---
title: "Speak No Evil"
year: 2024
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/speak-no-evil"
fi1m_id: "speak-no-evil"
imdb_id: "tt27534307"
tmdb_id: 1114513
wikidata_id: "Q119064873"
fi1m_score: 66
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 17
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:58.447309+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Speak No Evil (2024)

Directed by James Watkins · 1h 50m · MPA R · Horror, Thriller

## Identity

Speak No Evil

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/speak-no-evil
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** speak-no-evil
- **IMDb ID:** tt27534307
- **TMDB ID:** 1114513
- **Wikidata ID:** Q119064873
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27534307/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1114513, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119064873

**Fi1m score: 66** · Critics 67 from 17 reviews

*In a sentence:* A couple who would rather die than be rude, and a host who is happy to test the theory

> James Watkins’s remake of the Danish original is at its best when nothing happens: two families at a table, McAvoy pouring the wine, the Daltons too polite to leave. Once the film lets the knives out it becomes something more ordinary, and less frightening.

## Synopsis

Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis) are on holiday with their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) when they fall in with another family by the pool. Paddy (James McAvoy) is loud, tanned and generous with the wine; his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) laughs at everything he says; their son Ant (Dan Hough) does not speak. Weeks later an invitation arrives to spend a weekend at Paddy’s place in the country. They accept, because refusing would be rude. Written and directed by James Watkins, it is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name.

## Review

James Watkins has remade Christian Tafdrup’s 2022 Danish film closely, and hired James McAvoy to be the man you should not have said yes to. For eighty minutes it is a good, sour film about manners. Then it remembers it is a horror film, and gets worse.

Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis) meet Paddy (McAvoy), Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their silent son Ant (Dan Hough) on holiday, where Paddy is the sort of man who has befriended the whole hotel by Tuesday. Back home an invitation arrives, and a weekend at Paddy’s is agreed to, with their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) in tow. That is the whole plot, and Watkins, who also wrote it, knows it is enough.

McAvoy plays Paddy with a grin that arrives before the joke and stays after it, and a voice that drops when he wants something. He bullies a waiter, will not take no for an answer at dinner, and then apologises so completely that the apology becomes the next demand. What makes it frightening is that he is often right: the Daltons are timid, their marriage is threadbare, and Paddy is the only person at the table prepared to say so. We squirmed through that dinner, not from fear but from recognition. We have sat at that table, wanting to go, and said instead that we would love another glass.

Davis gives Louise the only working instincts in the house, and the film is largely about her being talked out of them, by her husband and by her own good manners. McNairy plays Ben with the soft, apologetic stoop of a man who agrees to things because disagreeing costs energy he no longer has. Franciosi’s Ciara laughs a beat after everyone else, which is a small thing and exactly the right small thing. Hough, given almost no words, does a great deal with a stare, and Lefler is convincing as a child who notices more than she says.

Tim Maurice-Jones shoots the holiday in warm late light and the house in flat grey daylight, so that the weekend looks like a Bank Holiday rather than a trap. James Price’s house has stone floors, low beams and too many doors, and someone is always standing in one of them. Keith Madden puts Paddy in open shirts and boots and the Daltons in soft neutral layers; you can tell from the clothes who owns the house. Jon Harris cuts the dinners slowly and holds on faces after the line has landed, which is where the discomfort lives. Saunder Jurriaans and Danny Bensi keep the score to low, held strings for most of the running time, which is the right call. Then they stop making it.

The last half hour takes a turn we will not describe, except to say that it belongs to a different and more familiar kind of film, with more running and more blood, and that it runs longer than the original’s ending did. Tafdrup’s close was quiet, cruel and hard to shake. Watkins’s is louder, and we had forgotten it by the time we reached the car. Somewhere in it we noticed we had relaxed, which is the wrong thing to feel in the last act of a horror film, and the wrong thing for a film that has spent eighty minutes showing us that every time the Daltons say yes to Paddy, somebody gets hurt.

