Film No. 61. SPEAK NO EVIL (2024). 10th Sept.

 

Film No. 61 (2024) September 10th.  6:30 PM  BACKLOT Cine Theatre, West Perth.

"You'll have to come to visit, Yeh?" (Paddy extends an invitation to Ben and Louise in a tone where he won't take no for an answer).

Was it director, James Watkins' intention to have audience's giggling through some of the tensest scenes in his latest feature, SPEAK NO EVIL (SNE)? Well, I assume it must have been. It doesn't distil the film's intent. 

SNE is good entertainment. It is a nasty little film, but the dialogue, and a typical James McEvoy aura keeps us grounded in the world of the ridiculous, fully aware that our buttons are being pushed at the right times to ratchet up the tension. The trope of a safe, middle-class London family (Americans) being lured into a weekend away, by a couple (and non-verbal son), living off-grid in remote, rural west country, is not new. We are soon wondering how these "nice" people are going to survive their impending nightmare. The uneasiness of McEvoy's Paddy, soon takes us to where we need to be. He's good. 

The Danish original (2022), created by Chris and Mads Tafdrup is a tenser film. Interestingly, director Watkins collaborated with the brothers to write this Blumhouse production. It's a marginally different take. It works.  9GUMS.