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‘Speak No Evil’ is Entertaining
A reminder to never make friends on vacation.
When an American family accepts an invitation to the English countryside, things go off the rails, and their world is forever changed.
I had seen mixed reviews about Speak No Evil, so I was interested in checking this one out. And I had a good time with it. I haven’t yet seen the 2022 Danish film, but that is next on my list. I can’t wait to watch that one and compare. But, for now, let’s focus on this American version.
The stand out of this film is James McAvoy as Paddy. It seems like McAvoy is relishing this role, enjoying every twisted moment of this film. Every time he’s in the frame, even in the more normal moments, there is a bit of twistedness to his character that makes you uneasy. He is constantly pushing boundaries, putting others down, and making it clear that he’s not a safe person.
At the same time, Paddy and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) are a ton of fun. They seem to be very free-spirited and untethered to anything. It’s also clear pretty early on that their relationship is deeply toxic as they boomerang from one extreme to another.
These two characters are contrasted against Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise (Mackenzie Davis), who have a very different type of relationship. These two have been through a…