Watkins’s *Eden Lake* (2008) took a couple into the English countryside and did not let them off, and it is still one of the nastier British horror films of its time. *Speak No Evil* has the better cast. It is also less frightening, and since Watkins wrote this one himself, the softening was his choice.

See it for McAvoy and for the dinners, ideally with someone who cannot say no to a second helping. If you have seen the Danish film, the first hour will feel familiar and the last half hour will not. It runs 110 minutes and carries a 15 certificate, and nobody in it says no when they should.

*Fi1m score 66, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics agree on one thing: James McAvoy. His turn as the host Paddy is praised in nearly every review, charming and menacing in the same breath, and several critics say he carries the film on his own. Beyond him the reviews split, and the spread is wide. The positive majority find James Watkins’s remake tense, funny and unsettling, a comedy of manners about the cost of good behaviour, and admire how it builds discomfort out of small awkward exchanges.

The reservations cluster almost entirely on the ending, which most critics note is longer, louder and more conventional than the Danish original’s, and the dissenters think that change undoes the point. Slant Magazine is the harshest, dismissing the remake as spineless for softening the original’s cruelty; the Los Angeles Times and Den of Geek make a similar case more gently. The pattern is national: the British press is warmer, and the sharpest complaints come from American outlets. Collider alone prefers Mackenzie Davis to McAvoy.

## Straight answers

**Is Speak No Evil worth watching?**

*Speak No Evil* (2024) is worth watching for James McAvoy and for its excruciating dinner scenes, and we scored it 66. For eighty minutes it is a sour, sharp film about two people too polite to leave; the last half hour becomes a more familiar and less frightening kind of horror. Best for viewers who enjoy squirming more than screaming.

**How long is Speak No Evil, and what is it rated?**

*Speak No Evil* runs 1h 50m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a horror and thriller film.

**Where can I watch Speak No Evil in the US?**

*Speak No Evil* is available to rent from Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Speak No Evil, and is it suitable for children?**

*Speak No Evil* carries a UK 15 certificate and a US R, and it is not suitable for children. Most of the running time is discomfort at the dinner table rather than gore, but the last half hour turns to running and blood. Teenagers of fifteen and over who can sit through sustained social dread should manage it; the squeamish should expect the finish to be rougher than the start.

**How does Speak No Evil compare to Funny Games?**

*Speak No Evil* and [*Funny Games*](https://film.one/film/funny-games) both begin with polite strangers and end in cruelty, but Haneke's film is the more frightening and the harder to shake. Watkins's remake has the warmer, funnier cast and the better dinners, then loosens its grip in a louder final act. Choose *Funny Games* for dread you cannot escape; choose *Speak No Evil* for McAvoy and for manners at their most dangerous.

