The usual response when an English-language adaptation of a European horror is released, is to lament the audience’s resistance to reading subtitles. This sentiment is not misplaced in the case of ‘Speak No Evil’, a riveting Danish production from 2022, currently accessible on the Shudder streaming platform and certainly worthy of your investment. However, James Watkins’s remake validates its separate existence, predominantly through four stellar performances, which breathe new life into the tale, with added dimensions due to the change in nationalities.
In this instance, an exuberant English duo, Paddy and Ciara (portrayed by James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi respectively), cross paths with a subdued American couple, Ben and Louise (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis), who are residing in London whilst vacationing in an idyllic region of southern Europe. Despite not being an ideal match, they form an awkward alliance to escape the tiresome Scandinavians, and on departure, make a noncommittal promise to reunite back home. An unexpected invitation leads the foreign couple and their daughter on a journey to visit Paddy and Ciara in the rural west.
Without revealing too much, ‘Speak No Evil’ concludes with a violent eruption, however, the tension created by the preceding social discomfort is just as impactful. Through Watkins’s screenplay, we gain insights into a conventionalism that Americans may often overlook within themselves. Paddy and Ciara exude a distinct vivacity and informality.
At first, it seems natural to align with the hosts, but as the plot unfolds, it becomes evident that Paddy is the type of man who wields charisma as a weapon. “Loosen up! Have another! Why not!” is his mantra. McAvoy delivers an exceptional performance in his native Scottish accent, revealing how societal awkwardness can be manipulated to assert influence. Franciosi’s character, seemingly submissive, is equally unsettling.
Ben and Louise find themselves engaged in hushed conversations, considering the rather questionable behaviour of their new friends towards their disabled son. There’s a splash of Harold Pinter hidden amidst the genre clichés.
The finale’s violent outburst feels like a sigh of relief after the accumulating tension, even as it detracts from the earlier puzzling elements in the narrative, providing a jarringly satisfying resolution. All in all, it makes for a compellingly discomfiting viewing experience.