Talk to Me is a 2022 Australian horror drama film about a teenage girl who accidentally conjures up an otherworldly spirit at unruly séance.
Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou from a screenplay co-written by Bill Hinzman and Danny Philippou based on a concept by Daley Pearson.
Produced by Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings and Christopher Seeto. Executive produced by Ari Harrison, Jeff Harrison, Phil Hunt, Daniel Negret and Compton Ross.
The Causeway Films-Talk to Me Holdings co-production stars Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Ari McCarthy, Sunny Johnson, James Oliver, Cass Cumerford, Jett Gazley, Kit Erhart-Bruce, Hamish Phillips, Kidaan Zelleke, Sarah Brokensha, Jayden Davison and Jodie Dry.
Plot:
Conjuring spirits has become the latest local party craze and looking for a distraction on the anniversary of her mother’s death, teenage Mia (Sophie Wilde) is determined to get a piece of the otherworldly action. When her group of friends gathers for another unruly séance with the mysterious embalmed hand that promises a direct line to the spirits, they’re unprepared for the consequences of bending the rules through prolonged contact.
As the boundary between worlds collapses and disturbing supernatural visions increasingly haunt Mia, she rushes to undo the horrific damage before it’s irreversible…
Release:
In the US, Talk to Me is available on Digital via Amazon Prime and will be released on all formats for home viewing.
Reviews:
“Talk to Me is yet another perfect film in A24’s roster, and I can’t wait for it to become necessary watching for those who love the horror genre. The film is brutal, stressful, terrifying, and somehow in all of it, exquisitely heartbreaking. The pain throughout the film isn’t just because something is going bump in the night, but because we are watching a child grieve a parent she so desperately needs in her life.” 10 out of 10, But Why Tho?
“The dangers of peer pressure in the social media age adds a new dynamic to the adrenaline-fuelled playing with fire horror dynamic, whilst some strong genre visuals and an atmosphere of unease help Talk to Me impress. Expected beats about character grief hamper the tension slightly, but Talk to Me shows strong promise for filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou.” 3 out of 5, Culture Fix
“While Talk to Me isn’t quite tuned in to modern culture as much as it may think (does anyone really use Snapchat anymore?), the script from Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman is surprisingly quite sharp. These teenagers feel authentic in their language and attitudes, and Sophie Wilde, in particular, emerges as the film’s MVP. A sophisticated sense of style and a pure understanding of the larger themes prove that the horror renaissance of the 2020s is here to stay.” Disappointment Media
“With ballsy humor, nightmarish scares, and a killer ending that will leave you speechless, it’s easy to see Talk to Me growing a healthy cult following. But don’t take it from me, I witnessed modern horror icon Ari Aster himself go up to the Philippou brothers after the film’s midnight Sundance 2023 premiere and praise Talk to Me as nothing short of “amazing.” 5 out of 5, Discussing Film
“The film features numerous shock horror moments that are handled with spunk, a few horrifying scenes of gore similar to Ari Aster’s films, and psychological terror that will leave you questioning your own state of mind. I was consistently impressed by the overall quality of the filmmaking and the unexpected storytelling decisions, following the lead character Mia (played by Sophie Wilde) as she slowly begins to lose her mind…” 8 out of 10, First Showing
” It knows exactly when to pull the rug out from under the characters and viewers. Capable of taking a seemingly safe scene and dialling the danger and fear up to 11 in an instant. Cornel Wilczek’s score, Aaron McLiskey’s cinematography and Geoff Lamb’s editing allow for the two worlds to bleed together with an ever-increasing sense of dread. Yet it remains anchored by Sophia Wilde’s strong performance as the traumatised Mia.” 5 out of 5, Flick Feast
“When you dig deeper into this movie and watch these kids doing this ritual repeatedly, you cannot help but see a reflection of yourself being a teenager […] It was some eye-popping, creepy-looking things that appeared, and it was gross and awesome at the same time. Overall, Talk To Me is a widely disturbing horror movie destined to be a cult classic. Sophie Wilde gives a committed and haunting performance.” Hidden Remote
“Talk to Me feels much longer than the 96-minute run-time, and that’s not just because of pacing problems that permeate the middle acts. It can be a bit of a drag […] But kudos to all involved for making a horror movie with a simple gimmick, a lot of gore and a few things to say about teen culture in a social media age…” 2.4 out of 4, Movie Nation
“It’s a great idea, and it starts with a ton of promise, but the Philippous lose some of their momentum after a stunning sequence in which the possession of a young man who never should have gotten involved goes horribly awry. From there, they spin their wheels too much with Mia’s emotional baggage, losing the rising tension that needs to be a part of a movie like this one.” RogerEbert.com
“There are perhaps some issues that don’t quite feel quite right. Jade’s boyfriend Daniel is described as being ‘mega-Christian’ but is still eager to join in the game, and there is a slight lull in proceedings two-thirds in as Mia goes investigating possible ways to stop the forces that have been unleashed. But it soon finds it feet again and it really sticks the landing in a satisfactory way that is set up in a neatly symmetrical manner in the first act.” 4 out of 5 stars, The Wee Review
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