**What should I watch after Speak No Evil?**

After *Speak No Evil*, try [*Funny Games*](https://film.one/film/funny-games) (1997, Fi1m 74): Haneke’s home invasion, in which two polite young men ask to borrow some eggs. Then [*Force Majeure*](https://film.one/film/force-majeure) (2014, Fi1m 84): A Swedish ski holiday, an avalanche, and a husband who ran; the dinners are agony.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **Evening Standard**, Saskia Kemsley (85/100, inferred): James McAvoy delivers a masterful performance as the unsettling host in this twisted horror-comedy. Watkins balances dread, humour and cringe in a wild ride that plays on the fatal consequences of politeness. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-b1180806.html)
- **Empire**, Kim Newman (80/100, inferred): The remake diverges from the original in satisfying ways with new twists and reversals. Director James Watkins excels at building suspense through ratcheting tension and character dynamics. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/speak-no-evil-2024/)
- **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (4/5): The critic finds the remake just as stark, satirical and unsettling as the original despite some mainstream concessions. McAvoy's charismatic yet malevolent performance stands out as a highlight. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/speak-no-evil-review/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Matt Zoller Seitz (80/100, inferred): The remake is a fun audience thriller that follows the original closely but adds a longer, more crowd-pleasing ending with the family fighting back. It excels as an entertaining night-out movie thanks to strong performances, especially McAvoy's charismatic yet menacing turn. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/speak-no-evil-film-review)
- **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (4/5): The remake delivers a tense, blood-soaked horror-comedy of manners that makes viewers wary of weekend invitations. McAvoy excels as a plausible monster whose performance drives the film's thrills. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy/)
- **The Guardian** (75/100, inferred): The remake retains the core horror concept but softens the original's nihilism with added social commentary. McAvoy's charismatic yet menacing performance stands out as the film's strongest element. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/13/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcevoy-gives-roaring-life-to-red-blooded-holiday-horror)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (75/100, inferred): McAvoy is totally unnerving as the jocular yet sinister Paddy in this psychological thriller. The film builds discomfort through awkward interactions before a scarring, downbeat conclusion influenced by classic home-invasion stories. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-3270111)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (70/100, inferred): Watkins delivers a sleek, unsettling remake that adheres closely to the Danish original while softening its nastiness and padding the runtime. The film caters to American tastes with reassuring myths and a less bleak worldview than the source. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/12/movies/speak-no-evil-review.html)
- **Variety**, J. Kim Murphy (60/100, inferred): The remake matches the original's slow-burn tension but shifts into horror-comedy territory with a crowd-pleasing ending that overplays its hand. McAvoy's over-the-top performance drives the film as a boorish vacation host from hell. [Read](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-remake-1236132626/)
- **The AV Club**, Natalia Keogan (C): The remake snuffs the original's sharp social commentary on bourgeois agreeability and nuclear family dynamics, lacking innovation or a clear identity. It relies on strong performances from McAvoy and others but ultimately says little. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/speak-no-evil-review)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele (40/100, inferred): The Blumhouse remake polishes the bleak Danish original into a giggly date-night horror with more humor and catharsis but far less lingering dread. It treats the scenario as a comedy of manners rather than brutal descent, shortchanging the source's terror. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-09-12/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-horror-blumhouse-remake)
- **Slant Magazine** (1/4): The remake is a gutless, hollow attempt to turn a provocative shocker into a crowd-pleaser, scrubbing cultural specificity for pop psychology and easy thrills. It infuriates by deviating from the original's uncompromising cruelty in a new direction. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy/)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★☆☆): The film blends dark comedy of middle-class manners, a parenting fable and outright scares, with McAvoy energising the English personality portrait. The horror elements prove the least compelling part overall. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/8282b458-d11b-4d13-9a1d-893e2f8888e0)
- **IndieWire**, Ryan Lattanzio: The review deems the remake unnecessary and unscary, effective only in McAvoy's creepy turn before descending into Straw Dogs-lite pulp. It grinds the original's tension into crowd-pleasing domestic comeuppance. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/speak-no-evil-remake-review-1235045980/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Caryn James: The critic praises McAvoy's sinister performance and the film's slow-burn tension for most of its runtime as an entertaining elevated genre piece. It collapses into a predictable potboiler with a silly action climax. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-blumhouse-1235990847/)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): McAvoy delivers a terrifying, incandescent turn as a mercurial sociopath in this close remake of the Danish thriller. The shift to American and English characters deftly explores cultural fault lines and social politeness. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-is-a-deliciously-demented-sociopath-2pm6mwltl)
- **Time Out**, Stephen A Russell (4 out of 5 stars): Even with a toned-down finale the remake remains seriously unnerving and gripping, with McAvoy delivering a predatory, beast-mode turn that drives the class satire and tension. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/speak-no-evil-review-2024)
- **Vulture**: The remake is sillier and loonier than the Danish original due to its action-heavy happier ending and class-conscious tweaks, which undermine the source's unsettling effectiveness. It centers unwise avoidant behavior twice over but becomes a ridiculous thriller. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-speak-no-evil-remake-is-sillier-than-the-original.html)
- **/Film**, BJ Colangelo (8.5/10): The critic deems it one of the rare Americanized horror remakes that works, maintaining brutality while injecting needed humor and exploring cultural differences in reactions. They single out James McAvoy’s career-best performance as Paddy and the stellar ensemble. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1656063/speak-no-evil-review-horror-remake/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Linda Marric (4/5): The critic praises it as a meticulously crafted psychological thriller that retains the original’s unsettling core while adding suspenseful layers, calling it gripping and one of Blumhouse’s most accomplished works. They highlight the strong ensemble cast and the exploration of human behaviour under pressure. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/speak-no-evil-review/)
- **NME**, James Mottram (4/5): The critic calls it one of the most chilling and effective horror-thrillers of the year, crediting James Watkins’ remake for avoiding cookie-cutter tropes largely thanks to James McAvoy’s gloriously unhinged performance. They single out the gruelling, violent final act that gets the blood pumping alongside the class commentary. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-horror-3792014)
- **Collider**, Emma Kiely (5/10): The critic finds the Blumhouse remake inferior to the original Danish film, lacking tension, atmosphere, and emotional impact while delivering a more predictable Hollywood ending. They single out Mackenzie Davis's committed performance as the film's strongest element. [Read](https://collider.com/speak-no-evil-2024-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (2/5): The review praises McAvoy’s magnetic and charming performance as the main draw but criticises the remake for turning the original’s powerful ending into Hollywood fairy dust, undercutting the satire. They single out the loss of the original’s thorny, unforgettably brutal power in favour of a more conventional conclusion. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/speak-no-evil-review-horror-blumhouse/)
- **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila: The critic calls it a really good film but a terrible remake, faulting the tamer tone, lack of language barrier, and more traditional ending compared to the bleak original. They single out the strong tension-building, James McAvoy’s thrilling performance as Paddy, and the solid cast overall. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/speak-no-evil-review-an-ambitious-but-timid-remake/)
- **The Wrap**: The critic calls the remake an excellent, piercing horror movie and an impressive, satisfying slow-burn thriller that relies on intelligence, craftsmanship and complicated performances. They single out the elegant direction, the film's examination of adult problems and fears, and the strong ensemble cast, especially McAvoy and the leads. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/speak-no-evil-review-james-mcavoy-mackenzie-davis-remake/)

