Old school filmmaking leads Talk to Me to chilling results
When it comes to the horror genre, A24 has excelled in its decade long output. The studio has championed unknown filmmakers and launched mind-bending, risk-taking titles into the pantheon of the genre’s greatest entries, like Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Midsommar, Ti West’s X and Pearl. Once again, A24 has backed a feature film debut with Talk to Me, an old school horror film directed by Australian twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou. Filled with practical effects and a quietly pervading sense of dread, Talk to Me is a chilling throwback horror flick that also serves as a calling card for a handful of fresh talent.
Talk to Me centers on Mia (Sophie Wilde), a teenage girl who lost her mother a year earlier and is still navigating the grief and emotional wedge driven between her and her father. Don’t worry: this isn’t yet another metaphorical horror film about trauma-manifestation, a trend that has yielded incredible films, but has become overused. Rather, while Talk to Me depicts grief and yearning, its plot is a lot more straightforward. Mia spends most of her time with her closest friend, Jade (Alexandra Jensen) and looks after Jade’s younger brother, Riley (Joe Bird). Viral videos of their high school peers conjuring dead spirits using an embalmed hand begin making the rounds. Eager to see if they’re for real, Mia, Jade, and Riley attend a party to partake, but dangerous supernatural forces are unleashed when the ceremonial excitement goes one step too far.
The cast is composed of relatively inexperienced young Australian actors. The only recognizable star is Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings), who plays Jade and Riley’s mother. Otto is wonderful and fun as a mother who thrives through brutal honesty. The young stars are the standouts, however. Wilde is an incredible presence on screen, harnessing every ounce of her small frame to elicit a desperate and unhinged performance. Jensen and Bird are equally up to the task, giving impressively physical performances. Much credit goes to the Philippou brothers, who not only brought these performances out of their young stars, but also delivered a contemporary story using old school tactics.
Most of the effects are practical. Physical costumes. Layers of makeup. A legitimately gross embalmed hand prop. There isn’t a noticeable computer generated image in sight. This type of old school filmmaking allows the audience to feel the presence of evil on screen just as the characters do. Talk to Me thus presents an interesting dichotomy: the modern trope of viral videos versus a classic style of movie-making. That works well, thanks to a strong story and direction.
I love a slow building sense of dread, and Talk to Me more than delivers. The story begins with a powerful hook, then allows long, quiet sequences to unfold throughout its second act; our patience pays off. Talk to Me is not for the squeamish, however. Another result of practical effects is that the violence and gore are more visceral. None of this takes away from the film, which remains full of good suspense and scares. Talk to Me grips you tightly and doesn’t let go until the credits roll. The dreadful grip of a long deceased, stiff hand holds you tight.
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Talk to Me opens in theaters on Friday, July 28th.
