Speak No Evil (2024) Review

I haven't been to the cinema for a while and I saw this film being marketed so I decided to go today and watch Speak No Evil and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a family invited to spend a weekend with a family that they met abroad but everything is not quite as it seems. 

Main Character

James McAvoy plays Paddy and he is fantastic in this film, he is one of the best actors working today and roles like this clearly proves it. He is so charismatic and just the way he delivers his lines are fascinating and he is giving a brilliant performance that you just want to learn more about him and see him more on screen. 

Supporting Characters

Mackenzie Davis plays Louise and Scott McNairy plays Ben and they are the couple spending the weekend with McAvoy and his family and they are really great. They play their roles really well and even though they are frustrating at times it works for this film and Davis in particular really shines in her role and I want to see her in more things. 

Aisling Franciosi plays Ciara and is the wife of Paddy and she is really good. Even though McAvoy is the clear standout she has great chemistry with him and she delivers a strong performance and she added so much to the tension and drama that is going on. 

Even the child actors are great, Alix West Lefler as Agnes & Dan Hough as Ant really deliver on their roles. In fact Ant is one of the more interesting parts of the film and when we meet him we see why he is a bit different and how difficult a role this is and how well he really did. 

Story

The story is interesting, the film takes its time in getting you invested and make you care about the characters in this film. You see the different characters perspective and you know it is building into a big reveal towards the end and it delivers on that well. I just think the film ends really abruptly, I understand why but it did leave me feel like I didn't really get any answers. 

Script

The characters are written extremely well and they are interesting and really fleshed out, the way the film progresses is really well handled and you gain a greater understanding of the circumstances. But the film did make some of the characters a bit stupid at times and some of the storytelling devices are slightly repetitive. 

Style 

I really like how the film presents itself and the way the film uses tension to bring in the viewer and make this a pretty scary situation. It isn't a horror film and uses minimal horror tropes which I am really thankful of and made me enjoy it more. However, the film has some slightly odd pacing. It just takes ages to really get going and I feel like this film would have been even better had it been cut down by like 10 mins and more killer, less filler being in the film. 

Overall

Overall, Speak No Evil is a good film and a pleasant surprise of 2024. It's not perfect, but keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout and McAvoy gives a truly special performance. I think if you have some spare time then Speak No Evil is a worthy time at the cinema. 

Rating - 7/10