Details
Movie TitleTalk to Me
Release DateAdelaide Film Festival premiere: October 30, 2022 / Australia release: July 27, 2023 / U.S. release: July 28, 2023
TaglineYou call. They’ll answer.
Runtime95 minutes / 1 hour 35 minutes
DirectorDanny Philippou & Michael Philippou
Screenplay Written ByDanny Philippou & Bill Hinzman
Based OnOriginal concept by Daley Pearson; story by Danny Philippou & Bill Hinzman
Is It a Remake?No. Talk to Me is an original Australian supernatural horror film.
BudgetApproximately $4.5 million
Box OfficeApprox. $48.3 million domestic / approx. $92.2 million worldwide
Main Cast
Sophie WildeMia
Alexandra JensenJade
Joe BirdRiley
Otis DhanjiDaniel
Miranda OttoSue
Zoe TerakesHayley
Chris AlosioJoss
Marcus JohnsonMax
Alexandria SteffensenRhea
Ari McCarthyCole
Sunny JohnsonDuckett
Hamish PhillipsTyson
Kit Erhart-BrucePeck
Sarah BrokenshaFiona
Jett GazleyAlex Varolli
Kidaan ZellekeAunty Lee
James OliverJames
Cass CumerfordQuain
Awards
⭐ AACTA Award Winner — Best Film
⭐ AACTA Award Winner — Best Direction: Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou
⭐ AACTA Award Winner — Best Lead Actress: Sophie Wilde
⭐ AACTA Award Winner — Best Original Screenplay: Danny Philippou & Bill Hinzman
⭐ Critics Choice Super Awards Winner — Best Horror Movie
⭐ Critics Choice Super Awards Winner — Best Actress in a Horror Movie: Sophie Wilde
⭐ Phoenix Critics Circle Winner — Best Horror Film
⭐ St. Louis Film Critics Association Winner — Best Horror Film
⭐ Austin Film Critics Association recognition for music, sound, and makeup categories
⭐ No Academy Award, Golden Globe, or BAFTA nominations were verified for the film.
Short Plot Summary
Mia is still grieving the death of her mother when she and her friends discover a party trick involving a mysterious embalmed hand. By holding the hand and saying “talk to me,” they can briefly invite spirits into their bodies. What starts as a dangerous social-media thrill becomes addictive, especially for Mia, who thinks the hand may let her reconnect with someone she lost. But when one session goes too far, the line between the living and the dead breaks open, and Mia’s grief becomes the perfect doorway for something far more sinister.
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Key Quotes
“Talk to me.” — Mia
“I let you in.” — Mia
“You don’t know what you’re messing with.” — Sue
“You’re not supposed to do it for more than ninety seconds.” — Hayley
“That was the best thing I’ve ever felt.” — Mia
“You call. They’ll answer.” — Tagline
Trivia
Director
- Talk to Me was directed by Australian twin brothers Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou.
- The film marked the Philippou brothers’ feature directorial debut.
- Danny Philippou co-wrote the screenplay with Bill Hinzman, based on a concept by Daley Pearson.
- The Philippou brothers were already known for the YouTube channel RackaRacka before moving into feature filmmaking.
- The film refreshes possession horror by treating the supernatural ritual like a reckless teen party trend: part séance, part drug, part viral challenge.
Cast / Casting
- Sophie Wilde stars as Mia, whose grief and need for connection drive the story into nightmare territory.
- Alexandra Jensen plays Jade, Mia’s best friend and Riley’s older sister.
- Joe Bird plays Riley, whose possession scene becomes one of the film’s most shocking and discussed sequences.
- Otis Dhanji plays Daniel, creating tension between Mia and Jade.
- Miranda Otto plays Sue, Jade and Riley’s mother, grounding the supernatural horror in parental fear and grief.
- Zoe Terakes and Chris Alosio play Hayley and Joss, the friends who introduce the group to the hand ritual.
Soundtrack / Score
- The score was composed by Cornel Wilczek.
- The film’s sound design is central to its horror impact, especially during the possession sequences.
- The movie uses party music, silence, breath, distorted voices, and violent sound effects to make the hand sessions feel both thrilling and unsafe.
- Austin Film Critics Association recognition included a win for Best Original Music Score for Cornel Wilczek.
- The soundscape helps sell the movie’s addiction metaphor: each possession is brief, intense, and increasingly damaging.
Location
- Talk to Me was filmed in Adelaide, South Australia.
- The South Australian Film Corporation notes that the film was filmed in Adelaide and supported by the SAFC and Adelaide Film Festival.
- IMDb lists Adelaide, Mawson Lakes, Pooraka, Adelaide Studios, and Glenside among the filming locations.
- LatLong notes that filming took place mainly in South Australia, including Adelaide, Mawson Lakes, and Pooraka.
- The suburban Australian setting gives the movie a grounded, ordinary backdrop, which makes the supernatural intrusion feel more immediate and nasty.
Behind-The-Scenes
- The film was produced by Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films.
- Aaron McLisky served as cinematographer, and Geoff Lamb edited the film.
- The film premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival on October 30, 2022.
- A24 acquired U.S. distribution rights after the film screened at Sundance.
- With a reported budget of about $4.5 million and worldwide box office above $92 million, the film became a major horror success story.
- Its strong performance helped make it one of A24’s highest-grossing horror releases.
Nostalgia
- Talk to Me quickly became one of the most talked-about horror films of 2023.
- The embalmed hand instantly joined the modern-horror object hall of fame, right next to cursed tapes, puzzle boxes, creepy dolls, and things teenagers absolutely should not touch.
- The movie appealed to audiences because its supernatural hook felt fresh while still using classic possession-movie foundations.
- Its mix of grief, addiction, peer pressure, and viral dare culture made the horror feel very current.
- For many horror fans, it was proof that a simple concept, brutal execution, and strong performances can still scare the hell out of people without needing a giant franchise behind it.
Easter Eggs
- The embalmed hand functions like both a supernatural object and a metaphor for addiction: the characters keep chasing the high even after they know it is dangerous.
- The hand’s graffiti-like markings suggest a long history of previous users, rules, and warnings that the teenagers mostly ignore.
- The ninety-second rule adds slasher-style countdown tension to the possession scenes.
- The film’s opening scene mirrors the main story’s theme: once the door is opened, the damage spreads beyond the person who first played with it.
- The ending gives the movie a grim circular structure, turning Mia’s experience into another terrifying invitation for someone else.
Misc.
- Talk to Me is rated R for strong/bloody violent content, some sexual material, and language throughout.
- Box Office Mojo classifies the film as horror and thriller.
- Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus praises the film’s gripping story and practical effects.
- A sequel, Talk 2 Me, was announced after the film’s success.
- Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the episode as Episode 183, with Don rating it 3.75, Ken rating it 1.50, Jon rating it 3.75, and an overall rating of 3.00.
Sources Cited
3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings
A24 — Talk to Me
IMDb — Talk to Me
IMDb — Full Cast & Crew
IMDb — Awards
IMDb — Quotes
IMDb — Taglines
IMDb — Soundtrack
IMDb — Filming Locations
Box Office Mojo — Talk to Me
The Numbers — Talk To Me
Rotten Tomatoes — Talk to Me
Metacritic — Talk to Me
South Australian Film Corporation — Talk to Me
LatLong — Talk to Me Filming Locations
Wikipedia — Talk to Me
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