Two years ago, Speak No Evil, a shocking insider tip from Denmark and the Netherlands, disturbed many a horror fan. Now the English-language remake Speak No Evil by James Watkins (The Woman in Black) is coming to cinemas. This time, it’s an American couple who make a holiday acquaintance with another British family. Shortly afterwards, they are invited to their English country house. But in isolation, the new friendship takes on threatening traits.
Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy play Louise and Ben, who accept James McAvoy’s invitation to the country with their daughter Agnes. Moviepilot spoke to them about remake changes, the menace factor of their famous co-star and the question of whether we are too polite and empathetic today.
Speak No Evil: Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy in an interview
Moviepilot: As a Halt and Catch Fire fan, the first thing I have to ask is who set up your reunion in Speak No Evil after you both had leading roles in the series? Did one recommend the other?
Mackenzie Davis: No! I was cast in the film and director James Watkins made Scoot [McNairy] and asked me what I thought of him. And I was like, ‘He’s the best!’ I don’t even know if [Watkins] seen Halt and Catch Fire.
Scoot McNairy: It’s great to meet someone on set that you know so well from before. We worked together for four years! We already know each other and have a common chemistry. We bonded straight away.
Did you see the original Speak No Evil before making the remake?
Scoot McNairy: Absolutely. The Danish original is a great film. What I found so attractive as a father, especially when watching the original, is that the film plays with parents and children and the polite discomfort of raising children differently. When I saw the remake, I immediately asked myself what James Watkins would do differently.
Mackenzie Davis: I watched the original afterwards and thought it was fantastic. Our films are very different, but we have a few key scenes in common. I just didn’t want to have someone else’s version in my head beforehand.
The two films are very different, especially at the end. Did you shoot different endings or was that always the final point you wanted to reach?
Mackenzie Davis: It’s always been like that. Our final act was different from that of Christian Tafdrup’s film from the start. But that’s what makes it so interesting: maybe Americans would react differently in this situation than Danes. It’s an examination of cultural morality. And with other couples and other nationalities it will always be different. I think it works.
Scoot McNairy: I think we didn’t want to make one film that was a carbon copy of the other. Both films have great endings, but very different ones.
Do you prefer horror films with a hopeful or devastating ending?
Mackenzie Davis: For me only pure death please, thank you. [lacht] No, I just want them to be good and believable at the end. Where the audience says: I’ve given you so much of my adrenaline and my expectations that you’ll reward me at the end. It should feel real and satisfying.
James McAvoy is pretty scary in Speak No Evil. Was that noticeable on set?
Mackenzie Davis: It is not just as scary. But he can be very unsettling. He plays this duality between threatening and smiling masterfully. And he’s so charming. But then there’s this scary glint in his eyes. I never knew what he was going to do next. And that made you want to keep an eye on him in an interesting way.
Scoot McNairy: The only thing James McAvoy has in common with his character is that he is incredibly charismatic. Incredibly funny. And fun to be around. But as for the toxicity: no. He is an absolutely lovable teddy bear and a force of nature as an actor.
Louise and Ben get into a lot of bad situations because they can’t say no or want to be polite. Do you think we’re too polite these days?
Mackenzie Davis: Maybe. I think it’s more to do with their marriage than it is a general comment on people. They have made the decision that things are negotiated in their marriage. They want to make sure that everyone is heard and gets their way. So Louise is constantly in the position of having to save her life or her marriage. And sometimes she has to weigh up: ‘Okay, I was allowed to go last time. That’s why we have to stay now.’ So she makes bad decisions against her instincts for the sake of family peace.
Scoot McNairy: The title is really rooted in the theme of the film: how far does a person’s politeness go and when do you expose it? How far can you push someone before he or she says ‘no.’ I love the title and I’m glad they kept it.
Mackenzie Davis: We are in a time where there is an emphasis on empathy. And that can be so great. But sometimes compassion can be distorted. When it leads to not experiencing things properly in the here and now because you are constantly wondering if you are reacting insensitively instead of listening to your own body.