“He’s gone. He lives in the dark and the cold, and he screams, and screams, and screams…”
Doris Zander- Oujia: Origin Of Evil
Good horror films fall into two categories for me. The first type will have something nuanced to say about society, politics, culture, or the state of the genre itself. The second type is goofy, fun, and self-aware enough not to be a stick in the mud. Talk To Me is so close to nailing the first one that its shortcomings frustrate me more than anything.
Let’s start with the good. The brother-directing duo of Michael and Danny Philippou do a fantastic job. The aesthetic and design are top-notch. They also do a wonderful job showing just enough behind the curtain to keep us on our toes. The jump scares are limited, but the creep factor is high. The air is thick with tension from the moment the hand is introduced until the credits roll.
Sophie Wild plays the lead character, Mia, and she’s genuinely excellent. Most of the film is buoyed by her performance, and without her chops, this film might have sunk. The rest of the cast is fine. The only subpar performance comes from Zoe Terakes. Zoe might not be a bad actor, but his role here is ill-defined, and the performance is stiff.
Now for the bad news. While the themes and critiques on drugs, peer pressure, social media, and technology are handled very well, the film’s focus on mental health seems misplaced. It’s not that the creator’s take on the subject is in poor taste; instead, it feels shoehorned in. We have a main character who is grieving the loss of her mother, but her grief never feels central to the plot. The grief always feels like a mechanism of the story, but the results aren’t there. I won’t spoil anything, but the ending felt like it was conceived purely for shock value.
Talk To Me is a good film. What’s frustrating is that it could have been great. The premise and execution of the central conceit are terrific. The Philippou brothers are very talented and have a keen eye for horror direction. Sophie Wild is absolutely fantastic as a lead. I can’t say enough good things about her performance. I wish the film followed through with the critique of peer pressure and technology rather than switching to the underdeveloped grief plotline. I will, however, show this to my son within the next few years to instill a deep fear of house parties!
Rating: 7/10
