B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Danny and Michael Philippou’s Talk to Me into the ol’ VCR. 

2023 has been kind to horror, I’ll tell ya what. After getting off to a rocky start (here’s looking at you, Skinamarink and Knock at the Cabin), 2023 is really starting to deliver some real bangers. Talk to Me is no exception. 

After being scarred by The VVitch, I was a little cynical going into Talk to Me. However, you can believe the hype on this one; it’s honestly hard to believe this is Danny and Michael Philippou’s film debut. 

Now, I’m going to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, BUT, ironically, I recommend going into this movie with as little information as possible. If you want to watch the movie before reading my review, I’ll wait. 

Ready?

Good. 

For those unfamiliar with the premise, Talk to Me centers around Mia (Sophie Wilde) as she learns to cope with the unexpected death of her mother two years prior. After attending a party with a mysterious hand that acts as a conduit to the dead, Mia becomes obsessed with the feelings the hand gave her. Things grow even more complicated after her mother seemingly breaks through to her from the other side. 

Back in my day, we just had sleepovers where one girl inevitably made another girl cry. 

I know how generic this sounds, but you’ll thank me later. 

Before we dive into the long list of positives for Talk to Me, I’ll start with my only two critiques. 

First and foremost, there’s a scene near the beginning involving a mortally-wounded kangaroo. I’m a bleeding heart when it comes to animals, and I have been known to say that I love animals more than people on more than one occasion. I understand this scene exists to set up and mirror the ending of the film, but that doesn’t mean I have to be okay with it. Just a fair warning for all my fellow animal lovers out there.* Australian horror pulls no punches, so be aware going in.

*The only spoiler I’ll give is that Cookie the Bulldog comes out mostly unscathed, minus a makeout scene. And yes, you read that correctly. 

Yeah, they really have a hand-le on things. 

Secondly, I want to discuss the pacing. Now, I don’t necessarily think this is detrimental to the film AT ALL, but I do think it’s a little fast-paced. As an avid YouTube watcher, I think it tracks that the directors come from YouTube backgrounds. 

At times, it feels like watching something from Alex Bale or another horror ARG and/or analog horror series, but again, I don’t necessarily think that’s bad; it’s more of just something for the Philippou Bros to keep in mind if they continue filmmaking.

At the risk of becoming the quintessential dead mom girl, I fully understand where Mia is coming from. I miss KP every single day, and I know how much it hurts. But, “just one more” is never enough. If I had one last call with KP, I’d want another. I’d want another text. I’d want another visit. “Just one more” is never enough, and that’s what really gets Mia in the end. Have we learned nothing from Pet Sematary?

Also, these are some of the horniest spirits I’ve ever seen. I can honestly say a new insecurity has been unlocked by what the spirit possessing James reveals to Jade. YIKES. I’m also not sure how they were able to channel Quentin Tarantino for the bedroom scene, as he’s still among the living. IYKYK. 

Do y’all think this is what The Beatles meant?

With my luck, however, I’d be the ghost trapped in the bathroom stall because of how my stomach operates, and not be one of the horned-up spirits we see during the hand-holding scenes. I digress. 

From horrific glimpses into Hell (that seem to be a cross between Event Horizon and the shunting scene from Society) to demons dry-humping the carpet, Talk to Me is not only an exceptionally done horror movie, but it’s a great metaphor for both grief and addiction. 

Throughout the film, Mia grapples with the loss of her mother and gets high off of the hand, enabling her addiction. There’s one line in particular I want to call out. Sue (Miranda Otto, who, by the way, is incredible as always) tells Mia she “knows she’s done stuff before” (meaning drugs) when questioning Mia in the hospital, leading us to believe that Mia has struggled with addiction in the past. Earlier in the film, Sue makes a comment about Mia having smoked pot, but this call out seems different. This leads us to believe Mia might be trading one addiction for another. 

My friend Brooke called out the scene where Hayley and co are all taking turns with the hand, and I think she’s on to something. Brooke said our cast of characters seemed “euphoric,” and I’m inclined to agree. I know this scene is embedded within a horror movie, but it could have easily been nestled within Trainspotting or Requiem for a Dream. 

MFW a stretch turns into a leg cramp. 

There’s so much to unpack within Talk to Me, so I’m going to stop here. The Philippous deserve your money, and I don’t want to deter anyone from seeing the movie by diving in further. The themes of addiction, grief, and loneliness are incredibly well-executed, and I could spend hours going scene-by-scene. 

It also further proves my theory that YouTube really is the breeding ground for the next wave of horror. Mark my words. 

Well, friends, I’ll leave it here. In the meantime, and I shouldn’t have to say this, but if anyone you know claims they have an embalmed hand that allows you to communicate with the dead, recommend Cards Against Humanity instead. 

Here at A24, we pride ourselves on two things: bodies in the road and faces slamming into furniture.