by Victoria Alexander
Terrific! This is the movie to see. McAvoy, you are September’s movie boyfriend. Director Watkins has the audience yelling and cleverly brings a sly homoerotic element that adds a gnarly subtext that infiltrates the carnage.
Director James Watkins directed this remake of the 2022 Danish film, SPEAK NO EVIL directed by Christian Tafdeup and co-written with his brother Mads Tafdrup.
This American version’s screenplay is also written by the Tafdeup brothers and Watkins.
Without having a streaming subscription, you can only rent the 2022 SPEAK NO EVIL. Too bad, because the ending on Wikipedia is substantially different. Obviously, you can only take American audiences so far. Did Watkins have to bow to the higher-ups decision to weaken the original ending?
The 2024 film follows the initial structure of the 2022 movie according to Wikipedia.
On a holiday in Tuscany, Americans Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise (Mackenzie Davis), and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler), who are living in London, meet British couple Paddy (McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their son Ant (Dan Hough).
After spending a few days together, Paddy and Ciara encourage Ben and Louise to visit them at their rural farm.
Ben’s unemployment and his angry inability to have sex with Louise brings a significant tension to their marriage. Ben’s passivity and his moping around makes him a rather weak character and a perfect foil for Paddy’s macho sexual behavior. Often crude, it is just an avenue for Paddy to dominant a situation.
A postcard from Paddy and Ciara inviting them to visit is at first unwelcome, but Louise decides a weekend away might be a good diversion.
Arriving at Paddy and Ciara’s vast farm, Ben and Louise find them charming and engaging hosts. Agnes is slightly older than mute Ant, who Paddy says has a medical condition. Paddy presents as a doctor, Ciara is a homemaker.
Paddy is a charismatic alpha male. He has an ultra-masculine presence that neither Ben nor Louise find attractive. It’s too “in your face.”
Paddy gives outright clues about who he really is, but Ben and Louise fail to piece together what they have found themselves in.
Oh, once you see Agnes hugging that stuffed animal, you are forewarned it will play into the disaster that will come. If you were in this situation about a left behind stuffed animal, what would you do?
Paddy seems to dote on Ciara but is harsh with Ant. Paddy’s treatment of Ant is unpleasant to witness and Louise wants to leave. Especially when a private dinner turns into inappropriate behavior by Ciara and Paddy. Louise is upset a male babysitter was called for their evening out. Then Paddy let’s Ben pay for their very expensive dinner – after being the one who invited them as his treat.
Paddy takes Ben hunting but Ben cannot kill the fox in his site. Knowing there is dangerous things to come, Ben will be useless defending his family.
And when the time does come, Ben does not step up. It’s all up to Louise.
The movie is too much fun to give any more details of the plot.
McAvoy has enriched Paddy with many dimensions: An overly preening sexuality, a romantic lover and with a quick temper. He easily goes from one extreme to another. It is a tour de force performance. You cannot take your eyes off him.
McAvoy’s co-stars pull their weight, especially Davis, as straight-talking Louise, but SPEAK NO EVIL is all about McAvoy, and rightly so. Watkins has a hit on his hands and perhaps he will be able to film exactly what he wants as his career takes a big leap forward.
The ALL is Mind; The Universe is Mental.” Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Critic. For a complete list of Victoria Alexander's movie reviews on Rotten Tomatoes CLICK HERE
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Member of Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Personal email: victoria.alexander.lv@gmail.com