---
title: "Talk to Me"
year: 2023
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/talk-to-me"
fi1m_id: "talk-to-me"
imdb_id: "tt10638522"
tmdb_id: 1008042
wikidata_id: "Q116193178"
fi1m_score: 76
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-10"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:50.346882+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."
---

# Talk to Me (2023)

Directed by Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou · 1h 35m · MPA R · Horror

## Identity

Talk to Me

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/talk-to-me
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** talk-to-me
- **IMDb ID:** tt10638522
- **TMDB ID:** 1008042
- **Wikidata ID:** Q116193178
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10638522/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1008042, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116193178

**Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 77 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* Possession as a party trick: shake the dead man’s hand, count to ninety, and try not to want another go

> The Philippou brothers’ first film turns demonic possession into a dare passed round a suburban living room, and for an hour it is as frightening as anything we have seen lately. It loosens its grip late on. Sophie Wilde holds it together.

## Synopsis

Mia (Sophie Wilde) is a teenager in suburban Australia whose mother has died. She spends most of her time at the home of her friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), Jade’s younger brother Riley (Joe Bird) and their mother Sue (Miranda Otto). At a party, Hayley (Zoe Terakes) and Joss (Chris Alosio) produce an embalmed hand cased in ceramic. Grip it, say “talk to me”, and a dead person appears in front of you; say “I let you in” and it takes you over for ninety seconds while everyone films on their phones. Mia tries it and wants more. Otis Dhanji plays Daniel, Jade’s boyfriend and Mia’s ex. The rules are simple, and one night they are not followed.

## Review

The hand is grey, cased in ceramic and covered in the scribbled names of people who have held it before. Grip it, say “talk to me”, and a dead person appears in front of you. Say “I let you in” and they climb inside, and your friends have ninety seconds to film your eyes going black before someone pulls the hand away. Michael and Danny Philippou, Australian twins from YouTube, built their first film around this party game, and the best idea in *Talk to Me* is that the game is fun. It is a good horror film for about an hour, a decent one after that, and we would still send you to it.

Mia (Sophie Wilde) is a teenager whose mother died recently. She has moved in with her friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), Jade’s younger brother Riley (Joe Bird) and their mother Sue (Miranda Otto), and she is the one at the party who volunteers first. Aaron McLisky shoots the possession scenes handheld, lit by lamps and phone torches, and stays close on the face of whoever is holding the hand. The pupils go, the voice changes, the friends whoop and count down and push their phones in closer. Cornel Wilczek’s score is a low electronic pulse, and Geoff Lamb cuts to the phones often enough that you see the footage the way the kids will see it. It looks like the best night of their lives.

Wilde is the reason it works. Mia is not a scream queen or a sceptic but an addict in the making, and Wilde plays the second go as more frightening than the first, because this time she wants it. There is a moment, which we will not describe, when the hand shows her something she wants to see, and we felt our stomach drop, because her face moved from terror to relief in the time it takes to say a name, and relief was plainly the wrong thing to be feeling. There is no vanity in the performance.

The scene the film will be remembered for comes at a second party, when Riley, far too young for any of this, insists on a turn. We watched it with a hand over our mouth, and we are not proud of that. Bird is a child, and the Philippous know what it does to an audience to put a child in that chair. What keeps the scene from being a stunt is Miranda Otto in the aftermath, arriving as a mother who has been told nothing and does not need to be. Jensen is good in a part that mostly asks her to be furious at Mia, and Zoe Terakes, as Hayley, keeps the hand and recites the rules like a bored bartender.

Bethany Ryan’s production design keeps the houses plain: rented-looking suburban rooms with bad carpet and the television always on, so that the hand looks wrong on any surface it is set down on. Anna Cahill dresses the teenagers in the clothes teenagers wear, which is rarer in horror than it should be.

