REVIEW: Talk To Me

Escapism is everywhere. What we wouldn't do for yet another way to get away from our thoughts, our stress, our fears, or even deep-rooted trauma. Some use alcohol. Others, Television. Some jog, some write. The very movie you plan to watch is a solid 90 minutes of fun distraction. What if you were provided a gateway into leaving your mind and body behind, however brief?

Talk To Me is a powerhouse indie from Danny and Michael Philippou. On the surface, it's yet another interpretation of peeking into the other side. This film goes way deeper, however, and crafts a pretty impressive character journey, wrought with scares, grief, and numbing sadness.

The story centers on Mia (Sophie Wilde), a young woman in the grips of grieving the loss of her departed mother. 

When a party gag involving a severed, embalmed hand enters the equation, Mia is served her first taste of the world beyond.

One thing I found fascinating about the script, was the approach taken with the hand. 

What could have been used as a plot device to usher in the scares, is instead used as an addiction for Mia, so desperate to forget her inner torment, that she doesn't stop to consider the fire she's playing with. 

Even when the game escalates into darker territory, Mia cannot shake it off. This has become her drug of choice. Her withdrawals come in the form of spectres beckoning to her in the real world, one of which come off more of a byproduct of her fractured soul, than anything else.

The acting in this is top tier. Wilde hits so many levels of emotion here, that even when she's doing incredibly stupid things, she works them in so organically, it just makes sense. The supporting players, all showing varying degrees of haunted, shine just as brightly. I wonder what the tone was like on set, as everyone here are all convey such levels of wounded.

Final acts so often make or break these kinds of movies. Not only does the film get better with its final act, it sticks to landing with a far more satisfying ending than I was expecting. The final hospital sequence is one that will stick with me for a while.

This is not a horror film for everyone. It is very character driven, and it is light on scares. It is very atmospheric, however, and there is some stellar imagery. There is a hell vision sequence that would have fit right at home with a spectacle picture like Event Horizon.

This film does have franchise potential. I truly hope they don't pursue that. This is so good that I'd hate to see its legacy tarnished with some sub par sequels. 

I'm glad I let this one in.