‘Speak No Evil’ tells a suspenseful, satirical tale

September 27, 2024 by

2024/1h 50m

“Speak No Evil” – a psychological thriller written and directed by James Watkins – begins its push-pull of nervous energy from the very first frame. After a mysterious, night-time opening shot, we’re introduced to an American family on vacation in sunny Italy. Louise Dalton (Mackenzie Davis), her husband Ben (Scoot McNairy) and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) are trying to enjoy the trip, but can’t quite seem to relax, despite the scenic views and scrumptious food. For one thing, Louise and Ben disagree on a parenting issue. Ben wants Agnes, almost 12, to put away, once and for all, a stuffed rabbit named Hoppy, which she holds tight when she feels anxious. Louise feels it’s better not to make a big deal about it.

One day, while strolling around town, they encounter another family: friendly and charismatic Paddy (James McAvoy), easy-going Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their sweet son Ant (Dan Hough), who is a few years younger than Agnes and has trouble communicating. Paddy instantly impresses Agnes by offering her a ride on his snazzy Vespa.

Later, as the two families share a meal, Ben and Louise reveal that they relocated to London for Ben’s career, but his job was downsized shortly after they moved. Louise works in PR; however, it’s been hard for her to build a new network of contacts. Paddy, a doctor, Ciara, a stay-at-home mom, and Ant live in England’s west country.

The two families meet in Italy. From left to right: Mackenzie Davis, Alix West Lefler, Scoot McNairy, Dan Hough, Aisling Franciosi and James McAvoy.

Once the holiday has ended and the Daltons are back in London, they’re at a loose end workwise and their marital problems are bubbling to the surface. When they receive a letter from Paddy inviting them (for the second time) to come for a visit, Ben and Louise hesitate – it’s a lot of time with new friends they hardly know. On the other hand, they’ve had a nice time together so far and Paddy’s charm makes it hard to say no. After all, what could go wrong?

Quite a lot, actually, with awkward moments starting almost as soon as they arrive at Paddy and Ciara’s rustic farmhouse. Red flags keep popping up and the extent to which Louise and Ben choose to ignore them allows “Speak No Evil” to be a dark comedy of manners as well as an excellent suspenser distinguished by superb storytelling. Though the third act plays out in familiar slasher-movie fashion, it’s preceded by interesting characters played by talented actors, a mood of quiet malice and stunning cinematography (shot in Croatia and Gloucester, England). McAvoy is completely convincing as the jovial alpha male with an undercurrent of hostility while McNairy makes beta male Ben relatable if not entirely likable. Mackenzie Davis is terrific as Louise, who can take charge when needed. Aisling Franciosi plays Ciara with a sweetness that slow-burns into edgy weirdness. Both child actors are excellent as well.

Also, director Watkins (“Eden Lake” 2008 and “The Woman in Black” 2012) deserves praise for the unhurried pacing. (That could be a nod to the Danish film of the same name from 2022 directed by Christian Tafdrup on which Watkins based his movie.) As the story unfolds little by little, layer by layer, we learn more about the cracks in Ben and Louise’s marriage, cringe at the uncomfortable exchanges between the couples, and see well beyond the surface of Paddy and Ciara’s cozy family life – especially when Paddy quotes Philip Larkin’s famous lines about parents and humiliates Ant while the kids are performing a dance they’ve rehearsed. Once the social niceties subside and the polite forbearance finally ends, Louise and Ben must trust each other 100% and work as allies – not to mention wield deadly weapons – to survive this idyllic country getaway, which has spiraled into chilling insanity.

“Speak No Evil” opened Sept. 13 and is playing in theaters nationwide.

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Sly, stylish “Strange Darling” takes us on a weird and wild ride

September 15, 2024 by

2023 Film Festivals/2024 Theatrical Release/1h 37m

In a summer that’s short on must-see movies, “Strange Darling” ranks as essential viewing for fans of neo-noir thriller/horror flicks. A riveting story of a serial killer on the loose in rural Oregon, the film has much to recommend it: compelling creepy characters; superb acting; first-rate visuals; gritty intensity; and taut pacing, clocking in at 96 minutes. But most memorably, “Strange Darling” upends our expectations of the genre in a strikingly original way.

Bookended by stark black and white photography, the film opens with a moody shot, introducing us to the two leads: the red-headed, doe-eyed Lady (Willa Fitzgerald) and the clean-cut, rugged Demon (Kyle Gallner) – two easy-on-the-eyes, mutually attracted strangers who are sitting in the Demon’s truck swigging booze late one night, deciding whether they will take their party to a room at the nearby Blue Angel hotel. She comments that violence is always a risk for a woman in this situation and asks him if he’s a serial killer. He says no. From there, the story unfolds in six non-linear chapters.

