It is recommended that parents educate their children the rule that one should never speak to strangers. Due to society's increasing reliance on people and technology, what once functioned as helpful advice for children on how to avoid being taken advantage of has likely been abolished for adults. director Christian Tafdrup expertly shows excessive civility to the point of self-destruction in his debut horror film, criticising the idea of blindly trusting people. Speak No Evil is a horrifyingly twisted film that illustrates to audiences the perils of holding back on uncomfortable topics out of consideration for others.
A Danish family begins their holiday trip in Tuscany while the movie follows them. parents of little Agnes (Liva Forsberg), Bjrn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch), rapidly make friends with a fellow Dutch travelling family. The parents of the shy and inquisitive Abel (Marius Damslev), Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders), are very fond of them. Months later, they invite the Danish family to stay at their rural property where Patrick and Karin may let loose and reveal their eccentric ways. But when the Dutch family becomes too much for Bjrn and Louise to bear, they quickly learn that being overly polite is insufficient to foil Patrick and Karin's evil schemes for them.
After a people-pleasing man, Bjrn, brings his family to a country retreat to meet new friends, what transpires in Speak No Evil is what occurs when little disagreements turn into enduring irritants. Tafdrup takes a deceptively straightforward idea and embellishes it with satisfying terror that will undoubtedly terrify viewers beyond belief. Tafdrup, who works with his longtime partner and brother, Mads Tafdrup, expertly introduces sensations of anger and panic into the screenplay after creating an atmosphere that welcomes tranquilly and comfort. Watching Speak No Evil is fun because it successfully takes a turn toward the bizarre and shocking.
In this unnerving horror film, Christian Tafdrup knows just how to blur the distinction between politeness and civil antagonism. Tafdrup said at the 2022 Sundance Film festival that his only goal was to develop a film that would make viewers feel utterly uncomfortable. In addition to going above and beyond expectations in creating that unease, Tafdrup doesn't take too long to explain anything to the audience. Instead, even when courtesy is the priority, he depends on his wonderful ensemble to transport viewers on a tense voyage of building suspense. Even though this story has a terrible and sadistic undertone, there is a timeless lesson to learn from it: never trust a stranger who seems overly pleasant.