Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Voices Blu-ray Movie Review

Listen up.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 5, 2015

Most of us have ongoing interior monologues, many of which would be at least occasionally embarrassing if they were broadcast to the public at large. All sorts of self improvement seminars, not to mention outright religions, have been built around concepts of “reprogramming” oneself so that the inescapable voice (and/or voices, if you’re really “lucky”) in one’s head actually give positive encouragement and so-called “affirmations” rather than pecking at the soul and psyche like some starved buzzard. The Voices plays on this peculiar aspect of human existence, albeit in the form of a seriously deranged young man whose supposed “interior” voices have matriculated to his exterior pets and who is in the throes of a psychotic break which begins to play out in almost Dexter-esque proportions. Rather artfully poised between pitch black comedy and gross out horror, The Voices offers a great showcase for star Ryan Reynolds, who is tasked not just with depicting the mental breakdown of a deeply troubled yet oddly sanguine guy named Jerry Hickfang, but also with voicing the various characters whom Jerry is certain are talking to him, characters which include his brogue accented cat Mr. Whiskers and dumb as a post but still lovable pooch Bosco. At times reminiscent of other twee formulations of murder and mayhem playing out in an otherwise whimsical context like Eddie, the Sleepwalking Cannibal, The Voices is never really laugh out loud hilarious, but it’s so decidedly odd that it will probably bring a bemused smile to the faces of those who can deal with the rather grotesque amounts of blood, guts and severed body parts that are neatly sliced and diced and placed in Tupperware containers as Jerry attempts to navigate the roiling voice filled waters of his devolving psyche.

It would be hard to come up with a more disparate one two punch from a writer-director than film fans have experienced with Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, Satrapi’s stunning semi-autobiographical animated feature about growing up in Iran, and now The Voices, certainly one of the more outré films of this or any year when taken alone, let alone in comparison to anything else. (There are a couple of intervening Satrapi releases which have not had huge stateside exhibitions, Chicken with Plums and The Gang of the Jotas.) About the only things linking these two films is the fact that each in their own way is completely unique and in some ways indescribable.

Before even the oddities of The Voices’ plot conceits can be addressed, it’s important to note the completely bizarre, even precious, production design which gives the film some of its peculiar visual allure. Jerry lives in the little town of Milton, a burg which is introduced in a kind of song and dance routine that also shows the bathroom fixture factory where Jerry works, a plant that is bathed in rather unexpected pink hues. Forklifts, bathtubs, even those zippered coverall outfits the workers and delivery drivers wear—all of it is a bright, blazing pink, in a sequence that plays almost like a Busby Berkeley routine, that is if Berkeley had been cranking out material whilst high on LSD in the 1960s. (There’s another kind of Berkeley-esque moment during the film’s closing credits, in a real song and dance routine—featuring Jesus, just in case anyone was wondering—which offers lots of those overhead kaleidoscopic patterns which made Berkeley justifiably famous.)

Within the confines of this rather eccentric presentation, Jerry seems relatively normal, at least at first. He’s recruited to help plan an office party, which is where he first gets to know “office hottie” Fiona (Gemma Arterton), a charming if dismissive woman who is on the same committee. Jerry’s obvious lust for Fiona blinds him to the blandishments of another girl working alongside Fiona in accounting, the less glamorous but obviously wonderful Lisa (Anna Kendrick). Just as Jerry has eyes for Fiona, it’s not exactly a secret (at least to everyone other than Jerry) that Lisa has eyes for Jerry.

The first clue that all is not well in Jerry’s world comes courtesy of two linked events. First, his home life is built largely around his two pets, the aforementioned Bosco and Mr. Whiskers. While it’s not immediately apparent exactly what’s going on, Jerry is involved in heated discussions with someone (or something) as he marauds through his apartment one night. Not much later it’s revealed that his dialogue partner is none other than Mr. Whiskers. The second element alerting the viewer to the fact that Jerry is in fact a very troubled young man is his visit to his therapist, the understated and understanding Dr. Warren (Jacki Weaver), an elderly professional who simply goes down her checklist ticking off which symptoms Jerry is experiencing. Some passing lip service to some long ago trauma involving Jerry’s mother plants seeds which will bear bitter fruit later in the film.

