TALK TO ME
Australia, 2022, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sophie Wilde, Jayden Davison, Joe Bird, Miranda Otto, Otis Dhanji, Chris Alosio, Zoe Terakes, Marcus Johnson.
Directed by Danny Philippou, Michael Philippouo.
The invitation “Talk to me” sounds inoffensive enough, an invitation. However, it can be heard as abrupt and commanding. Here it is what a group of teens say when they gather for a party and begin what is a weird process.
However, this Australian, small-budget film begins with a moment of ordinariness, a young man coming to a party at home, looking for his brother who is troubled, suddenly stabbed and the brother killing himself. A jolt. Then the film moves towards the youngsters who are central to the film, at school, friends, bonding, going to parties. The central character is Mia, a commanding performance by Sophie Wilde, something of a loner in the group, her mother probably having killed herself, distant from her father, relying on her close friend Jayden (Jayden Davison) staying over at her home, friendly with her younger brother, Riley (Joe Bird) although under suspicion from the hard-working and sometimes tough mother, Sue (Miranda Otto).
As we wonder what the connection is with the dramatic prologue, we get to know some of the youngsters, Jayden rather restrained but joining in, Mia quiet but vivacious, two rather boisterous friends, Hayley and Joss who introduce to the group a mysterious hand that they have acquired – a ceramic hand, the suggestion of a real hand within, and writing and scrawl all over the ceramics. There is something of a craze going about, especially for thrill-seekers. Someone is dared to take hold of the hand, recite “talk to me” and then, more than a touch mesmerised, to say “let me in”. So, this is a possession-horror film, and, for a limited number of seconds, the hand-holder is possessed, thrust back, contorted, taken over. And, this being the 21st century, all the excited participants have their phones out filming everything. A ritual candles lit then has to be blown out and that is at the end of the possession.
Mia agrees to the experience – a frightening face, letting the person in, convulsed, the audience wondering whether this is a death experience, and then it is over, everybody laughing and excited. It seems as though this is going to become a craze with everybody wanting to try it out – with a touch of becoming addicted to the experience. (Obviously a parable parallel to drugs and other intoxicants.)
As expected, several of the people want to go through the experience, especially Daniel, who is close to both Mia and Jayden – and, for him, a hugely embarrassing, psyche-revealing experience of being possessed. But, Jayden’s younger brother, Riley also wants to have the experience, Mia encouraging him because she has been having experiences of her dead mother and wants to connect with her. The drama is in Riley taken over in this experience, Mia urging him, allowing him to go beyond the allotted time, his communicating something of her mother but the after-effects, the candle not blown out and so his being continually possessed, brutally bashing his head against the wall and taken to hospital for recovery. Further tensions between Mia and Jayden and her suspicious mother.
While it has some of the tropes from horror films, it does a disservice to Talk to Me to describe it as a horror film. It is better described as a possession drama and the consequences, combined with some issues of family relationships. The film builds up to conflict for Mia, her wanting to right the situation, for Riley to heal and stop the torment, her seeing visions of the strange and bizarre possessing souls, and a climax which will lead us to?.
(This is the first feature of twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou who have spent 10 years creating video dramas for Youtube and gaining over 1 million followers – and selling this film for North American distribution for a price that more than paid for the film itself.)
1. The title, the various tones that it can use, tender, encouraging, demanding, threatening?
2. An Australian production, the work of the directors, the Youtube shorts and followers, first feature? The cast?
3. A possession film, touches of horror? Yet the family issues under the surface, within the family, the dead mother, the role of the father?
4. The opening, the party, Cole seeking his brother, the family, going into the room, Duckett, stabbing Cole, stabbing himself?
5. The focus on young people, late teenagers, school, bonding, parties, family backgrounds? The party sequences, music, drugs?
6. The focus on Mia, age, background, her dead mother, her relationship with her father? Her friendship with the family, Jayden as close friend, Riley, Sue and her suspicions? Friendship with Daniel? Outings, talk, staying over…?
7. The introduction to Hayley and Joss, parties, the introduction to the hand, ceramic, the writing on the hand? Touching the hand, something of a craze with the young people, the thrill, repetitions, touch of addiction to the experience? The strange experience, the high?
8. The process, the hand, holding the hand, saying “talk to me”, the effect on the person holding the hand, the touch of being mesmerised, seeing images and faces, saying “let me in”, the shock, falling back, possessed, the eerie experience, possession, the time limit?
9. Mia and her experience, the frightening face, the 90 seconds, the candle blown out as the ritual for ending the experience? The reaction of the youngsters, everybody with their phone, laughing, a thrill, the mystery? The aftermath? Mia and her talking with Jayden?
10. Daniel, his relationship with the two girls, his wanting to have the experience, the lascivious experience, kissing the dog, the aftermath and his reaction?
11. Their seeking out Cole, to ask him about the origins of the hand, the experience with Duckett?
12. Riley, his friend, age, daring each other? Riley coming to the session, wanting to experience after watching? His being allowed to experience it, Mia’s mother entering into him? The repercussions, for Mia, her anxiety, having encouraged Riley to experience it, wanting to contact her mother, extending the time, the candle not blown out? Riley and the experience, and his bashing his head, repeatedly, taken to hospital?
13. Mia, the experience of her mother, her mother’s appearing, the suicide, a mother encouraging her daughter, to ask her father, the contact with her father, the discussions, his concern, her being upset, staying with the other family, confronting her father, is reading the note from her mother, the encounters with her father, her being possessed, the scissors, killing her father?
14. The hospital, Sue, a hard mother, supervising the children, working, working back, not wanting Daniel in the house, suspecting Mia of taking drugs? The hostility in the hospital?
15. Mia, wanting to visit Riley, wanting to end the session, wanting to contact her mother? The phone call to Jayden, getting her out of the hospital, Jayden going to the house, discovering the dead father? Coming back to the hospital, the chase through the hospital? But Mia and the reconciliation with Sue?
16. Jayden, observing, distancing itself from the experience, concern about Riley? Mia’s phone call and going to the house, coming back to the hospital, the confrontation with Mia?
17. Mia, going to the water, Riley in the wheelchair, the possibility of putting him into the water, ending the situation? Her decision to go into the water herself? Riley and his feeling, reunited with Jayden and Sue?
18. The repetition, the new group, the hand, the invitation for Mia to enter into the possessed person?
