Family vacations can be relaxing retreats that allow everyone to forget about their responsibilities — until sometimes, they go too far. These blurred boundaries of reality define director James Watkins’ newest feature film, “Speak No Evil,” an American remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name. The movie builds an unspoken air of evil — as the title suggests — but never results in confrontation.
“Speak No Evil” follows the Dalton family as Ben (Scoot McNairy) is let go from his job, shortly after he relocated from the United States to London for work. On a trip to Italy meant to raise morale, the Daltons find themselves enamored with the enigmatic Paddy (James McAvoy) and his family. After spending their vacations together, the Daltons are invited to spend a weekend at Paddy’s family home in rural England — but they quickly find out that there is a dark side to this seemingly normal trip. As the weekend progresses, the Daltons grow unnerved by the passive-aggressive behavior of Paddy and his wife, Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), especially the way the couple treats their mute son, Ant (Dan Hough).
The film feels non-traditional in its sense of horror — there’s never any obvious jump scares or truly frightening imagery. There is just the continual, foot-on-the-gas feeling of creeping dread throughout the film. Paddy and Ciara’s rural home becomes a tense environment for the progressive, American Daltons, where Paddy’s politically incorrect jokes about guns or vegetarianism quickly devolve into jabs at the Daltons’ parenting style or lackluster sex life. Each disagreement gives the Daltons more of a reason to leave, but Paddy’s charm somehow reels them back in for more.
While Ben is obliviously drawn in by Paddy’s allure throughout the film, eager to take risks like jumping off cliffs or exploring deep forests with him, his wife Louise (Mackenzie Davis) stands as a central voice of reason. There is a satisfying groundedness to Davis’ performance — her even tone and emotional stature make her a steady figure the audience can root for, as her husband waves off her fears and continues deeper into the unknown.
McAvoy is also particularly magnetic as Paddy, and his experience in previous horror films like “Split,” “Glass” and “It Chapter Two” made him the perfect casting for a character that so masterfully manipulates others. In an interview with WSN, Davis spoke highly of McAvoy’s portrayal, calling him “a freak … he’s really good at what he does, and it feels so truthful and insane, but something that he snaps into.”
“Speak No Evil” succeeds primarily in its ability to create a chilling atmosphere that hinges on familial tensions and allows for an engaging display of suspense. Having the danger always lurking beneath, keeping it unspoken like the title suggests, makes it almost scarier than the typical jump scare-filled horror films that plague the market today. Disillusionment and disorientation combine to illustrate the consequences of the characters’ seemingly innocent decision to extend a family vacation.
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