The Voices (2020)
Written by: ML
Edited by: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Bradley Fowler, Wesley Alley
Producers: Amanda Markowitz, Victoria Matlock, James Christopher Fechser
Writers: Bradley Fowler
Date Released: July 3, 2020
Cast:
Amanda Markowitz as Grace
Victoria Matlock as Catherine
Juliana Sada Juliana Sada as Abby
Brendan Sexton III as David
Lin Shaye as the vagabond
Jessica Sonneborn as Morgan
Bradley Fowler as Jerry
Rating = 1/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
The story is about two sisters living in their family home in a secluded farm. They spend their repetitive days while journeying into insanity. In between their daily activities, they talk to each other about their past and how they got to where they were. With the big sister Catherine diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and the illness believed to be genetically inherited from their mother, the little sister Grace was starting to get brainwashed into thinking she’s undergoing the same thing. As secrets start to unravel inside the house, the question is whether or not she was really going insane.
Gore Factor
There are not much scary scenes in this movie but there are a very few memorable ones. The jumpy appearance of Lin Shaye at the start is creepy and intriguing at the same time. She also appeared as a scary old woman in a dream sequence. The shaky shadow figure that appeared a couple of times is also creepy. One notable jump scare was when Grace went down the stairs and Catherine attacked her from the dark which toppled the Ouija board. Aside from that, the skeleton in the shed also came in as a shock.
The Grave Review
From the title itself, audiences would think that there would be “scary voices” in the movie. Unfortunately, there are none. There were creaks and apparitions here and there but nothing of the invisible kind.
The actors lacked chemistry which is good because they were portraying siblings who were drifting apart. Their acting can sometimes seem emotionless or overreacting which is also helpful when depicting their normal and insane sides. What they lack is establishing connection to the audience and making the viewers feel their portrayal.
The best thing in this movie is the special participation of Lin Shaye. She might have carried this entire production into popularity because of her presence. But it was rather disappointing that her cameo was never justified. She was a crazy homeless woman who gave Grace a crucifix necklace and appeared in her dreams but those were not explained.
What is also worthy of praise is the camerawork every time Catherine goes into her schizophrenic episodes. The tilts add to the creepiness of her condition and a sign that she’s going to explode into her unstable state.
The most intense part came in at the last 10 minutes of the film. The shocking twist about the daughter and the survival scenes will surely bring audiences back to their senses after the dragging length. The ending was abrupt and sad in a way that none of the characters had the chance to explain themselves. Nobody won and nothing made sense after all that they’ve been through.
If there is a thing to love about this movie, it is the fact that they were able to touch on topics regarding the effects of postpartum depression, the comparison of schizophrenia and demonic possession, and how mental illness happens.
Overall, this movie is ok and tackles the issue of mental illness, but is subpar from an entertainment standpoint.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives The Voices (2020) one grave our of five graves.
Do you agree with our review of the film, The Voices (2020)? Comment below.
Join the Conversation