‘Speak No Evil’ review: You won’t want to make new friends after this

James McAvoy stars in the new film Speak No Evil. While it is a remake of the 2022 Danish film, the James Watkins take on it makes some changes to give us a less terrifying but still uneasy take on the story.

The story is simple: A couple goes on vacation with their daughter and meets another family, who they become friends with. As he two husbands bond, they agree they should all visit each other at some point, and when that happens, not everything is as it seems. That is about all I can say about this movie without giving it away.

That’s the draw of Speak No Evil. McAvoy’s charm as Paddy makes you think this is just a man who loves to roughhouse with his son and hang out with his wife, Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), but as the movie goes on, you can see the way his sinister side begins to show as Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben (Scoot McNairy) are visiting.

Paddy and Ciara find their victims by watching Louise and Ben together. Seeing how this couple isn’t exactly happy with one another is part of the allure for Paddy and Ciara. Speak No Evil takes a lot of time setting up the relationship between Paddy and Ben that would lead to Ben taking his family to visit but the movie also makes sure to ease us into Paddy’s true self.

James McAvoy’s performance is unhinged

We know that McAvoy can get dark when he needs to. Movies like Split have shown us all that. But he uses both his charm and that sinister side to bring Paddy to life. Without his smile and that allure to him, Louise and her family probably never would have come to visit. But they thought they could trust him.

It is through little moments we see the façade break. He shifts in how he looks at his son, says things to Louise that a “good man” wouldn’t dream of saying to a woman. All of it clues you in to Paddy’s true character. The way that McAvoy lets those little moments shine really feeds into the uneasiness of the entire movie.

A family trip gone wrong

Imagine if your family was secluded, away from everyone, with a group of people you thought were your friends who turn out to be anything but. That’s the fear that Speak No Evil instills in you. I’ve never seen the original, but I’ve heard tales about the ending. Those who had seen both said that this Speak No Evil was easier to walk out of at the end of than the other, but you still feel less than accepting of new people in your life from it. Even if James McAvoy was one of those people trying to get you to run away.

I highly recommend watching Speak No Evil, but try to go in as unspoiled as possible, because it is a wild ride from start to finish and one that will leave you not wanting to make any new friends any time soon.