Talk to Me is a slick, chilling horror movie from first-time feature-film directors Danny and Michael Philippou. The story follows Mia (Sophie Wilde) and her group of friends as they use a very creepy-looking hand to communicate with otherworldly entities. When events inevitably spiral out of their control, the teens must grapple with forces they cannot comprehend and consequences they cannot explain.
A Story About Kids Dealing With Things Outside of Their Control
The movie is moody and tense, which makes the sudden bursts of gore and violence all the more painful. The streak of humor that runs throughout the film provides some relief. Still, it ends up compounding the tragedy at the heart of this story. All the young actors (Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Zoe Terakes, and Chris Alosio), do an excellent job of showcasing their characters’ rebellious naivete without making any one person seem cruel or evil. There are no villains in this story, only fucked up kids trying to control the uncontrollable. “We wanted to modernize possession,” Danny told IGN at ComiCon this year, “and see realistically how the youth would react to it today.”
The boisterous Philippou brothers were brimming with excitement at Fantasia on Sunday night as they introduced their film. The sold-out audience gave the Australians a bombastic reception before the film even started. “You guys are fucking wild,” they said (which is a very common reaction to the notoriously rowdy crowds at Montreal’s long-running genre film festival). During the screening, the audience laughed, cheered, cringed, and screamed at all the right moments, leaving the duo grinning from ear to ear during the Q&A.
The Philippou Brothers Discussed Their “Impossible” Shot at Fantasia Fest
The brothers threw all their funds into making this feature themselves, in part to avoid the strings that would have come attached to a big studio budget. They focused on storytelling and practical effects, using CGI only to smooth out the edges. During Sunday’s Q&A, Michael explained that when they started making videos as kids, digital effects were not accessible to them, so using practical effects was “ingrained in us early”. There’s a particularly impressive montage sequence that the brothers scrambled to shoot, though you wouldn’t know it from looking at the finished product. “We had two hours [to shoot it] and like 50 setups. Our assistant director said it was mathematically impossible!” Michael laughed. “Shout out to our focus puller!” added Danny (the crew member who keeps the camera in focus).
The hype around Talk to Me has been brewing since it shocked audiences at January’s Sundance festival, a journey that the brothers documented on their wildly popular RackaRacka YouTube channel. The premier grabbed the attention of every big name in horror, including Ari Aster, Jordan Peele, and even Stephen King. Once A24, a powerhouse for any independent production, picked up the film for distribution, the momentum skyrocketed. “We just threw the dice and made a film we’re proud of,” said Michael during a longer conversation about the ‘stigma’ of being a YouTuber in the film industry. “If you’re a storyteller, you’re a storyteller. It doesn’t matter where you came from.”
Audiences Should Get Ready to be Terrified
There is no doubt that Talk to Me is expertly crafted on every level, from the story and the cinematography, to the sound design and the editing. The cool blue tones surrounding Mia leave us longing for connection and community, and the visual pops of yellow create an ominous sense of warmth. Sophie Wilde’s performance conveys a visceral, painful sense of guilt and denial that will squeeze your heart and leave you gasping for breath. Talk to Me will stay with horror fans long after the credits roll.
Hollywood actors and writers are currently on strike against the AMPTP. This movie is not associated with any struck production. However, you can still support those affected most by the strike by donating to the Entertainment Community Fund here!
