A dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when an American couple and their daughter spend the weekend at a British family’s idyllic country estate.

Review

Josh (Guest) – Speak No Evil is a psychological thriller that is nuanced in its layering of social commentary but that ultimately follows a well-worn path which undermines the full impact of its moral standpoint.

Subtle tension is built from the outset of the film, based on the interplay of contrasting social norms between two families, leading to awkward moments of social politeness that are more nightmarish than the overt threat of violence. The film follows an American family who are invited to the country home of a British family that they met while holidaying in Italy.

There are multiple points of contention between the newly-acquainted families, which include topics related to environmentalism, parenting, socio-economic disparity, and patriarchal perceptions of gender roles and success. These dynamics increase in horror as we watch the American family embody the squeamishness of social correctness and apathy in the face of stark ethical differences. This mechanism is effective in getting under the skin of audiences, as it triggers questions of what one would do in similar situations, and how far one would allow a situation to develop before taking a personal stand.

The performances are compelling and well acted by the entire cast. Especially that of Mackenzie Davies, whose expressions work perfectly to embody the confusion and uncomfortability of her character as the situation moves further from her control. James Watkins effectively directs the moments of social awkwardness in combination with the claustrophobic set design and cinematography to create a clawing feeling of impending horror that is less focused on outright violence but on daily instances of micro aggressions.

It all works together to make a good psychological thriller, but the driving motivation doesn’t seem to reach an adequate point of resolution to make sense of the overall experience. 7/10

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