Unexpectedly black, The Voices mixes comedy, whimsy and horror in equal – and surprisingly effective – measure.
Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, Mississippi Grind) is chillingly perfect as the nice-yet-tormented Anthony Perkins/Bates Motel type of guy. A cute, good looking doozy fancied by most of the secretaries at his local place of work, Jerry lives alone above an abandoned bowling alley with Bosco (the dog) and cat Mr. Whiskers. But not everything’s right in Jerry’s head as advice from the angelic, supportive Bosco is balanced by the vitriol that comes out of Mr. Whiskers’ mouth. Things go horribly wrong when he is stood up by Fiona (Gemma Arterton – Their Finest, Rogue Agent), much to the concern of his court-appointed psychiatrist (Jacki Weaver – Silver Linings Playbook, Animal Kingdom).
It loses momentum in the last quarter but with candy colours contrasting the darker material of Jerry’s mind, director Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis, Chicken With Plums) in her English-language debut creates a genuinely funny yet shocking feature with Reynolds pitch-perfect as the immensely likeable psychopath!
Rating: 61%
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