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Talk to Me: An Unhelpful Review

Writer's picture: Amanda KelnerAmanda Kelner

As promised, I will be sprinkling in some proper, new reviews. Over the weekend, I had the privilege of seeing Talk to Me, an indie Australian film, featuring a film directorial debut from Danny and Michael Philippou. I had heard plenty about this film and I knew going into it that it had great reviews. And it's always exciting to watch a good film by a new creator so you can see how fresh eyes look at old tropes.


I saw it in the theater, which I think is my first horror movie in a theater in a long time. I forget how loud some of those jump scares can be with surround sound, but I do think it would be the same if you only watched it on a small screen. Maybe not too small.


With all that said, let's dive in.


Briefly, and Without Spoilers

Two years after the death of her mother, Mia (Sophie Wilde) still struggles to fill the void her mother left. One evening, she convinces her friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) to attend a party with a peculiar attraction: a hand that allows you to speak to--and become possessed by--the dead. Despite initial misgivings about its legitimacy, the friends quickly realize it isn't just an online hoax--it's the real deal, and it's addictive. But with great highs come great lows, and their newfound entertainment reveals very real consequences that the teens may not be prepared to handle.


Going Too Far (Spoilers Ahead!!)

Right out of the gate, I'll confirm that this movie lives up to the hype. Obviously, if you're not into horror films, then this movie probably isn't for you. There are some classic horror movie moments and it's a bit gory and hard to watch at times. More power to you if you want to skip this one.


But for those of you who do enjoy horror films, this is definitely one to add to the list. The effects and the storytelling is fantastic, the acting is wonderful, and it fully pulls you in and forces you to become invested in the lives of these kids.


What was really weird (in a good way) is that it's not not a predictable storyline. There were so many moments when I kind of definitely knew what the next surprise was going to be (with some exceptions) but it was still just as devastating to watch it unfold. The moment where Riley (Joe Bird) got sucked in too far and the moment where Mia stabs her father, both of those were clearly exactly where the storyline was going and it was still hard to watch it play out. As was the very end (I won't spoil everything).


Plus the undertones and the themes present, particularly when it comes to addiction. Between the few allusions to Mia's drug problem to the addictive power of the hand, that ultimately gets taken too far, there's a clear connection between the story and stories of addiction and what leads to those addictions.


There may also be--dare I say it--a racial component? I'm an American, so it's worth stating I don't know the racial dynamics of Australia, but it did not escape my attention that the characters introducing the hand to the more naïve, white family, were all people of color. I don't know what message the directors were trying to send with this, if any at all, but in American cinema, we might see this as commentary around the trope of characters of color pulling white characters into dangerous situations or how a lack of support for marginalized communities can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms that privileged communities may not interact with in the same way. A party drug may just be a party drug for someone who isn't looking to self-medicate, while others may not know how to stop.


There's a lot more I could discuss, but I'll just say that it's worth the watch if you enjoy horror movies. See it in the theater, see it at home, whatever floats your boat. It's worth it.


The Power of Peer Pressure

There was one scene toward the beginning when Mia and Jade are first introduced to the hand when Mia is about to back out after seeing the first dead soul. The other people at the party convince her to keep going and, of course, pull out their phones to capture it on video.


I thought this was such a good representation of peer pressure and it really got me thinking early on in the movie. Obviously, this is a scenario that can play out with much lower stakes or just involve one or two people. But the idea that you might ignore the voice of reason to avoid looking like a fool is so real and so many people, especially kids, succumb to it. Really, any time there's a power imbalance, it's so easy to give in to it.


And on top of that, we see Mia get sucked in too hard, and even the other party goers struggle to pull her out. But once she laughs it off, no one takes it as a warning sign (except perhaps Jade). No one looks at what Mia goes through and thinks, "Maybe this girl in particular shouldn't be doing this. Maybe she needs professional help."


It's such a powerful display of addictive personalities. The idea that some people can't do it just the one time, to have a little fun, and then walk away from it. Some people realize that the behavior brings them relief that they haven't felt in a long time.