## Details

- **Director:** James Watkins
- **Director:** James Watkins
- **Writer:** James Watkins
- **Cinematography:** Tim Maurice-Jones
- **Editor:** Jon Harris
- **Music:** Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans
- **Production design:** James Price
- **Costume design:** Keith Madden
- **Producer:** Jason Blum, Paul Ritchie, Taylor Berry
- **Cast:** James McAvoy as Paddy; Mackenzie Davis as Louise Dalton; Scoot McNairy as Ben Dalton; Aisling Franciosi as Ciara; Alix West Lefler as Agnes Dalton; Dan Hough as Ant; Kris Hitchen as Mike; Motaz Malhees as Muhjid
- **Runtime:** 1h 50m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 13 September 2024
- **Genres:** Horror, Thriller
- **Budget:** $15 million
- **Box office:** $77 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSIuxrjTMk0

## Where to watch in the US

- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Speak No Evil* (2022): Tafdrup’s original, colder and quieter, with an ending this one declined to keep.
- *Eden Lake* (2008): Watkins’s first film, a weekend by a lake that goes wrong and stays wrong.
- *Funny Games* (1997), Fi1m 74: Haneke’s home invasion, in which two polite young men ask to borrow some eggs. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/funny-games.md)
- *Force Majeure* (2014), Fi1m 84: A Swedish ski holiday, an avalanche, and a husband who ran; the dinners are agony. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/force-majeure.md)
- *The Invitation* (2015): A dinner party in the Hollywood hills where nobody wants to be the one to leave.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/speak-no-evil