Talk to Me, 2023.
Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou.
Starring Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen, Ari McCarthy, Sunny Johnson, James Oliver, Cass Cumerford, Jett Gazley, Kitt Erhart-Bruce, Hamish Phillips, Kidaan Zelleke, Sarah Brokensha, Jayden Davison, Jodie Dry, Frances Cassar, Harli Ames, Kerry Reid, Robin Northover, David Simmons, and Nicola Thiele.
SYNOPSIS:
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Talk to Me wouldn’t exist.
The directorial debut of Australian YouTuber brothers Danny and Michael Philippou (the former also cowrites alongside Bill Hinzman, from a concept by Daley Pearson), Talk to Me has essentially crafted “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes” the movie, but with a surprisingly dramatically compelling touch. Move over beer pong – this is a horror feature built around the premise of teenagers willingly possessing themselves as a party game.
Whether for fun, adrenaline, social media clout, laughs, or developing a misplaced sense of bravery and courage, there’s no way around coming out and saying that the characters here are recklessly stupid and immediately unlikeable. Considering that the film opens with a terrifying tracking shot depicting a possessed stabbing and suicide, we, the viewers, know how dangerous this game is, but really, anyone with half of a brain cell should be able to come to the conclusion before choosing to get in touch with spirits trapped in limbo.
Somehow, Danny and Michael Philippou pull off a magic trick in tapping into these characters’ humanity, so it’s easy to come to care about them despite their mistakes and flaws. Although there is a somewhat large circle of friends, Talk to Me is primarily centered on the trio of Mia (Sophie Wilde), her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), and the latter’s younger brother Riley (Joe Bird). Mia and her father (Marcus Johnson) have been distant ever since her mother apparently accidentally overdosed on medication, meaning she is constantly over by Jade’s house to the point where the siblings and their mom Sue (Miranda Otto), function as a second family.
One of the first scenes introducing these characters is not Riley’s sister driving him home, but Mia. The journey home also brings forth a deadly event involving a kangaroo that serves as a metaphor for some of the film’s heavier themes. Anyway, Mia and Riley have a non-blood related sibling kinship going on, especially since Jade is mostly obsessed with her devout Christian boyfriend, Daniel (Otis Dhanji), hopelessly trying to spark some intimacy. Mia is also more accepting of Riley’s inability to grow beyond his fear of the dark, especially once he tags along to a party with them and witnesses the previously mentioned intentional contact with the dead.
At this party is an embalmed ceramic hand connected to the spirit world, that is placed onto a table where a participant is strapped to a chair and allowed to grab onto the hand, subsequently uttering the titular phrase “talk to me”, which summons grotesquely realized undead spirits that only the user can observe. The visual imagery of this phenomenon captured by cinematographer Aaron McLisky is ominous and chilling, while the makeup effects for the spirits are unquestionably outstanding and scarring. It’s a given that none of this is a wise idea, but Danny and Michael Philippou successfully conjure up a sustained sense of dread, even if these characters do have rules in place to prevent anything bad from happening (such as the body constraints and a time limit before assuring the spirit to back to their plane of existence).
Expectedly, something bad does happen, something tragic born from one character trying to prove a point to another. Of course, these spirits know how to manipulate their hosts, at one poison causing one of the possessed to convincingly speak as if they are Mia’s mother (Sam Raimi influences are everywhere here). What ensues throughout this possession are brutal acts of self-harm under direction also aware that horror is not just about blood, but also squirm-inducing sounds that give more impact to the injuries sustained. The visual aftermath is equally horrifying, with Danny and Michael Philippou aware of the right length to linger on such disturbing sights without it becoming gratuitous.
Once the fun stops (and there are assuredly some amusing comedic gags accomplished through this game), it’s fair to say that Talk to Me is using the idea as an entryway into familiar possession territory. Mia begins investigating the truth about her mother and whether or not her father is hiding something, whereas her friendship with her second family is fractured. As such, the film centers Mia as the protagonist, which is fine considering Sophia Wilde delivers a tremendous performance, evolving from fear to determined action. However, there is the sensation that other characters end up with less to work with, which is only slightly frustrating because the same movie could be made from Jade’s perspective. Then there are the characters in the prologue who do come back into play in what feels like a rushed, pointless scene.
That also speaks to the only major issue with Talk to Me, a messy third act that doesn’t seem to know what to do with most of these characters and their relationships, even if that sense of dread and terror is still palpable throughout. The ending does, however, recover for a playfully haunting final shot that feels right and leaves the door open for more stories to tell about characters, well, playing stupid games for stupid prizes.
SEE ALSO: Read our exclusive interview with Talk to Me directors Danny and Michael Philippou here
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
