THE VOICES
US, 2014, 103 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Atherton, Anna Kendrick, Smith, Jacki Weaver.
Directed by Marjane Satrapi.
While the title, The Voices, is accurate, it certainly does not indicate the content and treatment of this film. The voices are literally those voices that people with mental disturbance hear from within or think that they hear them from people, animals or objects outside them. The approach of this film is a blend of the serious and comic, some funny episodes, leading to sympathy for the central character, but also very serious about the consequences of hearing the voices and acting on the voices, especially for violence.
The audience is introduced to Jerry, affably played by Ryan Reynolds, who works in a factory but who, we soon learn, has emotional and mental difficulties. He lives alone except for his pet cat and pet dog. They provide the initial voices, the cat, Mr Whiskers, Scots-accent but malevolent contrasting with Bosco the dog, affable American voice. It is appropriate for someone who hears voices, the cat and the dog are both voiced by Ryan Reynolds himself.
Jerry visits the psychiatrist, Jacki Weaver, the government official who tends to interview him and tick off lists as to his behaviour – about which he lies, that he is not hearing voices, that he takes his medication. At work, he is a simple soul, attracted to Fiona, Gemma Arterton, and wants to take her out, but she stands him up, but later encounters him in the rain and he drives her into the countryside – with some devastating consequences. The television commentators and the police indicate that there is a serial killer about.
The same happens to the flirtatious Anna Kendrick whom he takes to his parents’ house with a flashback which gives some explanation for his psychological disturbance. She is also dismembered and he places Fiona’s head with hers in his fridge – where they talk to him as well.
The film builds up to a climax in his confrontation with the psychiatrist, the co-workers wondering about the absence of the women from the office, calling the police, while Jerry takes the psychiatrist as a hostage.
In its comic mode, with the serious perspective, The Voices can be illuminating for ordinary audiences to understand the completely different world of the schizophrenic, the influence of the voices from outside, which really are voices from within, disputing behaviour, disputing morality.
While the film has its very disturbing moments, it does end with a cheery song and dance routine from the central characters.
The film was directed by Marjane Satrapi who came from Iran, made the animated film Persepolis as well as the film about Iran, Chicken with Plums.
1. The impact of the film? The imagination behind the film and its themes?
2. Mental illness, hearing voices, schizophrenia, not paranoid? The voices from the exterior, from interior, as part of the self? The voices telling the subject what to do or what not to do? The voices emerging – cat, the dog, the heads in the refrigerator? The mental struggle? The moral struggle? Background violence and mental violence?
3. This kind of film as a way to understand mental illness, the blend of the serious and the comic?
4. Jerry’s point of view, audience sympathy for him, learning about him, understanding while not approving?
5. The town, the factory, homes and apartments, the workplaces, industry, offices, restaurants? The roads in the countryside? The musical score?
6. Ryan Reynolds and his skills with the voices, the Scots cat, the American dog? Authentic? The visuals of the animals’ mouths? The talking heads? The audience seeing the animals as ordinary and not speaking? Jerry and his medication, not taking the medication and the experience of the voices? Taking the medication and his becoming morose? Mr Whiskers as harsh, selfish? Bosco as good and principled? Mr Whiskers relishing his ideas, justifying Jerry’s action, goading him? Yet their being Jerry’s inner voices?
7. The visits to the psychiatrist, her listening, her lists and ticking items off, asking about the voices, urging him to the medication, sympathetic and Jerry and his attitudes towards her, not telling the truth? His taking her to the apartment, the threats? Her fear, being freed?
8. Jerry and his work, the predominance of pink, the making of baths, labelling, the other workers, the sympathetic boss? The invitation to help with the picnic, the meeting, Fiona, her ideas about the conga line, Jerry attracted, the flirting? At the party? His making the date, the restaurant, the Chinese, the Chinese Elvis? Her standing him up? Seeing her in the rain, helping her? The drive, the deer, the accident, her body in the woods, the frenzied stabbing, recuperating the body, taking it home, cutting it up, the neatly stacked parcels, her head in the fridge? Her attitude as a talking head, flirting with Jerry, lonely, asking for a companion?
9. Lisa, at work, with Allison and Fiona, going to the karaoke bar, Lisa’s background, the separation, flirting with Jerry, going out, enjoying his company, going to her place, the sexual encounter and its effect on Jerry, her coming to his apartment, the surprise with the cake, his not wanting to let her in, the skylight, using the pin on the lock, the discovery inside, fear, confrontation, her death, her head in the fridge?
10. Discussions with Allison, the character, at work, the karaoke? Jerry taking her, her head in the fridge?
11. The boss, friendly, the other workers, noting the absences of the women, their suspicions, calling the police?
12. The psychiatrist, the situation, trying to persuade Jerry, the rescue?
13. The police – and Jerry watching the report of the policeman and his talking from the television direct to Jerry?
14. Jerry and mental illness, the role of medication, nice, but…? His getting rid of the medication, becoming destructive?
15. The back story of his parents, taking Lisa to the house, his memories, as a boy, his parents and their behaviour?
16. The finale, the credits, the cheery song, everybody joining in singing, Jerry, the girls and the parents?
