• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Sophie Wilde Stars in a scene from the movie “Talk to Me.” The OSV News classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (OSV News photo/A24)

Movie Review: ‘Talk to Me’

August 2, 2023
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

NEW YORK (OSV News) — Things get dark down under in the Australian horror yarn “Talk to Me” (A24). While creative and somewhat fresh, co-directors and brothers Danny and Michael Philippou’s film, scripted by the former along with Bill Hinzman, is too shocking for casual moviegoers.

The plot starts from the premise that by grasping a mysterious severed and embalmed hand and saying the titular phrase, people can conjure up the spirits of the deceased. By subsequently adding the formula, “I let you in,” they can then be briefly possessed by these wraiths.

Still mourning the recent death of her mother, Rhea (Alexandria Steffensen), and seeking popularity with her peers, depressed teen Mia (Sophie Wilde) tries the process, which has become a feature of parties given by her circle of acquaintances. Needless to say, Mia gets more than she bargained for when the thrill turns into terror.

Mia is not the only victim of this dangerous behavior. Riley (Joe Bird), the younger brother of her best friend, Jade (Alexandra Jensen), soon experiences its consequences in a far more drastic way.

Since Jade had forbidden Riley to experiment with the hand, only to be contradicted by Mia, this development sours Mia’s relationship with her pal, as well as with Jade’s mom, Sue (Miranda Otto), who had informally been playing the role of adoptive parent to Mia in the wake of the lass’ bereavement.

Mia is already alienated from her emotionally repressed dad Max (Marcus Johnson) who, she suspects, is hiding the real circumstances of Rhea’s demise. The accumulation of these downbeat dynamics gives the narrative a grim tone even when frightful events aren’t transpiring.

Mature, thick-skinned aficionados of the genre will appreciate the originality of the Philippou’s picture as well as its implicit admonishment against dabbling with the demonic. All others, however, would be well advised to give “Talk to Me” the silent treatment.

The film contains brief but extreme gory violence, perverse behavior, gruesome images, a couple of profanities, several milder oaths, pervasive rough and much crude language and fleeting sexual slang. The OSV News classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Read More Entertainment Reviews

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Movie Review: ‘The Ritual’

Inspired by millennial soon-to-be-saint, Irish teens created animated Lego-Carlo Acutis film

‘The Ritual’ seeks to portray exorcism respectfully

Movie Review: ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Religious sisters played role in pope’s formation in grade school, N.J. province discovers

  • With an Augustinian in chair of St. Peter, order sees growing interest in vocations

  • Communicate hope with gentleness

  • Hundreds gather at Rebuilt Conference 2025 to ‘imagine what’s possible’ in parish ministry

  • ‘The Ritual’ seeks to portray exorcism respectfully

| CURRENT EDITION |

| Vatican News |

Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving

UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials

Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says

Papal diplomats must always defend poor, religious freedom, pope says

Pope Leo’s core identity is Augustinian, say religious

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Movie Review: ‘The Ritual’

Inspired by millennial soon-to-be-saint, Irish teens created animated Lego-Carlo Acutis film

‘The Ritual’ seeks to portray exorcism respectfully

| En español |

‘No tengan miedo de hacer lo que El Señor quiere para nosotros’

Dios quiere ayudar a las personas a descubrir su valor y dignidad, dice el Papa

El ‘Padre Migrante’ nos relata su vida sirviendo a comunidades inmigrantes

El ‘Obispo Bruce’ forjó fuertes lazos con Baltimore en tiempos difíciles y tenía corazón de pastor

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Prayers continue for release of abducted Nigerian priest who recently served in Alaska
  • Kyiv’s historic cathedral damaged in Russian air strikes
  • Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving
  • UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials
  • Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says
  • Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
  • Yes, it’s our war, too
  • OLPH’s fourth eucharistic procession, set for June 21, ‘speaks to the heart’
  • Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en