The Voices: A Movie That is Almost as Conflicted as its Main Character

In the little time that I have been writing here at 1428 Elm, I have already expressed my distaste for the horror industry’s fondness for remakes, reboots, and recalibrations of classic horror films. I’m also a bit critical of the industry’s inability to know when a franchise has reached its expiration date – rarely does a horror franchise age gracefully.

Even so, this is a great time to be a fan of all things scary, as there are some exciting new filmmakers doing their best to infuse some new blood and ideas into the genre. I’m not sure Marjane Satrapi (“Persepholis”) is an up-and-coming horror director, but she certainly brought her unique style of story-telling to the industry with “The Voices,” which unfortunately is both a breath of fresh air and a pile of cat poop stinking up the litter box. Read on!

Spoiler-Free Synopsis

Here’s all you need to know about this film: Ryan Reynolds plays Jerry, a shy, goofy yet likable guy working in a factory . . . who just happens to be able to hold conversations with his cat, Mr. Whiskers, and his dog, Bosco.

When an accident results in Jerry inadvertently murdering an attractive co-worker, Jerry fights to keep himself from becoming a full-blown serial killer, no matter what his cat, and the head in his refrigerator, might say. As it turns out, mental illness runs in the family, and the apple rarely falls far from the tree.

Cat’s meow, or for the dogs?

You’re a good man, who made a mistake. Nobody is going to rape you, Jerry.

How much you enjoy “The Voices” will depend on two things.

Let’s start with the fact that this is a movie with a pretty dark sense of humor – obviously – that belies just how disturbed the main character is. If the writer, Michael R. Perry, and director had left the number of murders that Jerry commits at the one, this film could have played out in a more comical fashion. After all, you could make the argument that Jerry was on the fence about committing murder, and that it took a freak accident to force his hand. Watching Jerry get pushed and pulled by the conflicting voices in his head, shown to us via his cat and dog, could have made for some amusing conversations . . .

. . . and at times it does, but this movie is a whole lot darker than the trailer lets on. I’m thankful for that – it would be hard to pull off an outright comedy about a mentally unstable murderer – but the end result is a film that wants to fall back to being tongue-in-cheek even as its racing towards its inevitably catastrophic ending.

Somewhere in “The Voices” is a dark, or at least thoughtful, story about mental illness waiting to be told. After all, we learn through flashbacks that Jerry’s mother also used to hear voices, and the moment at which we finally discover why Jerry must visit a court-ordered psychiatrist is possibly the movie’s most stunning and terrifying scene. Satrapi also does a masterful job of tricking us into seeing Jerry’s world through his eyes – an impeccably clean living environment, a cheerful dog and a straight-shooting cat – which definitely makes reality all the more horrific once it is revealed to us. Jerry’s apartment is the stuff of nightmares, but he is only aware of said reality after taking his medication.

Still, it’s almost as if everyone involved in this movie didn’t feel confident enough to seriously explore the subject matter. There are parts that are absolutely nerve-jangling and terrifying . . . and then we get scenes that are straight-up comedy, and a musical bit during the closing credits that features Jerry, his victims . . . and Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ!

Meanwhile, those of you who either hate Ryan Reynolds for being cast as Hal Jordan in the “Green Lantern” live-action movie, or feel like he is too much of a pretty boy to be taken seriously in this role, well, you’re probably going to rule this movie out without watching a single second of it. Too bad – Reynolds comes across as genuinely conflicted, a serial killer who wishes he was something else, even as he is becoming more and more of a threat to those around him. I truly felt sympathy for Jerry as the film went on, and have a better appreciation for Reynolds’ skill as an actor. Plus, I have to give him credit for even signing on to do this film – many actors might consider such a role career suicide.

Final Verdict

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I rented “The Voices” from Amazon and immediately had my sanity questioned by my wife, who – I swear this is true – wondered out loud whether watching movies such as this would make me want to kill someone. That goes to show you just how jarring the blend of humor and insanity is in this flick. I have a strong suspicion I will wind up purchasing the Blu-ray when it is released, because I feel the movie deserves a second viewing.

Still, I can’t help but be a little disappointed. With less murder and more back-and-forth between the voices competing for Jerry’s soul, this movie could have been a wickedly dark comedy. Likewise, with less comedy and a more serious exploration of Jerry’s illness, this could have been a heart-wrenching portrait of a man who desperately wants to be good, but is fighting a losing battle. Sadly, this film is neither of those two things, which makes it more of a miss than a hit, albeit a fascinating miss that deserves your attention. Give it a rent, at least, and let me know what you think!

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