Speak No Evil, 2022 Horror Movie Review

This is a psychological horror thriller movie of director Christian Tafdrup from the screenplay he also co-wrote together with his sibling Mads [de]. The movie filming was in Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands, and most part of the movie was shot in English, and just with some scenes in Dutch and Danish. The film is about a Danish couple that was invited by the couple Patrick and Karin, the Dutch couple, to visit their country house over the weekend holiday; then, the host starts to test the boundaries of their guests when the situation escalates.

Cast Lists

Morten Burian acted as Bjørn

Liva Forsberg acted as Agnes

Sidsel Siem Koch acted as Louise

Hichem Yacoubi acted as Muhajid

Marius Damslev acted as Abel

Fedja van Huêt acted as Patrick

Karina Smulders acted as Karin

Plot

During their trip in Tuscany, a Danish couple, Bjørn and Louise, and Agnes, their daughter, meets Karin and Patrick, a Dutch couple, with Abel, their son, whom they claimed to suffer from congenital aglossia, who had been born without his tongue. After some weeks, Louise and Bjørn took an invitation from this Dutch couple to have a visit to their remote rural home in the Netherlands, and the couple accepted. After 8 hours of driving, their family arrived at the destination. During their first 2 days, Louise felt uncomfortable about the passive-aggressive behaviors of the host, like the ignorance of Patrick about her vegetarianism, Karin’s swearing, and his abusive attitude towards Abel.

The hosts invited their guests out to have dinner, but Louise was concerned for the kids will not be going with them and to stay with Muhajid, Abel’s babysitter. Her concerns are worsened at the dinner during the time that Patrick challenged her vegetarianism, and this couple highly makes out fronting them. After controlling Bjørn to pay for their dinner, Patrick keeps on playing loud music when they are driving under an influence, upsetting Louise. Then, he entered the comfort room when she was taking her shower, and later observed that the couple had sex. When Agnes’ wants to sleep beside her parents, she was ignored, and Patrick took her to their bed. Then Louise finds Agnes, who is already sleeping on the bed close to the naked Patrick, she wakes up her husband and then the family left, only to go back shortly thereafter, right after Agnes realized that Ninus, her rabbit doll is missing.

When returning to the house, they’re confronted about the sudden departure they made, who now acted disappointed and enraged. Bjørn failed to be blunt, and so Louise briefly expressed the things that had made them uncomfortable. Karin apologized, but challenged her on why will Agnes should sleep in their place. They eventually convinced the guests to stay. The ladies worked in the yard, whereas the guys buy groceries. When returning home, Patrick and Bjørn bond as Bjørn attempted to explain how he’d usually suppressed his emotions, which compromised his real self. Patrick took him to the beach where they practiced screaming therapy. Then, in the kitchen, Louise cut her finger, and then the couple discovered that Patrick lied to them about him being a doctor who is actually unemployed. Right after their dinner, the kids perform a dance number; Patrick treats Abel rudely because of his mistakes and tossed a glass to the wall that resulted in Bjørn to argue with him.

Writer’s Opinion

This movie is a really tricky one. Alternatively, the red flags make that intense sense of dread. Also, it should never reach that end. The couple was really flat-out idiotic, that simple and plain. It is really maddening to witness two individual to behave so passively then seal their own fate.

However, it is thought that this movie was done for an appropriate cause. It seems that the director wishes the viewers to feel in that way. The final part is beyond disturbing and instead of feeling angry towards these bad guys; you will feel angry towards the good people for allowing this thing to happen. That is really tough to pull out and the also actor performances were fine, but the final part really ruined the movie, and a really bad joke for a better ending.