Speak No Evil (2022)
The plot of Speak No Evil is an exploration of what can happen when someone driven by a cultural urge to be polite and avoid any form of confrontation, encounters a psychopath who exploits their very nature. Speak No Evil is a very European psychological horror and I stress that point because this film will not necessarily play well to audiences who are not so familiar with such institutionalised deference or passivity. Danish writer and director Christian Tafdrup skilfully and slowly builds the tension, but the plot contrivances of the final act do somewhat mitigate its credibility. Hence realism gives way purely to threat and suspense. If you’re the sort of viewer who can countenance that different cultures, age groups and political leanings can dramatically impact upon one’s behaviour, then you may well get through Speak No Evil. If you struggle to come to terms with the poor decisions made in an episode of Scooby Doo then Speak No Evil will leave you screaming at your TV.
Speak No Evil superficially is the story of a Danish family who befriends a Dutch family while on holiday. Formal and polite, Bjørn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) are enamoured and impressed by the brash Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and the warmth of Karin (Karina Smulders). Their much beloved daughter Agnes (Liva Forsberg) finds a companion in Patrick and Karin's shy and retiring son Abel (Marius Damslev). After the holiday, when a postcard arrives inviting them to spend a weekend with their new friends in their remote, rural cabin in the Dutch countryside, it seems like a perfect opportunity to further enjoy the new family friendship. “What's the worst that could happen?” Bjørn jokes, ironically telegraphing that the worst is not only coming but that it is going to be a very grim journey.
The cast of Speak No Evil is very good as they experience social faux pas then physical coercion. Morten Burian (Bjørn) is infuriatingly passive, self loathing and conflicted but his performance is worryingly credible. Sidsel Siem Koch (Louise) seems genuinely intimidated by Fedja van Huêt (Patrick) who exudes volatility, where Karina Smulders (Karin) is deliberately ill defined. Is she also being coerced or a more subtle manipulator? However, despite solid performances, Speak No Evil struggles to maintain all the themes and motifs it touches upon during its first act. The big reveal it’s been heading towards is a little too contrived and once it has been established, the protagonist's behaviour becomes hard to identify with. When the violence comes it is quite stark and jarring. The ending doesn’t answer the question of motive, relying on the old trop of “evil people are evil”.
Speak No Evil has some good ideas at its core. One could argue that it explores many talking points about contemporary culture and gender roles. Are modern European men too worried about risk and conflict? Has the modern habit of self examination gone too far and left those who do so powerless to make decisions? Is the need to please a social blessing or a curse? However, a better film would bring us to the conclusion via a less obvious route. It becomes very clear that Speak No Evil is going from A to B to C come hell or highwater and it shows in the final act. Furthermore, I have no problems with horror films with a message. Dawn of the Dead, for example, is as pertinent today as it was back in 1978. But I’m seldom impressed when a message driven story co-opts the horror genre out of convenience. It strikes me as very insincere and confected. And that is how I felt after watching Speak No Evil. That and the fact that the film seems too pleased with itself, when it really has no right to be.
