Dir. Danny & Michael Philippou | Now in Theaters | Rating: 5/5

As I was driving to the theater to see this, I was thinking about how prevalent the “grief makes you do crazy things” narrative has become in the horror genre. Though always a present and powerful theme in the genre, I feel it has become a major talking point in the last five years, especially when it comes to my frenemies over at A24. As this theme becomes so much more saturated, it’s hard for new films to stand out, but Talk to Me did that for me. 

I’m affectionately known to be an A24 hater, so you know any positive feedback from me is coming from a genuine place. Talk to Me is hard hitting, unpredictable, and jarring. This crazy train gets going within the first 5 minutes and doesn’t pump the brakes until we reach our finale. As characteristic of A24, the shots in this film are calculated and meticulously crafted, in this case to make the audience feel disoriented and lost as we doubt our narrator’s intentions and stability. 

You’re never going to believe that I of all people would say this, but I do feel like some of the practical effects and shock value feel akin to Hereditary and Ari Aster. Where Talk to Me steps above Hereditary for me is its relative approachability and world building. Mia and her friends may think they’re all grown up, but we watch them stumble through situations only teenagers could find themselves in, and we believe them. 

Diverse and stunningly acted across the board, Talk to Me had me covering my eyes in the theater and watching the credits roll feeling like I just got off a rollercoaster. Though I wish we got a little more lore on our magic hand and a more calculated ending, this was a win for me. This year’s hot A24 horror release delivers a sharp, dark, and well crafted story of depression, loneliness, and the lengths we go to avoid the truth. One of 2023’s must sees. 

Know Before You Watch: Mentions of suicide, flashing lights, blood, animal death, extreme gore.