Gæsterne

You may have heard that this goes to some gruelling places. What you should also know is that it's one of most skillfully directed dramas not just of recent years but in Danish movie history. Tafdrup and his first-rate cast explore some very interesting themes, and he's in complete control of the tone of his technically accomplished and constantly disconcerting film.

There were a few minor blemishes; mainly some character beats that felt more in service of the plot than believable, but -oh boy- a surprisingly efficient marriage between Danish social realism and pure horror, that creeps under your skin and stays there.

There are two ways of reading this film: 1) An excellent revenge fantasy punishing your arch-typical spineless, sexless, joyless, ignorant, holier than though, Copenhagen parents AKA the worst people to ever live, in which case Tarantino take note: It can be done without boring people to death. 2) A(nother) poorly built up 'psychological horror', where an edge lord director thinks he’s shocking the Danish population by portraying normal Dutch family life. I'm sticking to the first reading.

Well made but the story lacks any sense of purpose. When it finally shifts into horror in the last act, there is no surprise, satisfaction, scares, or catharsis. The plot unfolds exactly how you expect it to from the very beginning without any subversion. The actions of the main characters become less and less believable as the film moves along and what starts out feeling realistic ends up requiring through-the-roof suspension of disbelief to not see the gaping plot holes.

Very fresh movie that dares (and succeeds!) to be a story with the telling force of a Greek tragedy - it's in it's core not about psychology but about virtues and values. Made me think of Pinocchio, who gets punished when he goes to the judge because the fox and the cat steel the gold that he thought would bring him a tree of coins ('the weak and stubborn don't get to replace their lack of virtues with justice'). The great acting made it possible to transcend to this complex level. Excellent!

The reviews (less so on here and more so on that shithole letterboxd) that are like “if anyone did anything like this to me I’d be fighting them so hard this movie sucks!¡¡!” are just the cinephile version of the guy in a metal mulisha shirt saying bro just hit me first so I won’t get sued. Anyway, good movie. We need a Strangers esque movie every few years to remind us how to do these kind of nihilistic films right. It’s less about the violence instead about why that violence is inflicted.

It angered me, annoyed me, made me extremely uncomfortable, and unnerved me. And I enjoyed it very much

Perfectly crafted, until things spun out of control in the final act. Lots of holes, which left me more confused than shocked.

Wow, that was dark. I liked the realistic portrayal of human behaviour. Most ordinary people are not Hollywood action heroes. A large number will try to avoid confrontation and conflict, remain passive, and quickly give up. Good film.

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This film not only has the perfect amount of horror and suspense, but also has a great story line. The characters are well developed, and the pacing is perfect. Throughout the film intensity grows and it is almost impossible to look away as you are eager to see what happens next.

AKA Doormat: The Movie

Christian Tafdrup: "I wanted to make the most unpleasant film in Danish history." While the director certainly succeeds (with an overabundance of pure, shocking craftmanship) the mission is also somewhat too easy. Especially when the message is much weaker than your average Haneke serving.

One of the most disturbjng and uncomfortable movies i’ve ever seen and i would not recommend it to anyone unless you’re very courageous.

A super creepy and twisted tale where much of the horror is based on the human need to not cause a scene and to be polite towards strangers. Seeing this need for acceptance pushed to its very limits is harrowing and I felt that all the things leading to the finale were far more uncomfortable than what happened in the end. My biggest gripe was that sometimes the main characters just make way too stupid decisions that are not based on the running theme of pleasing others, but just being idiots.

audiovisual 95 acting 90 overall feeling 90 avg ~92

I wish I haven't watched it

You start realizing very soon how the movie will end, then you sit waiting for more than 1 hour for it to happen. The only small surprise you will receive is the high level of cruelty with which the predictable ending is visually portrayed. Overall, a boring experience.

The showcase of how little nuances in speech, in behaviour or even just the set up of a living room can change and flip an entire movie/life on its head. A movie where even if you find an answer it leads to nothingness. But done in a way that separates it from other nihilistic dreck. Euro horror is alive. Beautiful looking flick

Though Tafdrup takes the film to unfathomably (and gratuitously) grim places in the final third, Speak No Evil feels like a twisted modern fairy tale, one where the characters are lured into the deep, dark forest. There’s a moral to the story here, too.

Both highly watchable while also constantly infuriating

Just another MALVADINHO Danish social drama.

I knew very little going into this, so for a long time I thought all the "horror" might just be from the awkwardness, anxiety, and cultural differences between characters, but the third act reveal shot the tension through the roof, and it was fascinating looking back on all the hints that were set up throughout the earlier half.

like Force Majeure on bath salts.

The lack of a coherent motive for the villains both undermines the film and establishes it as a worthy addition to the domestic/nihilistic strand of horror pictures. It is also shot remarkably well for this sort of thing.

Surprisingly good, disturbingly unsettling.

2022'de #IzlediğimFilmler ; 277. Speak No Evil (2022) Yılın en rahatsız filmi diyebilirim. Hep bilerek erteliyordum ama ekimde izlemeyeceksem ne zaman izleyeceğim dedim. Beğenip kimseye öneremeyeceğim filmlerden.

it could have been a great example of its genre but there is so many plot holes or inconsistencies that ruined the experience severely.. A missed opportunity..

Horrifically unsettling, and gets bleaker the more you think about it after viewing. Has a bit of a Straw Dogs vibe, but it's a very different (and simpler) movie.

"Speak No Evil" is not an easy film to watch, but it is a compelling and unique experience. The blend of uncomfortable humor and horror is masterfully executed, and the film's ending is haunting and unforgettable. While it may not be for everyone, those who are willing to take the journey will be rewarded with a film that lingers in the mind long after it's over.

While the characters will make decisions throughout the movie that you'll find highly questionable and frustrating, it would be missing the whole point to perceive this as a bad element. Great acting, pacing, cinematography. Strong classic horror element subverted in a mostly deliberate cringe fest with a short yet impactful and lasting crescendo at the end. The kind of movie that stays with you for a long time.

Thanks to this movie I found another reason to avoid people.

A decent movie, but, watching the family march knowingly to their doom was frustrating as hell.

Beautifully shot. Beautifully acted. Well put together slow burn. It's unsettling. It seems like this movie was made to piss you off with the sheer lack of will from the protagonists and for the most part it works well. I believe the lines " Why are you doing this? Because you let me." perfectly encapsulates this movie. Worth a watch.

The stupidest people in the fucking planet are the stars of this film. Good ideas, just not here for the execution. Weirdly enough, the remake this movie is for some reason getting, could end up being my favorite of the two if they just iron things out.

This psychological drama is among the slowest of slow burns, and it feels like it must have roots in some fable, but a movie hasn't made me this flabbergasted and uncomfortable in awhile. So kudos for that.

I really like this sub-genre of horror where things seem to be normal and end up delving into the macabre, and, even though this movie manages to make it work at times, it ends up feeling a tad hollow. It is decent, but it could've used some more impactfulness.

The plot feels too familiar and drawn out. The ending is entirely overdone and unrealistic. The antagonists being killers was forced and honestly undermines the plot. They could have made a more impactful point focusing on the child's abuse had the "good family" left and abandoned them. People shouldn't worry about becoming victims of killers by being too nice, but they should worry about leaving children with abusers.

I would give this and 8 if the father is brave enough to say NO to her daughter.