It’s hard to make a mainstream horror movie that stands out from the pack while also checking the required boxes of being scary, moody, mysterious and just a little gross and gory. We get one, maybe two per year. For 2023, one of them is “Talk to Me,” from Australian brother directors Danny and Michael Philippou.
Miranda Otto, returning to a mom role in horror after “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” is the only name actor in a mostly teen cast. The film has an “It Follows” vibe as these Aussie teens’ penchant for partying skirts a line into the afterlife we know they shouldn’t cross. Similar to that 2015 film, its thematic resonance makes the wild premise seem smart rather than silly by the end.
The Philippou brothers remind us it’s possible to tell a completely satisfying story in 95 minutes. The sound design features fuzzy, resonant background noises yet the film also gets quieter and more intimate as it goes forward. In the opening party scene, I struggled with the Australian accents, but after a while, I no longer desired subtitles.
“Talk to Me” (2023)
Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Writers: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman, Daley Pearson
Stars: Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Miranda Otto
Making their own entertainment
The Philippous convince us that modern teens don’t need screens to be entertained (ironic, since the directors cut their teeth with YouTube videos). They just need a ceramic cast of a shriveled hand. Grab onto it and say “Talk to me” and see a dead person; then say “I let you in” and become possessed. Granted, more than half of the partygoers are recording on their cellphones.
“Talk to Me” smoothly spells out the rules of its game. For instance, when the bystanders pull the participant’s grip away from the magic hand and blow out a candle, the supernatural connection ends and everyone is safe. I was particularly impressed by the final 10 minutes, when insane stuff happens at a momentous clip. But it’s clearly presented and brings the narrative full circle, leaving us stunned going into the credits.
The teens look like real teens rather than movie stars, but are solid actors, with engaging family and friendship dynamics. Sophie Wilde emerges as the lead, the bedraggled Mia, and she’s most likely to be a breakout star.
Mia’s best friend is Alexandra Jensen’s appropriately jaded Jade. Otto’s Sue is Jade’s humorously overbearing mom, Joe Bird’s Riley is Jade’s wannabe-cool kid brother, and Otis Dhanji’s Daniel is Jade’s Christian boyfriend (who used to be Mia’s boyfriend).
Letting us into the relationships
Writers Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman and Daley Pearson craft layered relationships amid an increasingly horrifying story. The bonds become stressed by a tragic situation that ensues after one session of the party game goes so horribly wrong it’ll leave your mouth agape.
Mia’s own family problems are an intriguing spice. She has a father (Marcus Johnson) we’re not sure we should trust, and the ghost of a mother (Alexandria Steffensen) who may or may not have killed herself.
“Talk to Me” held my attention more tightly than a partygoer gripping the magic hand. By the end I was riveted, not knowing what to expect — although in retrospect, maybe I should have. And I like how the screenplay doesn’t hold your hand (pun intended) as it careens to the finish line; it rewards attentive viewers.
The Philippou brothers’ YouTube background – where success is rewarded and failure isn’t overly costly — might explain why their rookie effort dodges pretention while also being slyly brilliant. Or it could be a lucky break, as any debut film needs to be blessed (ironically) to be this good.