Director: Marjane Satrapi

Writer: Michael R. Perry (Screenplay)

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick, Jacki Weaver, Ella Smith, Paul Chahidi, Stanley Townsend

 

Plot: A dark comedy about a likeable guy (Ryan Reynolds) pursuing his office crush with the help of his evil talking pets – but things turn sinister when she stands him up for a date.

 

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

 

Verdict: Delightfully Dark Comedy

 

Story: The Voices starts by in industrial town Milton where factory worker Jerry (Reynolds) works. Jerry has his job because of a court appointed psychologist Dr Warren (Weaver) and by being the new member of staff he has to arrange the staff party. Jerry lives with his dog Bosco and cat Mr Whiskers who both happen to talk to him. Jerry starts to get attracted to co-worker Fiona (Arterton) but his Scottish accented cat tries to make him not believe he has a chance while his soft speaking dog tries to encourage him.

Fellow co-worker Lisa (Kendrick) awkwardly invites Jerry out for girls’ night along with Fiona and we get to see that Jerry does have a socially awkward side. Jerry gets stood up by Fiona who shows her true colours as she is willingly to lead Jerry along. Even after being stood up Jerry ends up help Fiona and falling for her charm, but after an accident of running over a deer things get out of hand and Jerry accidently kills Fiona.

Searching for advice on what to do Jerry turns to his pets for advice with one playing the good angel the other being the devil. Jerry decides to simply get rid of the body and pretend nothing happened. This incident starts the breakdown in Jerry where he gets flashbacks to his childhood and starts taking his pills again leading to his pets not talking to him anymore and the reality of what he has done coming out.

Deciding his life is better without the pills he gets rid of them and everything is all perfect in his own little world. Mr Whiskers and the head of Fiona try to talk Jerry into killing someone else while Bosco tries to explain that it would be bad, this leads to Jerry going for drinks with Lisa. We see how the two hit it off and both have a great night together.

By the time Jerry figures out that he is making up the voices in his head he continues to try and figure out who he really is but is happens to late because Lisa finds out what he really is. Things soon start to get out of hand as the bodies start piling up and he finds his full psychotic side coming out.

The Voices is one of the few comedies I have seen recently that actually made me laugh and that is simply down to the story being able to come off looking serious but use the ideas in a comic tone. We get a very good thriller that tackles serious mental health problems and we also get very real characters that have social problems, misleading woman thinking it is alright to lead a man on and an over flirty person who thinks everyone could be good. Mixing them together we see how normal life can be but add in the two pets who if this was a cartoon one would be an angel the other the devil in a situation where people actually double think before acting. I think this story will go down as one of the better ones of the year and will certainly appeal to the right audience. (8/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Ryan Reynolds: Jerry the disturbed man who hears voices from his pets, he tries to fall in love with a co-worker but things don’t get well and he accidently kills her. Jerry has to figure out what to do before getting involved with another employee Lisa. Ryan also provides the voices for all the animals including Mr Whiskers the cat and Bosco the dog who try to help him make decisions in his life. Ryan gives a great performance showing his full range of emotions and comic timing throughout this film. (9/10)

 

Gemma Arterton: Fiona co-worker who leads Jerry along because she thinks she is better than everyone else. She uses Jerry when she needs to and ends up getting killed by him, before continuing to talk to him from beyond the grave. Gemma gives a good performance in a supporting role. (7/10)

 

Anna Kendrick: Lisa co-worker who is interested in Jerry and ends up getting involved with him and she could be the one to get him to solve the problems he is having. Anna goes well in the supporting role playing a character we are used to seeing her in. (7/10)

 

Jacki Weaver: Dr Warren who is Jerry therapist who is trying to make sure that he stays strong through the mental health problems he is suffering through. Jacki does well in the supporting role. (7/10)

 

Support Cast: The Voices doesn’t have the biggest supporting cast we only have the odd appearance from fellow co-workers.

 

Director Review: Marjane Satrapi – Marjane does a great job directing this dark comedy that really works on so many different levels. (8/10)

 

Comedy: The Voices has a brilliant level of comedy used throughout mostly in the dark level though. (8/10)

Crime: The Voices enters into a crime world once Jerry starts killing people even if they are accidental at first. (8/10)

Thriller: The Voices really does keep you guessing as you don’t know how Jerry can keep getting away with what he has done as well as guessing who will die next. (9/10)

Settings: The Voices puts us in a small town showing how everyone knows everyone else and when people start going missing no one knows who to suspect. (8/10)

Suggestion: The Voices is going to be a film I suggest seeing but if you don’t like dark comedy you won’t like this one. (Watch)

 

Best Part: Bosco thinking Jerry has crossed a line.

Worst Part:  It won’t be the right film for certain people.

Funniest Scene: Bosco hearing the door knocking.

 

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes

 

Overall: I honestly have to say this is one of the funniest films I have seen in recent years, it manages to become a dark version of Doctor Dolittle but maintain the humour.

Rating