‘Talk to Me’ Movie Review

In A24’s latest horror film, this time coming from Australian YouTube sensations Danny and Michael Philippou, Mia (Sophie Wilde) is still coping with the loss of her mother (Alexandria Steffensen) when she and her friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) are forced to drag Jade’s younger brother Riley (Joe Bird) to a party. When partygoers bring out a mummified hand that can supposedly be used to communicate with the dead using temporary possession, Mia gives it a try. While she’s initially freaked out, she ends up loving the experience, and it becomes her drug of choice. But things go horribly wrong after Riley tries it, and the spirits start reaching out unprompted.

The Philippou brothers got there start doing YouTube sketches where they would often experiment with horror, stunts, etc. When they set out to make their feature debut, A24 eagerly picked them up. While I’m completely unfamiliar with their work on YouTube, I’ll definitely be following them from now on, because Talk to Me is a work of absolute genius. A24 has a pretty stellar track record with horror, having released contemporary landmarks like The Witch and Hereditary, as well as cult favorites like Green Room and Under the Skin (and the criminally underrated Tusk). Seeing their logo in a trailer for a horror film is usually a sign that the movie will be, if nothing else, pretty ambitious. Talk to Me certainly is that, and it’s a resounding success. Lots of people online have been praising the way the film handles the use of social media. While it’s less integral to the overall story than some other contemporary horror, it’s incorporated into the story very naturally, and it never feels ham-fisted or out of touch. It’s genuine and organic, and with YouTubers behind the camera, there’s an obvious understanding of internet culture.

I could talk at length about my frustration with the lack of recognition horror gets from the Academy, and I have, but whether it gets recognized or not, Sophie Wilde’s performance is an awesome achievement. This is her first feature film (although it was actually released worldwide a few months later than her second film, The Portable Door), and she’s downright incredible! The character of Mia is rather complex, with her tragic past leading to reckless behavior, some of it not even of her own free will, and Wilde handles it all with aplomb. Joe Bird, who is also still fairly under the radar, deserves a special mention as well, especially for his physical acting. He has to do some pretty insane stuff, especially while possessed, and I’m always so impressed when a much younger person is able to do that. Alexandra Jensen also has to do some fairly heavy lifting, and she’s just great, having to balance being the supportive best friend and the protective big sister. It easily could have been grating or obnoxious, but she’s able to avoid any of those pitfalls. One more casting highlight I’ll mention is Miranda Otto as Jade and Riley’s mother, another character that could have easily been unlikable. She’s wildly underrated, and I loved her in this role.

As a horror fan, I don’t often go into a movie expecting to be truly scared. I’ve gotten to the point where I just don’t scare very easily (not including being startled, which actually does come pretty easily). My love of the genre is more about an appreciation for it, rather than an ardent desire to be terrified, although it is always a plus. Talk to Me is truly, genuinely terrifying. Be warned, this film takes some dark turns, and I am so here for it. I saw it with a friend, and by the time the credits started rolling, both of us were left shaken and speechless. Even prior to that, there were multiple times during the movie where my face was frozen in horror. I’m trying to reveal as little as possible here, but damn, it does not shy away from the grotesque.

Talk to Me is a chilling work of independent horror that is as compelling as it is ambitious. Its unflinching depiction of bleak and disturbing scenes is anchored by capable direction and a sublime leading performance from Sophie Wilde. The Philippou brothers are a new force to be reckoned with in the horror genre.

SCORE: 5/5

TRIGGER WARNING: suicide, self-harm, the music of Sia