TALK TO ME (2023) - Mark Reviews Movies

Talk to Me, A24

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Review by Mark Dujsik | July 27, 2023

If anything, Talk to Me deserves a significant amount of credit for coming up with a different idea for an all-too-common horror premise. This is a story of ghostly or, perhaps, demonic possession, and yes, that skepticism you might be feeling right now is certainly warranted. How many cheap, throwaway movies have come and gone with that basic notion at its center, after all? Surely, there's nothing new to be uncovered in it, right?

Well, fraternal co-directors Danny and Michael Philippou, along with co-screenwriter Bill Hinzman (who wrote the script with the first-named director), have stumbled upon a very clever sort-of twist on the conceit. As for whether or not the movie takes full advantage of this somewhat novel premise, that's a different story.

The idea is a simple one: Ghosts and/or demons exist, and it's possible to speak with them and invite them to take over control of one's body. Why anyone would do this, of course, would seem to be a question in need of some sound logical explanation or deep examination of psychology, but the script bypasses all of that with such fundamental and spot-on simplicity that it renders any queries of logic or reason pointless.

It's a bunch of teenagers doing the communicating the supernatural entities. It's a dangerous rush, worthy of becoming almost an addiction for some, and the kind of communal spectacle that's perfect for parties. Anyone who was ever a kid and an adolescent will probably remember the thrill of listening to ghost stories in a darkened room or around a campfire, of sharing urban legends that transform ordinary things and events into something filled with terror, and of trying to summon some horrific thing by saying some kind of incantation. Kids and teens love to push boundaries, so of course they'd be the first in line to test out this visceral kind of séance—especially if everybody else is doing it.

Everybody is doing it in the little town of this movie, apparently, and the act has become fodder for social media. Teenagers find out about the trend, hear rumors about a party featuring the possession gimmick, and try to find a way to get an invitation. All of it makes perfect sense. No further clarification is necessary, really.

As for the story beyond the premise, it's fine enough, although the combination of teenaged melodrama and effective scare sequences seems like the easiest route to take with a central idea so novel. Here's the rare movie that leaves one hoping there's a sequel, if only because the material on display practically begs for more to be done with it.

This tale revolves around Mia (Sophie Wilde), who is still grieving the premature death of her mother two years ago. She and her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) hear about a party being held at the home of classmate Hayley (Zoe Terakes), who obtained a strange item with her friend Joss (Chris Alosio). It's a sculpture of a hand and wrist, outstretched as if in a handshake. The rumor is that there's a real hand underneath a ceramic exterior, possibly belonging to a powerful spirit medium or maybe to some sort of demon.

It doesn't matter. The main point is that, by holding the hand, a person can see and talk to the dead, and if one really wants a rush, that person can request a bodily possession by the phantom. Mia is excited to try it, and sure enough, she receives first-hand experience in the online phenomenon. After that, she's desperate to do it again.

Following the smartly to-the-point setup that's full of thematic potential, the rest of the movie, unfortunately and quickly, falls into a series of patterns. The teens partake in the ritual, are possessed, and behave in creepy or sinister ways.

That comes to a head with a frighteningly brutal scene, involving Jade's younger brother Riley (Joe Bird), who seems to be possessed by the ghost of Mia's dead mother. She wants the ghost to stay longer than is recommended (There are some hard and fast rules in order to keep this act as safe as possible, and just imagine the trial-and-error process of figuring out those particulars).

The resulting horror—of a kid inflicting self-harm while under the influence of a supernatural being—is terrifying in a way that would almost seem impossible after decades of movies with a similar gimmick. The Philippou brothers use a lot of practical makeup effects, including one gruesome moment involving an eyeball and prodding fingers, with notable success, but the momentum of the editing and the sheer helplessness of the kid, as well as the observers, aid significantly, too.

After that, the plot mostly stumbles its way through some notions about grief, as Mia starts to see the ghost of her mother without the hand, and a series of jump or fake-out scares, although it is nifty how the filmmakers occasionally fake out their own apparent fake-outs (A wrestling bout with a ghost/demon—that becomes an unwitting tag-team match—is the clearest example). Talk to Me begins with such clarity and purpose in regards to its twist on possession, the mechanics of how that works, and some underlying ideas about our desire to scare ourselves and share those experiences. The movie's later toying with reality and half-hearted interpersonal drama, though, leave one wanting.

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