Talk To Me – The DVDfever Cinema Review – Sophie Wilde

Talk To Me is the life story of Fonejacker‘s Terry Tibbs… or maybe it should’ve been.

Seriously, after an introductory scene which – because I’ve watched too many films – I knew was showing what could happen if you get involved with things you shouldn’t.

Then fast forward to a group of Gen-Z’ers who get the chance to try a new game at a party, which doesn’t sound that enthralling at first: Just sit down, look forward and grab the hand statuette. But as the trailer shows, you’ll uncover something that’s probably best left covered, starting with Mia (Sophie Wilde – The Portable Door, You Don’t Know Me). They allow themselves 90 seconds each time, but after a first bite of the cherry – despite the frightening aspect of it – they’re eager to delve deeper and experience more by going under for longer. So, there’s elements of Flatliners in there.

However, hold the front page because before we get to the party, as is always the way with these films, there’s 20 minutes of laborious scene-scetting. Additionally present, as with the recent Joy Ride, is some casual antiwhiteism, as fellow teenager (well, they’re all clearly in their 20s) Joss (Chris Alosio) chirps, “White people shit”.

Beyond that, in a film that’s about body and soul possession, a whole load of freaky stuff happens, and at times what you see can get pretty gross as it shows the consequences of the game. But what is real and what is Memorex?

There was certainly no confusion over the fact that this could do with subtitles, given that in this Aussie drama, the dialogue is fast, and some of it is a bit muffled. The acting is decent for this sort of film, though.

Whatever you think of Talk To Me, though – and without giving spoilers – unlike most movies these days, this one actually manages to come up with a decent ending.

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Terry Tibbs, yesterday.

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This was another Cineworld ‘Secret Screening’, but since they’re always the same films as Odeon have on the same night, I already knew what it was. And instead of the BBFC title card giving it away, the two director brothers appeared first in an intro, with the title of the film to their right (well, our right and their left, but anyway).

I initially missed what was said as they spoke, in conjunction with the guy just off-camera, that made them laugh, as if I’d just missed the highlight of it. However, it was when one of the pair said, “Hey Cineworld, welcome to a screening of our really terrible movie!”, to which the off-camera guy said they can’t use that take and they should do it again, but he refused and they all started laughing.

This also featured some bad editing, too, since after they finished, there was a bit of silence, then they started ‘talking’ to the audience from The Light cinema, and that cut off after a few seconds.

There were 29 walkouts in my cinema, most early on, but some even after a fair amount of the film had been shown. I can’t think why people leave, when they’ve already left the house. What are they going to do – sit outside and eat/drink all the crappy muck they’ve bought at the concession stand? It’ll only fall over in the car.

I stayed, but then I knew what it was going to be, because it’s always the same as Odeon’s films. Not great, not terrible. Worth 95 mins of your time.

However, while the directors were on, one guy at the front walked out, saying “Of all the films it could’ve been, I was hoping it wasn’t this one”. Well, Sir, we won’t miss you!

Meanwhile, in an almost empty row where I was, with my bag on the seat to my left, as the film was just about to start, a man appeared and stood over expectantly, apparently waiting for me to clear the contents of that seat but without saying a word…

I started to move the bag to the seat on my right (Hey! That was reserved for my sandwich!), when a voice from over to the right beckoned… It was his wife, and he’d mistaken me for her!

I’d like to say that’s the first time I’ve ever been mistaken for a woman…

Talk To Me is in cinemas from July 28th, and isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.

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Talk To Me – Official Trailer – A24

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Detailed specs:

Cert:
Running time: 94 minutes
Release date: July 28th 2023
Studio: A24
Format: 2.39:1
Cinema: Cineworld Didsbury
Rating: 6/10

Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Producers: Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings
Screenplay: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman
Based on a concept by: Daley Pearson, Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen
Music: Cornel Wilczek

Cast:
Mia: Sophie Wilde
Max: Marcus Johnson
Aunty Lee: Kidaan Zelleke
James: James Oliver
Riley: Joe Bird
Alex Varolli: Jett Gazley
Jade: Alexandra Jensen
Dog: Cookie
Sue: Miranda Otto
Hayley: Zoe Terakes
Joss: Chris Alosio
Daniel: Otis Dhanji
Cole: Ari McCarthy
Tyson: Hamish Phillips
Peck: Kit Erhart-Bruce
Fiona: Sarah Brokensha
Jayden: Jayden Davison
Duckett: Sunny Johnson
Possessed Girl on Phone: Helene Philippou
Possessed Boy on Phone: Jude Turner

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