There’s a longstanding image that shows a soul at a crossroads dealing with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. In this particular case, Jerry’s angel turns out to be Bosco, who is a sweet, encouraging beast who keeps telling Jerry he’s basically okay, if obviously addled at times. On the other hand (and/or shoulder), Mr. Whiskers is a demonic presence, egging Jerry on with a nonstop litany of disparagement, one that becomes more nefarious once Jerry kind of, sort of accidentally kills Fiona on a date, bringing her body back to the apartment and vivisecting it with a hacksaw, ultimately placing her head in his refrigerator to keep it “fresh.” In Jerry’s hallucinatory state (one which his prescribed drugs abate, something he can’t abide), Fiona is still very much alive, contributing to the discussions around Jerry’s apartment as much as Bosco and Mr. Whiskers have been.

What’s remarkable about The Voices is how consistent (if admittedly bizarre) the tone of the film is, an almost giddy combination of pathos, disgust and humor as black as the heart of a serial killer. The film probably would have never worked with an actor less immediately accessible than Reynolds. He makes Jerry actually lovable, even when the guy is doing absolutely despicable things. There are a few minor missteps in the film’s third act, including a kind of silly queue that has individuals investigating Jerry’s shenanigans (with some expected results) rather than alerting the authorities (after several co-workers have disappeared shortly after interacting with Jerry, wouldn’t someone think to call the police?). But these brief stumbles don’t seriously upset what is a completely idiosyncratic achievement that certainly elevates Marjane Satrapi and screenwriter Michael R. Perry to a level above the rabble of the crowd.

The Voices Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Voices is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. Judging by the Arri logo prominently featured on the supplement mentioned above as well as in the film's closing credits, one assumes Arri cameras were used to photograph the film, and The Voices features the typically sharp and well detailed, if also slightly flat looking, image that this technology affords. Udo Kramer's production design emphasizes bright pinks in many of the scenes taking place at the bathroom fixture facility, a hue which pops extremely well, especially when contrasted (as it often is) with a kind of pale gray moody background hue. (Speaking of closing credits, blue and orange are added to the mix along with pink for the song and dance finale, making for an extremely odd but rather vivid palette.) Otherwise, things are actually kind of drab from a color perspective, including Jerry's almost completely brown apartment (in an old bowling alley). There has also been some intentional color grading in several scenes, including the nighttime sequence when Jerry's "date" with Fiona goes horribly, horribly awry and, later, a chilling moment when Jerry kidnaps Dr. Warren, asking for "ten years of therapy in ten minutes" in a largely desaturated outdoor setting. Detail and fine detail are both generally excellent, especially in brighter lit scenes that feature close-ups. There are no issues with image instability and despite quite a bit of dark or dimly lit material, no problems with noise.

The Voices Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Voices' lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track has moments of great immersion, including the bouncy tunes that open and close the film, as well as more troubling scenes like the rainy nighttime escapade with Jerry and Fiona that ends with a bit (okay, maybe more than just a bit) of blood being spilled, but this is a somewhat reserved mix that doesn't regularly go for the jugular (so to speak). Dialogue is very cleanly presented and is occasionally nicely directional (listen in the first scene with Jerry in his apartment when it's not quite clear who is talking to whom). Fidelity is excellent and there are no problems of any kind to address in this review.

The Voices Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Voices: From Fridge to Frame (1080p; 16:54) is an above average EPK with some fun interviews.


• VFX: The Making of Bosco and Mr. Whiskers (1080p; 6:34) peeks behind the curtains of how they made those animals be so talkative.


• VFX: Comparison Showreel (1080p; 2:55) is a quick look at some of the effects, replete with an Arri branding logo at the bottom of the frame.


• The Voices of Ryan Reynolds (1080p; 4:31) is a fun tour through some of the character voices Reynolds supplies for the film.


• Deleted Scenes (1080p; 12:10)


• Extended Scenes (1080p; 4:24)


• Animatics (1080p; 19:59)


• Cast & Costume Sketch Gallery (1080p)

The Voices Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The best thing The Voices has going for it is how spectacularly outré it all is. Does it all work? No—but the fact that it works as much as it does is testament to both Perry's writing acumen and Satrapi's directorial finesse. Reynolds is totally winning in a very difficult role, and the supporting cast is similarly excellent. This certainly is not a film that will be to everyone's taste, and potential viewers are forewarned that there are some extremely graphic and disturbing images scattered throughout. But for those wanting something a bit (okay, maybe more than just a bit) different, The Voices comes Recommended.