Tonally perplexing and sickening in its approach to comical violence, “The Voices” is a mentally disturbed piece of filmmaking, coincidentally featuring Ryan Reynolds’ finest performance since “Buried” - Written by Scott Gentry.

“The Voices” (15)
Directed by: Marjane Satrapi.
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver.
Rated: ‘15’ for containing strong language, sex references, bloody violence and gore.
Running time: 103 minutes.
Released in UK cinemas from the 20th of March, 2015.

It’s been over a year since Marjane Satrapi’s (“Persepolis”) fourth directorial feature premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and based upon the early and overly positive critical buzz that the film received, I waited patiently here in the UK to see Ryan Reynolds redeem himself in a lead role, post “Green Lantern”, “R.I.P.D.” and the intolerable “Turbo”. You may be surprised to hear me say this, but Reynolds is a force to be reckoned with. In roles such as Paul Conroy in the unsettlingly claustrophobic “Buried” and the underappreciated part of Gary in head-spinning drama “The Nines”, he displayed great skill in controlling the screen, delivering subtly nuanced performances which proved he wasn’t just another Hollywood hunk, but perhaps something more. Yet again, it seems that Reynolds is the stand out performer in a film which aims to entertain, yet is far too disturbing to be classed as a “black comedy”. 

Our story begins in the small idyllic town of Milton, in which our hapless protagonist, Jerry (Reynolds), is employed within the local bathtub factory. Always cheerful and determined to wear a smile upon his face, he is eager to pursue positive relationships with his co-workers, particularly the alluring Fiona (Arterton) from the accounting department. Meanwhile, Jerry’s overly positive outlook on life is challenged at home, within the company of his pets, an Irish cat named Mr. Whiskers, and his overly-protective dog, Bosco (both voiced by Reynolds), constantly providing conflictive arguments as to whether Jerry should pursue the path of an average Joe, or follow his sadistic urges to kill… 

If you’re slightly freaked out or just downright confused by the film’s plot, then it’s understandable. “The Voices” is a film which continues to confuse me, and not just due to variously idiotic narrative strands, but simply because of its indecisiveness in regards to the tone in which screenwriter Michael R. Perry (“Paranormal Activity 2”) is attempting to pitch. Almost worried that he might offend, Perry isn’t too sure where to take his story, he either attempts to indulge within the dark and sinister sensibilities we’ve come to enjoy from pieces such as “Shaun of the Dead” and “Evil Dead 2” (flipping the piece tonally), or he displays acts of violence which simply aren’t funny, as they fail to mesh with the other material. It's evident that Perry clearly has a love for the horror genre (a lovely stylistic choice in Jerry's apartment proves that), but the film's problem is Perry’s sense of humour. Occasionally it can be hilarious, or just downright crude. 

The film itself begins with a perfectly whimsical (albeit slightly awkward) first act, before delving into a sub-plot which features around distressing material such as assisted suicide and the preservation of dismembered body parts, all in a manner which fails to be humorous, and instead becomes quite sinister, especially with the inclusion of a gratuitously large quantity of blood, especially within the a particularly violent act which takes place on screen. The film’s overall theme of mental health is arguably ridiculed and played for laughs, which is worrying, but with Reynolds leading the proceedings, he manages to create a sense of humanity when portraying Jerry.  

“The Voices” may not be the star vehicle Reynolds hoped for, but the film is worth the price of admission, purely for his delicate and occasionally off-kilter performance, restoring our faith in his talents, as a perfect companion piece to the upcoming “Deadpool”, especially in relation to its blood-drenched and darkly comic tone. The supporting cast remain perfectly average throughout, especially Arterton and Kendrick, as their talents are wasted in roles which don’t require actors of their calibre, especially for characters as bland as theirs. Yet, the film noticeably seems far more comfortable when focussing upon its romantic-comedy elements, prompting a stronger focus upon the character development between Jerry and Lisa (Kendrick). 

Verdict
Apart from its failure to discover a specific tone, “The Voices” remains a crudely entertaining and occasionally funny film, which honestly lives in a league of its own. If you’re seeing this for anything, make sure it’s for Reynolds. Oh, and the suitably warped end credits sequence; a true original in that respect... 

5.5 Stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film/TV Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

Trailer

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