Then the last half hour arrives, and the script, by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, goes soft where it had been hard. Rules that were sharp for an hour become negotiable when the plot needs them to be. Mia begins making the choices the story requires rather than the ones she would make, and there is a stretch where characters explain the hand to each other that we could have done without. The ending itself is a hard, cold thing and we will not spoil it.

Possession films tend to arrive with a priest, a crucifix and a lesson. This one has none, and is closer to a film about drugs than to [*The Exorcist*](https://film.one/film/the-exorcist): the danger is not that the devil wants your soul but that you will want to go back. Australian horror has been good on grief since *The Babadook*, and *Talk to Me* sits in that company without pretending to be its equal.

At 95 minutes it does not outstay its welcome. Watch it with the lights off and the sound up, and leave your phone in another room.

*Fi1m score 76, published 10 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews for Talk to Me are warm and unusually close together: no critic dismisses it, and the mildest verdicts still call it worth seeing. Praise clusters in two places. The first is Sophie Wilde, whose grieving, possession-addicted daughter is named again and again as the reason the scares land. The second is the possession scenes themselves, which critics describe as brutal, gory and staged with a control they did not expect from first-time directors. Several reviews credit the Philippou brothers with making a corny premise feel fresh by treating the occult as a teenage party trick rather than a lesson.

The reservations are consistent too. A run of critics finds the final act rushed or muddled, with plot logic and backstory left vague. The Hollywood Reporter thinks the script thematically thin, and Collider agrees the deeper ideas go underdeveloped. HeyUGuys, the coolest voice, still calls it original and thrilling.

## Straight answers

**Is Talk to Me worth watching?**

*Talk to Me* is worth watching for anyone who likes horror and does not mind being frightened for an hour straight, and we scored it 76. The Philippou brothers turn possession into a party dare, and Sophie Wilde plays Mia as an addict in the making rather than a screamer. The last half hour goes soft, with rules bending to suit the plot, but at 95 minutes it never drags.

**How long is Talk to Me, and what is it rated?**

*Talk to Me* runs 1h 35m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a horror film.

**Where can I watch Talk to Me in the US?**

*Talk to Me* is streaming on HBO Max, The Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $4.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Talk to Me, and is it suitable for children?**

*Talk to Me* is a UK 15 and a US R, and it is not suitable for children. The frights come from possession scenes shot close on the face, eyes going black while friends film on their phones, and a set piece in which a young boy takes a turn that we watched with a hand over our mouth. Older teenagers who can take a hard, cold ending will manage; the squeamish should think twice.

**How does Talk to Me compare to The Babadook?**

*Talk to Me* and [*The Babadook*](https://film.one/film/the-babadook) are both Australian horror films about grief in ordinary houses, but the earlier film is the better and the more disciplined of the two. Jennifer Kent builds her dread around an exhausted mother's resentment, and Essie Davis makes it credible even when the creature is not. The Philippous aim at teenagers and temptation, closer to a film about drugs than about demons, and their film is faster, louder and looser in its final stretch.

**What should I watch after Talk to Me?**

After *Talk to Me*, try [*The Babadook*](https://film.one/film/the-babadook) (2014, Fi1m 86): Australian grief horror in a small house; the monster is the least of it. Then [*It Follows*](https://film.one/film/it-follows) (2014, Fi1m 84): Suburban teenagers pass a curse between them; patient, sunlit and hard to shake.

