A Hallmark Movie with a Thriller Ending?: Speak No Evil (2024) Discussion

·1 hr 22 min·5 clips

Lee describes vomiting after a scene in 'The Sixth Sense' and connects it to the queasy feeling 'Speak No Evil' gives him.

Lee and Will introduce the episode by noting their co-host Chuck's absence. They begin discussing 'Speak No Evil,' identifying it as a 2024 psychological drama/horror/thriller directed by James Watkins, starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy. Lee shares his immediate discomfort with scenes involving child harm, recalling a visceral reaction to 'The Sixth Sense.' Will argues the film's central flaw is the protagonists' unbelievable stupidity, suggesting an alternate title: 'Stupid People Do Stupid Things.' Both hosts agree James McAvoy's performance is brilliant and intentionally unsettling. They analyze specific plot points, like the family allowing their daughter on a stranger's moped and returning for a stuffed animal instead of fleeing. Will shares a personal anecdote about real-life manipulation that mirrors the film's dynamics. The conversation covers the child actors' performances, with criticism aimed at the daughter character's poorly established compulsions. They note the film is an Americanized remake of a 2022 Danish film. The hosts debate the thriller elements, noting most tension is packed into the final 20 minutes. Chuck joins the discussion via insert, vehemently criticizing the movie as a 'Hallmark movie with a thriller ending' and reiterating that McAvoy is its only redeeming feature. The episode concludes with mixed final scores and thoughts on whether the film warrants a second viewing.

As heard by us

A loose horror conversation tracks the thriller hidden inside Speak No Evil's polite domestic setup.

Black & White Reviews frames Speak No Evil (2024) as a domestic visit that starts with Hallmark-adjacent politeness and curdles into a thriller.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play for James McAvoy, a Hallmark-movie-with-a-thriller-ending read, and a cellar reveal packed with stolen luggage and family photos.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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