An American family on vacation in Italy meets a friendly English woman who invites them to her countryside house for what seems like a peaceful weekend. At first, everything seems perfect, but it doesn’t take long for things to get weird, and their dream trip quickly turns into a nightmare.

The movie’s called “Speak No Evil,” and it’s that tidy mix of thriller with some dark humor that Blumhouse Productions often serves up. One minute you’re chuckling, the next you’re clutching your seat as it dives into horror territory.

What’s interesting is that this flick is actually a quick redo of a Danish movie from just two years back by Christian Tafdrup. The original story had Danish and Dutch families butting heads, but now, thanks to British writer James Watkins, it’s Americans versus Brits getting tangled up instead.

If you’re into spotting differences between movies or simply want to see how both tell their stories—especially the crazy ending—you might wanna watch both versions.

The action kicks off in beautiful Italy where you’ll meet Paddy, an eccentric English guy who’s kind of overbearing. Then there’s Ben’s American family (who now call the UK home), much more laid-back in comparison. Seems like your run-of-the-mill family meet-up… but there’s definitely more lurking beneath the surface!

Set against those gorgeous Tuscan hills, the film opens with its little nod to the Danish original and even tosses in a joke about some wandering Danish tourists. It really digs into these two very different families hanging out together—until things take one heck of a twist!

The movie’s about how one family’s falling apart while the other keeps hanging in there, even though neither are really perfect. At first, you might think you’ve got everyone figured out, but that’s where the fun lies—figuring out who they really are as you watch.

We’ve got Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy playing this struggling couple with an 11-year-old daughter named Agnes, who’s played by Alix West Lefler. Then there’s James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi as Paddy and Ciara from England—you know, with their kid Ant who doesn’t talk much but is super mysterious.

This time around, the kids get more screen time than in some earlier versions of this story. It’s refreshing; it breathes new life into their characters.

Now let’s talk about Ben Dalton’s character. Picture this shy guy who’s kinda mesmerized by Paddy’s all-out confident vibe. Their relationship dynamic feels simple but works because you can see how much one’s fascinated by the other! Oh man, and James McAvoy just nails it—you can tell he’s pulling every trick he’s got for his role!
This movie’s got a fun vibe with some eyebrow-raising performances. You can really see the cultural clash when this fancy-pants American family, all about proper manners, faces off against the chill British crew.

Things ramp up midway through. We start in sunny Italy with its cool Vespas and delicious pasta. Then we head over to cloudy Devon County, Cornwall, where the Brits host their American relatives arriving in their sleek Tesla from London. The English farm is kinda run-down and gives off this familiar but unsettling mood. It’s like in “Straw Dogs,” but here the tension’s coming from inside rather than outside troublemakers.