in 2024 Speak no evil, Ben, Louise and their daughter Agnes meet a British couple on vacation and decide to stay with them for a weekHowever, the red flags began to rise long before their cursed English ghetto. Speak no evil is a horror remake, based on a 2022 Danish film of the same name. Starring James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis, the 2024 film is intense, uncomfortable and at times frustrating to watch. Audiences must sit back and watch as Ben and Louise ignore all the signs that their new friends are actually sadistic serial killers.
However, the red flags are what makes Speak no evil So enjoyable. The horror film piled up Paddy and Ciara’s questionable actions, but always gives Ben and Louise a reason to stay. Usually it is pure politeness that convinces the Americans to stay in harm’s way. in this way, Speak no evil Makes his biggest point: Don’t ignore the red flags just to be nice. Once Louise starts listening to her gut, that’s when the movie really gets going. However, there are a number of warnings that Ben and Louise miss before coming to their senses.
The British couple has more money than they should
One subtle red flag that Ben and Louise miss when they arrive at Paddy and Ciara’s home in Devon is that the couple’s home is perhaps too big for their means. The big reason Ben and Louise miss this is that Paddy tells them he’s a doctor while they’re in Italy. Many doctors make quite a lot of money, that way The Americans never question Paddy and Ciara’s sprawling country estate. However, there are some holes in Paddy’s story.
Although Paddy claims to be a doctor, he lives so far from the rest of society that it doesn’t quite make sense. If it was an emergency, it would take him quite a while to get to the hospital. moreover, Paddy never discusses his “profession.” He claims that he is a doctor, but he does not seem to be busy with his work. If he really made that much money, he would probably be more invested in it. He may even be on call, depending on his field. Thus, his incredible home and his so-called work do not exactly line up.
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Ant’s bedroom
Ant is not a beloved child
On the subject of Paddy and Ciara’s house, Ant’s bedroom is another huge red flag that Louise overlooks. When Louise and Agnes first see Ant’s attic bedroom, it’s clear that neither of them are impressed with the space. It is small, dark and lacks any sort of decoration one would expect from a child. Agnes is not afraid to stay thereYet Louise ignores this. If anything, she probably labels it as her daughter’s anxiety. In fact, she should have looked closer.
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What Ant’s bedroom shows early in the movie is that he is not the loved child That Paddy and Ciara make him out to be. Although the rest of their home is lavishly furnished, they force their son into a tiny attic room with no comforts or colors. Right off the bat, this shows how much Paddy and Ciara don’t care for their “son.” If Louise had clocked this detail, she might have caught on to their schemes more quickly.
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Paddy convinces Ben & Louise to let him drive Agnes on the Vespa
Paddy is a master manipulator
Yet another small but integral red flag that occurred in Italy is when Paddy convinces Ben and Louise to let him drive Agnes around on the Vespa. From the beginning, it is quite clear that Ben and Louise are loving and perhaps a little overprotective parents. They are defensive of their anxious daughter. Therefore, when she shows interest in the Vespa, they are concerned about her safety, especially since Paddy is essentially a stranger. What is really troubling, however, is how Paddy convinces them.
Although the Vespa ride is pretty uneventful, the part of this situation that is most worrying is Paddy. In just a few words, he convinces Ben and Louise that it wouldn’t be a bad thing to take Agnes for a ride. In fact, the couple have every reason to say no: it’s dangerous, there’s no helmet, and Paddy is a stranger. However, by downplaying the situation and putting on a charming smile, Paddy is able to manipulate Ben and Louise easily. They are completely blind to his other motives.
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Paddy Messing with the Danish pair
Paddy can be bad
One red flag that is disguised as something fun is Paddy’s bullying of the Danish couple. While on vacation in Italy, Both Ben and Louise and Paddy and Ciara dislike a Danish couple Who loves to drone on their cooking class. To avoid spending more time with the Danes, Paddy singles them out by making dirty jokes on them. The Danish couple are clearly uncomfortable and stay away for the rest of the vacation. Although this is framed to be funny, it is actually kind of volatile.
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Paddy’s inappropriate jokes show that he is not afraid to embarrass or hurt others. Because Ben and Louise dislike the Danes, they are not too concerned about their feelings. However, from another perspective, Paddy’s actions are somewhat cruel and unusual. There are definitely easier ways to stay away from the Danish couple, but Paddy chose to actively target them. This gives an early glimpse into his true nature.
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Paddy & Ciara’s “intimate” moment at dinner
Paddy and Ciara thrive on discomfort
A similar situation to the Danish couple is Paddy and Ciara’s “intimate” moment at dinner. While enjoying a romantic dinner with Ben and Louise, Paddy and Ciara pretend to have sex under the table. This is a moment that is wildly uncomfortable for both Ben and Louise, and for the audience. However, Paddy and Ciara laugh it off as a joke, forcing Ben and Louise to pretend nothing bad actually happened. However, this moment is telling.
While pretending to be intimate in front of others can be embarrassing, for Paddy and Ciara it’s an act of dominance.