Chapter 3 “Can you please help me?” comes first (and the phrase pops up several times throughout the movie). The next morning, the Lady, pale and frail but wiry, is now a blonde and has changed into hideous red scrubs. Driving a red Pinto, she floors it frantically down a quiet road. The gun-toting Demon is in determined, coke-fueled pursuit, but she escapes into dense, sun-dappled woods and eventually pounds on the door of a rustic cabin, occupied by hippie/doomsdayers (with a penchant for butter-laden breakfasts) Genevieve (Barbara Hershey) and Frederick (Ed Begley Jr.), and they let her in.

Terrified, wounded, hungry and hungover, she feasts, like a feral animal, on what’s left of their hearty morning meal. But when Frederick suggests they call the cops, the Lady vehemently disagrees. (Later, we do meet two officers, well played by Steven Michael Quezada and Madisen Beaty, who fall into a figurative snare that’s constructed from gender stereotypes.)

To reveal more of the plot would ruin the movie, so suffice to say as writer/director JT Mollner skillfully puts the puzzle pieces together, holes are tightened and questions are answered. That is, except for the most perplexing, probably unanswerable, question: how do people become crazy enough to go on a bloody killing binge with zero remorse?

The Demon (Kyle Gallner) is on a mission in rural Oregon.

Watching this masterful work, you feel the influence of Quentin Tarantino, the Coen brothers, Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, David Lynch and Alfred Hitchcock. Mollner delivers a picture (his second) that’s bold, clever, sordid and sometimes darkly comic. Shot in 35 mm by cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi, “Strange Darling” is great-looking throughout – boasting rich color and arresting compositions. Composer Craig DeLeon’s score and original songs written and performed by Z Berg help to sustain the suspenseful mood.

Additionally, Mollner elicits terrific performances from the entire cast and especially from the captivating Fitzgerald as she pulls out all the stops playing a Lady you’ll never forget and Gallner, by turns sinister and phlegmatic; threatening and vulnerable.

Granted, “Strange Darling” won’t be everyone’s cup of blood. It’s a dark dive into the world of a serial killer, so if gore and graphic violence are a deal-breaker, you’ll want to give this a pass. (Also, if you’re looking for deep, thoughtful commentary on gender roles and sexual politics, look elsewhere.)

But for those who dig crime tales, sly, stylish “Strange Darling” takes us on a weird and wild ride.

“Strange Darling” opened Aug. 23 and is playing in theaters nationwide.

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Will ‘Compliance’ have you screaming at the screen?

August 24, 2012 by

Compliance/2012/Magnolia Pictures/90 min.

“Compliance” – a disturbing psychological thriller – will more than likely draw extreme reactions from its audiences. One response it probably won’t trigger is boredom. Taut and intense as well as unhurried and detached, it’s a film that, for every one of its 90 minutes, grips, fascinates and frightens.

The story starts on preposterous note and from there it gets even more absurd. The manager of a fast-food restaurant in suburban Ohio (Ann Dowd) receives a call from a man (Pat Healy) who identifies himself as a cop. He tells her that a customer has accused one of the restaurant’s employees, a cartoonishly pretty 19-year-old named Becky (Dreama Walker), of stealing money.

The officer then asks the manager to help with the investigation and to strip-search Becky. Both she and Becky put up little resistance to the caller’s requests (“I’m just trying to do my job,” they both say at different times). After they acquiesce to the initial requests, the caller’s demands become more outrageous and bizarre. At one point, Becky agrees to do jumping jacks, naked.

What’s most unnerving is that “Compliance” is based on real events that took place in a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky, in 2004. And that was not an isolated incident: about 70 similar calls (in which a police officer was impersonated) were made throughout the country in a 10-year period.

But the film is not a documentary. “The reason to make the movie is to fill in the gaps in reality,” said director Craig Zobel at a recent roundtable. “I was very scared to make this movie. If we were going to do it right, we were going to have to ask some hard questions. And the movie doesn’t work for everyone.”

A colleague and friend of mine found the movie exploitative. “The only legitimate reaction is to walk out,” he said and in fact a few people did at the screening we attended.

Watching the humiliation unfold, the kneejerk reaction is to ask: “What is wrong with these people? Why are they going along this?” Yet not only did a version of these events actually happen, repeated psychological studies have shown that, more often than not, most people will obey authority and follow instructions, even if they are asked to do something they know is wrong.

And of course the next question is: “What would I do in that situation?” Your answer to that is perhaps the best way to judge the film’s merits. If you find yourself feeling superior (“I’d never do that”), the film has missed its mark. If, however, you feel sympathy for the characters, the film succeeds.

As Walker put it at the roundtable: “Who knows what any of us would do in that situation? It’s a very primal question.”

“Compliance” opens today in Los Angeles. Filmmaker Craig Zobel and actor Pat Healy will attend shows this weekend at the Nuart Theatre.

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