### Reviews we read (24)

- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of the best horror movies of the year, praising its taut suspense, carefully deployed gore and sound design in this chilling debut from the Philippou duo. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/talk-to-me-review-best-horror-of-year-2504451)
- **The AV Club**, Lauren Coates (B+): The review commends the simple yet effective horror that blends scares with a devastating portrait of grief through a strong script and charismatic cast. It singles out Sophie Wilde's all-encompassing performance as the emotional core that makes the dread hit harder. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/talk-to-me-movie-review-a24-horror-1850681262)
- **Little White Lies**, Katherine McLaughlin (4/4/4): The critic praises the YouTube duo's ambitious debut as a thoroughly disturbing and uncompromising horror that explores grief, peer pressure, and digital teen life through demonic possession. It singles out the visually and emotionally brutal possession scenes and the credible teen characters. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/talk-to-me)
- **Sight and Sound**, Kim Newman (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an electrifying update to teen horror for the social media age, praising its portrayal of the craze's effects on believable young characters and its use of long takes and sharp shocks. It singles out the convincing setup that makes the dangerous pastime appealing to the teens. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/talk-me-electrifying-haunted-hand-horror)
- **The Telegraph** (4/5): A24 snapped up this terrifying, moving horror debut from the Aussie twins, which jangles with scuzzy menace and has a vision beyond mere mortal danger. The film is an excellent head-turning debut that grabs attention with verve. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/talk-to-me-review-a-boozy-seance-takes-us-to-hell/)
- **Time Out**, Olly Richards (4/5): The critic calls it a smart, spiky Aussie possession horror that gets under your skin, praising the directors' grasp of mood and avoidance of obvious scares in favor of foreboding and sadness. It singles out the impressive first film quality and the cast's excellent work, especially young Joe Bird. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/talk-to-me-2023)
- **Vulture** (75/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's impressively slick execution and the fun, addictive possession scenes treated as a teen party trick. It singles out the directors' button-pushing style and the movie's understanding of tech as a vector for isolation while delivering solid scares. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/talk-to-me-review-an-impressively-slick-a24-horror-movie.html)
- **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): The critic notes that the first-time directors tell the story of foolhardy youth and spirit world portal well, with plenty of atmosphere and effects appealing to horror fans. It singles out the effective translation of the brothers' YouTube ambition into a feature with crowd-pleasing scares. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/talk-to-me-sundance-review/5178129.article)
- **Empire**, John Nugent: The critic praises the measured approach and emotional backbone of grief in this debut horror from the Philippou brothers, highlighting the ferocious finale, while noting some sagging in the third act. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/talk-to-me/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang: The critic finds the film a viscerally effective supernatural thriller in which possession becomes a recreational addiction among teens, praising its emotional grounding in grief and the standout performance of Sophie Wilde as the troubled protagonist. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-07-27/talk-to-me-review-a24-horror-danny-michael-philippou)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: The Philippou brothers deliver a terrific scary movie with wild punk energy and gleeful anarchy in their debut feature about suburban teens and an occult craze involving a creepy hand. The critic highlights the freaky, confrontational and hilariously crass tone alongside an undertow of pathos. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/25/talk-to-me-review-horror-michael-danny-philippou-creepy-hand)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic praises the Philippou brothers' assured debut for its gut-wrenching thrills, intensity, and macabre inventiveness in possession scenes that tap into viral-video culture. It singles out the energetic supernatural mayhem and Sophie Wilde's performance while noting the script is thematically thin. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/talk-to-me-review-1235324674/)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): The Philippou brothers deliver a knockout horror debut that makes a corny concept fresh and vital for the social media age, with a gory masterclass in control and cine-literacy. Sophie Wilde is immense in the central role of a grieving daughter addicted to possession. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/talk-to-me-review-2lxtpp57c)
- **Total Film**, Kevin Harley: The critic commends the full-blooded twist on horror lore and confident pacing, singling out Sophie Wilde's relatably anguished performance as the emotional anchor that elevates the film. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/talk-to-me-review-2023/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (85/100, inferred): The critic finds it a meticulously crafted, intensely terrifying horror experience with strong performances and chilling imagery that haunts long after viewing, though the story feels somewhat rushed in the final act. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44611006/talk-to-me-review/)
- **NME**, Lou Thomas (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the fresh take on possession horror from the Philippou brothers, highlighting authentic teen characters, solid acting, and effective scares that stand out without excessive gore. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/talk-to-me-review-horror-3474833)
- **The Skinny**, Stefania Sarrubba (★★★★): The critic hails it as a fresh, frightening Gen Z spin on possession horror that delivers an emotional punch on grief, though the final act suffers from vagueness in its logic and backstory. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/talk-to-me-review)
- **Collider**, Chase Hutchinson (7/10): The critic praises the gruesome, visceral possession sequences and Sophie Wilde's strong performance, but notes that some deeper ideas feel underdeveloped. It's a fun, brutal horror spectacle. [Read](https://collider.com/talk-to-me-review/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (70/100, inferred): The review discusses whether the film qualifies as 'elevated horror,' praising its craftsmanship, brutality, and craft while critiquing its reliance on trauma plots and conventional elements; it ultimately sees it as earning entry into the club through ambition. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2023/08/01/movies/talk-to-me-elevated-horror)
- **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (6.5/10): The Philippou brothers deliver a gross, funny and creepy horror that echoes Sam Raimi's Evil Dead with vivid effects and shocking violence. It loses some momentum after an early peak due to predictable and frustrating character choices, but the nasty scares keep it engaging. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1174670/talk-to-me-review-australian-teens-summon-angry-ghosts-in-this-evil-dead-like-horror-flick-sundance/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Daniel Goodwin (3/5): The debut from the Philippou brothers is a well-produced possession horror with strong characters, performances, drama and gory scares. It stumbles in the second half due to muddled plotting and superfluous scenes but remains worth seeing for its originality and thrills. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/talk-to-me-review/)
- **Deadline**, Damon Wise: The critic calls the film unnerving and highly effective, praising its fresh take on possession tropes by portraying the occult as fun rather than purely moralistic. They single out the fantastically gory eruption of violence during a possession party as a highlight of the well-ratcheted build-up. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/07/sundance-review-danny-philippou-michael-philippou-talk-to-me-1235236606/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4 out of 5): The critic calls it a chilling reinvention of the demonic possession film presented as a game among friends, with a natural and disturbing parable that culminates in one of the best brutal endings of the 2020s. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/talk-to-me-review-a24-horror-movie-ghost-story/)
- **The Wrap**, Tomris Laffly: The critic finds the film promisingly spooky with genuine scares from a duo well-versed in horror, praising the cast and the filmmakers' command of eerie set pieces. They complain that the story meanders and the central idea is not fully supported by a finished narrative. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/talk-to-me-review-danny-michael-philippou/)

