‘Being alone in the world is the root of all suffering...’
Do you know what would be a great film? A horror movie about Ryan Reynolds slowly succumbing to a mental illness that results in him becoming a serial killer because he thinks his pets are talking to him. That’s unfortunately not quite what this is. Before Deadpool, Reynolds was great in more serious fare like The Amityville Horror, Smokin’ Aces and The Nines. Since Deadpool’s success, the Canadian actor has basically played variations of the same character over and over again. At its best, Marjane Satrapi’s The Voices offers a tantalising glimpse into what Reynolds could achieve if he were a little more adventurous with his chosen roles…
Jerry (Reynolds) is a seemingly normal if dull employee at a plumbing fixtures factory. When his crush for fellow employee Fiona (Gemma Arterton) unlocks some trauma from Jerry’s past, he soon finds his life spiralling out of control.
The problem with The Voices is that it’s too off-putting to be funny and too light-hearted to be taken seriously as a horror film. It’s a shame because the concept is solid. In the end, it’s hard to know who this film is for. It’s far too weird for Reynolds’ usual fans but it’s not dark enough to stand on its own two feet either. This is a tonally uneven film that runs out of steam in the third act and also commits the cardinal sin of wasting Anna Kendrick – one of the most watchable actors of her generation.
The Voices has been all but forgotten about now but it’s worth seeing as a reminder of how good Reynolds could be if he just went a little freaky with the whole thing—a missed opportunity.