‘Speak No Evil’: an affecting and unsettling cautionary tale

Speak No Evil is one of the most affecting, sinister and unsettling thrillers to hit cinemas in recent years and may prove to be relatable to many moviegoers.

How many times have we all gone on holidays and met people whose limited friendship we have treasured and have then been invited to meet up again, possibly residing at their place for a week or two?

The question is, how well do we really know these people? Can we trust them? Do they have an ulterior motive for nurturing our friendship?

James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi portray Paddy and Ciara, a seemingly happy couple who have a son who is unable to speak. They meet the Dalton family while holidaying in Italy and invite them back to their isolated house in London.

From their first meeting something doesn’t feel right and evident red flags go unnoticed by the Dalton family. As the movie progresses audiences may feel extremely uneasy about this ‘flourishing friendship.’

Nothing much happens in the first hour and 15 minutes of this slow burning drama which gives audiences ample time to connect to the characters.

James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi are perfectly cast as the frightening and menacing couple. McAvoy’s performance is the driving force behind the movie and the quality of his performance becomes evident once audiences are at the edge of their seats with shivers running down their spines.

This film can also be described as a horror flick, however, there are no supernatural themes or human devouring monsters. It  does elicit fear and disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes hence is justifiably classified as a horror feature.

Speak No Evil may be perceived as a cautionary tale. Audiences should quickly connect with the Dalton family and be utterly shocked the moment the voiceless child reveals through a photo album what his parents have in store for them. Bitter secrets are revealed and it’s a priceless moment that may tempt audiences to scream out loud, ‘Get the hell out of that house and run as fast as you can!’

What ultimately transpires is an unbearably frightening and haunting lead up to a finale that audiences won’t soon forget. The ideology of exchanging phone numbers or having conversations about meeting up again with holiday ‘friends’ may be permanently rested.

★★★★

In Cinemas September 12.