When a group of friends discovers how to conjure spirits by using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill -- until one of them unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
A24 has quite quickly set itself apart from the competition. In just a few short years they have had a clear vision of finding and distributing low-budget films that subvert expectations, and provide raw emotional connections with the audience. I first encountered A24 back in 2019 when I was absolutely mesmerized by Gloria Bell; a film about the night-life of a middle-aged divorcée. Not something I'd typically expect to love, but a film that would have easily been in my Top 10 of the year.
I digress.
Where I am going with this, is that whether A24 is simply distributing films, or producing them, their films all have a distinct flavour to them. A sense of atmosphere, emotional clarity, and reliability. And Talk to Me is another great choice for the outfit.
The film is marketed as a horror, but it is quite apparent, even when watching the trailer, that this film isn't quite what you would expect. More accurately, the film uses horror settings but acts as a dramatic thriller. It's an intriguing and terrifying viewing that is best served in the cinema, in the dark, surrounded by strangers, with surround sound audio. To be clear, this isn't a film that relies on jump scares and overly loud noises to shock the audience. Talk to Me doesn't want to shock you, it wants to disturb you and make you feel uneasy and on the edge of your seat for the entire 95-minute runtime.
What really sets the film apart, is its reliability. Being an Australian film, it's a bit easier for us to relate with, and the directors, Danny and Michael Philippou, spend the time to develop the characters and the world around them. Our main character, Mia (played brilliantly by Sophie Wilde) is not a non-descript teenager who happens to be in a dangerous situation. Time is spent to introduce her family, let us understand the relationship dynamics between each character, and tease some backstory, before even introducing the horror MacGuffin.
And then, how do these teenagers deal with a potential supernatural item supposedly causing possessions? It's time to pull out the camera and take videos and dare each other to do it; it's quintessentially Gen Z. Yet it doesn't come across as patronizing or condescending towards any of the characters, and really provides a fresh modern take on the old "ouija board" horror trope. There are definitely some drug metaphors going on in the arrangement and sequences
The imagery and violent nature of the action will make you cringe and wince involuntarily. The gore is minimal, but well-placed and extremely off-putting, and the use of practical effects brings in such a sense of authenticity that it manages to properly trigger the fear responses; not just in the instinctive "Loud noise could be predator" manner, but in a total body "This is not right, I can't trust what I am seeing, and should not be seeing this" way. Talk to Me is not an easy film to shake off, and I can honestly say that you will most likely leave the cinema in complete silence, as you come to terms and process what you have seen.
It plays with you. It throws every manner of psychological warfare at you, with red herrings, misdirection, and unreliable narrators, and while it doesn't let you stew on it for too long, it continually moves the goalposts throughout the film's runtime, leaving you full of uncertainty and dread for the majority of the viewing experience. There is a trauma that is woven into the film's narrative, that could have been better executed, but the rest of the film carries the burden well and uses it for great emotional heft.
The isolation, the breakdowns, the trauma, the desensitization, the grief and the torment. You can understand every decision, you can see each decision before they have made it, but the consequences of that decision are unknown, and it keeps you glued to your seat.
I was not expecting such a memorable experience. The trailer and poster fail to do it justice, but perhaps that is just reverse psychology to throw you off even more when you go to see it. Absolutely chilling. Thanks, A24 for bringing another great film to light. But I need a palate cleanser after that...when's the next Barbie screening?
Talk to Me is in NZ cinemas from July 27, 2023