Speak No Evil starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy, based on the Danish movie of the same title by Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafdrup.
It always seems strange when a movie gets a quick remake/retelling after the original, this new movie comes only two years after the release of the original Danish horror, but I had to see this release after seeing the trailer popping up each time I went to my local Cineworld to watch a horror.
Speak No Evil starts with an idyllic scene in Italy as American couple Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) are enjoying the gorgeous scenes by the poolside when they meet the free-spirited British couple Paddy (James MacAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their young son Ant (Dan Hough).
The couple clique and they become friends during the break before Paddy asks them to come on over to see them in the West Country back in the UK. Once back in London Louise and Ben decide to make the trip as Ben has lost his job and their relationship is stretched, the couple think that this would be good for them and for Agnes who is suffering from anxiety and needs a stuffed toy as a security blanket to keep her calm. The family pack up and heads to the remote farmhouse in the countryside to stay with Paddy and Louise.
Arriving at the wonderful farmhouse they are welcomed to the family home and all is going well, but there are signs early on that not everything is as it seems with the family, Paddy knows that Louise is vegan but forces her to try some meat from the families beloved bird that they have slaughtered especially them, Louise puts it to Paddy not remembering that she told him in Italy.
As the film progresses at a steady pace more and more passive-aggressive behaviour and strange incidents cause Louise to question the family and when it comes to the more aggressive treatment of Ant the alarm bells start to ring!
Speak No Evil builds as the runtime moves along with Paddy becoming more and more “evil”, shortly after Ant shows Agnes what is happening things become even more heated as Louise and Ben decide that something has to be done, but as soon as Agnes goes missing one night and Louise discovers where she decides that enough is enough and they leave in the middle of the night, but Agnes doesn’t have Hoppy her bunny so they have to head back. Now things become even more terrifying for them.
I have to say that watching Speak No Evil the standout performance for me was certainly James McAvoy as Paddy, as you watch him change throughout the film you get how much of a brilliant performance he is bringing us. If you remember how he did the different characters in 2006’s SPLIT then you know how damn well he can change from one emotion to another. He is a sheer joy to watch and see how the veil the character hides under slowly falls revealing the manipulative psychopath.
Aisling Franciosi who plays Paddy’s wife certainly gives off the “there isn’t something quite right” vibes with her performance which I enjoyed watching as she plays the role of someone who is there because they have been put in a situation they shouldn’t be in. Much like McAvoy’s performance, she changes throughout the film but still has a moment when she is also a victim of Paddy’s relentless need for control!
If you think you have seen Dan Hough who plays Ant before then if you are a fan of Hollyoaks you would have seen him in Arlo Fielding, I found his silent performance unnerving but brilliant to watch.
The rest of the cast all work brilliantly together as well, Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy come across well as a couple that are already having problems of their own and seem distant from each other, Alix West Lefler plays their daughter so well you do feel that you are watching a real family on the screen.
Speak No Evil is a film that I wasn’t too sure about at first, but this remake certainly works with the tension and character-building from start to finish. It has a great cast and story that keeps you watching. This film can sometimes be hard to watch with the idea of the abuse and manipulation from the main character, but it is still one to watch on the big screen.
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