Just like with the Danish couple, this scene proves how far Paddy and Ciara are willing to go to make others uncomfortable. While pretending to be intimate in front of others can be embarrassing, for Paddy and Ciara it’s an act of dominance. They have all the power in the situation and use it to make their peers feel weird and out of place. Paddy and Ciara use this emotional leverage throughout the movieAnd it just might be one of their biggest strengths — and dangers.
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Ciara’s attachment to (& controlling of) Agnes
Ciara is staking her claim
A rather shocking moment of manipulation in Speak no evil is when Ciara reveals that she and Paddy have a daughter who died. The broken story makes Ben and Louise lose most of their anger with the couple, and more than that, makes them feel pity. The story ends up explaining a lot of Ciara’s strange behavior, but the audience knows that’s not necessarily the case. Ciara isn’t attached to Agnes because of a lost child, but because it’s all part of her game of murder and kidnapping.
One red flag moment between Ciara and Agnes is when Ciara scolds Agnes for chewing with her mouth open. Surprisingly, Louise does not let this slide, and in fact, challenges Ciara. However, when Ciara’s past in the foster care system and her loss of her daughter come back into play, Louise lets it slide. In hindsight, she definitely shouldn’t have. Ciara only asserted control over Agnes because she was already planning to take Agnes Like her own. Her controlling nature is much more sinister than it seems.
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Play Paddy Making Slow Eat Meat
Paddy puts loose on the spot
A particularly great moment near the beginning of the movie is when Paddy forces Louie to eat meat, despite being a vegetarian. What makes this moment so chilling is the fact that Paddy doesn’t even act particularly aggressive about it. Arguably, Louise could have said no or talked about her food preferences. However, Paddy makes sure to mention how much trouble he went through to roast the goose for Louise. So, she feels like she has to eat it rather than speak for herself.
Paddy didn’t force Louise to eat meat, but he set up an elaborate plan to make her feel close to him.
Once again, this scene shows just how subtly Paddy manipulates his victims. He really doesn’t have to do much to put his victims in the back seat while he steers the metaphorical vehicle. Paddy didn’t force Louise to eat meat, but he set up an elaborate plan to make her feel close to him. For Ben and Louise, this seemed like a merely awkward situation, however To Paddy and Ciara, it was a very thoughtful and well-executed plan.
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Ant’s strange behavior (and his clothes)
Ant was neglected by his parents
A massive red flag that Ben and Louise completely ignore is Ant’s strange behavior throughout the movie. In both vacations, Ant seems to be lost and unhappy. Paddy and Ciara explain this by citing Ant’s mute condition, which is that he was born with a shrunken tongue. However, in hindsight, audiences realize this is because Ant is Paddy and Ciara’s victim. Regardless of the explanation, Ben and Louise should have been able to see that Ant did not really belong to his “parents”.
There are countless signs that Ant is neglected by Paddy and Ciara. Apart from his terrible bedroom and sour attitude, Ant always wears the same clothes. While everyone else changes outfits consistently, Ant stays in the same football sweatshirt for the entire film. This is just another small sign that Paddy and Ciara don’t really care for Ant. finally, Ben and Louise don’t like how Ant is treated, but never step forward Out of sheer courtesy.
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Agnes sleeping in Paddy and Ciara’s bed
Agnes is in danger
in do not speak evil, A major turning point for Ben and Louise is when Louise finds Agnes sleeping in Paddy and Ciara’s bed. Louise is horrified and disgusted by this behavior, and immediately moves to leave Paddy and Ciara’s house. In this way, Louise correctly clocked this as a red flag. however, Louise missed the mark by allowing Ciara’s soft story to distract her. When Ciara claims that the loss of her daughter is the only reason she brought Agnes into her bed, Louise wrongly believes her.
Regardless of Ciara letting Agnes into her bed, Louise should have stood her ground and left then and there.
Louise shouldn’t let politeness or emotion get in the way of her daughter’s safety. Regardless of Ciara letting Agnes into her bed, Louise should have stood her ground and left then and there. This situation may have put Agnes in grave danger, although it may not have been the danger Louise was anticipating. however, Ciara and Paddy’s powers of persuasion are simply too strongAnd the Americans stay in the end.
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The aggressive relationship of paddy and ant
Paddy is a violent man
The biggest red flag to appear in Speak no evil Is Paddy’s relationship with Ant. There are several signs that Ant is neglected by his parents, but the worst scenario of all is how Paddy treats Ant. from the beginning, Paddy’s “love” for Ant is shown through aggression. He never just grabs him, but squeezes him. He doesn’t just flip his hair, he pushes his fist into it. These actions are subtle, but they hint at the blow-up that came later during Ant and Agnes’ dance.
The red flag that finally gets Louise and Ben to take action is when James McAvoy steps up his performance as Paddy and throws a cup at Ant. Louise finally speaks up and demands to know why Paddy is treating his son this way. Paddy’s blow-up is the big signal that he may not be who he portrays himself to be. However, by the time Louise and Ben realize this, it’s already too late for them to escape scot-free. Ultimately, this leads to the intense and terrifying final act of Speak no evil.