And then you throw in the scene with Riley after he's possessed by "Mia's Mother" and you know she's totally diving off the deep end. Willing to try things everyone knows she shouldn't be trying. Not to mention throwing caution to the wind when she possesses the little girl in the hospital. Really, Mia's story is so compelling and one of those stories that you just keep processing as more time passes. Her struggle with coping with things she's too young to try and handle on her own and then watching her turn to something so destructive is really difficult to watch and such a stark reminder of how many people find themselves in her shoes.


The Unreliable Narrator

Does anyone else remember the part of high school English where you talked about the unreliable narrator? Does anyone else vividly remember which book was used to illustrate the idea? Mine was Wuthering Heights. I don't even remember the book that well, but I remember there was an unreliable narrator.


If ever there was an unreliable narrator, it's in this movie. Talk to Me certainly isn't the first movie to explore this concept, but this story seems to take the idea in a new direction. Nothing that Mia sees can be trusted, and in some ways, that's clear from the get-go, but definitely obvious when "Mia's Mother" forces Riley to hurt himself. And then more examples get layered in as time goes on, and by the end, everyone should understand that the spirits in the hand are lying to her. At least that's how I read it.


I think in some ways, I love the unreliable narrator. It adds complexity to a story, even when that story is already very good. Plus, we encounter unreliable narrators every day. Any time someone tells you their side of a story, you're encountering an unreliable narrator. They're coming in with their own biases and goals. They'll include details that benefit them and exclude details that hurt them. It's real. It's a very real way to create a three-dimensional character.


I also recognize that it's an easy way to build tension in a horror movie. Is what they're seeing real or is it all in their mind? And I think when that's solely used as a way to create tension and drama, it can fall into trope territory and also maybe be offensive to people who genuinely struggle with hallucinations. But I think Talk to Me was trying to illustrate a very specific point. I think the hallucinations were designed to enhance just how far gone Mia was toward the end and follow her own trajectory into madness, for lack of a better word. And the presence of "Mia's Mother" became such a powerful force behind her addiction, in a way that the high alone couldn't achieve. Once she started to see her mother, it was clear Mia was willing to push any boundary to see her again--even if that meant putting others in danger.


Save the Children

We've got to talk about Riley. Riley's position in the story played such a vital role to some of the themes.


Riley unfortunately represents the younger kids who are desperate to impress the older kids, or just desperate to fit in, who get caught up in behaviors they don't fully understand and don't know how to control. And it was just as hard to watch Riley fall victim to this societal peer pressure as it is to watch real kids fall victim to it.


It's kids like Riley that make you somewhat sympathize with conservative calls to protect children. We all know Rileys and it's often impossible to convince them they don't need to impress the older kids. Which goes back to the power imbalance. Maybe he never had a room full of kids chanting, "Do it," but the fact that he was around them made him want to impress them.


There are probably a lot of people who have memories of trying to impress older kids. Things you would never do in a million years as an adult. And I feel like it's the scenario that many parents worry about. The scenario where your kid gets into trouble because they were trying to impress other kids or older kids.


Chime in if you want, but I think to a certain extent, you can't always protect the children from those scenarios. Some kids are better at saying "no" than others. You can give them all the tools you can, but when the anxiety kicks in or the shame, it can be hard for adults to overcome, let alone kids. And you certainly can't trust one of the older kids to step in and help. Odds are, they won't.


It's a feeling that I think ties in with addictive personalities. Some people are too anxious to say no. Some people don't know how to have fun for just one night and then let it go. And in real life, I think that's part of the real horror. Finding yourself in a situation you know you shouldn't be in, and not listening to that part of you that tells you to walk away. Or perhaps, not knowing how to listen to that part of you. I think that's a type of horror of reality that can lead to similarly horrific consequences as the ones you see in the movie.


Lots to Think About, Lots to Ponder

Obviously, I liked this movie very much, but like I said, if you're not a horror film fan, than this one may not be for you. But even if you tolerate horror movies, I definitely think it's worth the watch. Get the popcorn, sit back, it's going to be a good time.

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