## Details

- **Director:** Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou
- **Director:** Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou
- **Writer:** Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman
- **Cinematography:** Aaron McLisky
- **Editor:** Geoff Lamb
- **Music:** Cornel Wilczek
- **Production design:** Bethany Ryan
- **Costume design:** Anna Cahill
- **Producer:** Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings
- **Cast:** Sophie Wilde as Mia; Alexandra Jensen as Jade; Joe Bird as Riley; Otis Dhanji as Daniel; Miranda Otto as Sue; Zoe Terakes as Hayley; Chris Alosio as Joss; Marcus Johnson as Max
- **Runtime:** 1h 35m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 28 July 2023
- **Genres:** Horror
- **Budget:** $4 million
- **Box office:** $92 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGo4wfCejsk

## Where to watch in the US

- HBO Max: streaming, uhd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, IN, IT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, SE, TH, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Babadook* (2014), Fi1m 86: Australian grief horror in a small house; the monster is the least of it — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-babadook.md)
- *Lake Mungo* (2008): A quiet Australian ghost story told as a documentary; it gets under the skin slowly
- *Pulse* (2001): Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s dead come through the internet; lonelier and stranger than any jump scare
- *Flatliners* (1990): Students take turns dying for kicks; the same dare, thirty years and no phones earlier
- *It Follows* (2014), Fi1m 84: Suburban teenagers pass a curse between them; patient, sunlit and hard to shake — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/it-follows.md)

---
© 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/talk-to-me