In 2016,Ryan Reynoldserupted into an A-list comedy-action star via the release ofDeadpool. While the star had previously appeared in comedies such asVan Wilder,Waiting…, andtheSandra Bullock-led rom-comThe Proposal, his fourth wall-breaking reprisal of the Merc with a Mouth — first embodied by the actor in 2009’sX-Men: Origins - Wolverine— elevated his reputation within the genre and opened the door for funnier as well as bolder films. WhileDeadpoolandmuch of Reynolds' comedic filmographysince has been splatter-filled and action-packed, his darkest comedy actually arrived a year before the superhero parody hit theaters. While we eagerly await the summer release ofDeadpool & Wolverine, it’s the perfect time to revisit 2014’sThe Voices, anunderrated horror comedy that remains one of Reynolds' most unnerving works.
The Voices
What Is ‘The Voices’ About?
Directed byPersepoliscreatorMarjane Satrapi,The Voicesstars Ryan Reynolds as the seemingly well-intentioned, yet socially distant and awkward Jerry Hickfang. Among Jerry’s many quirks, including living alone above a bowling alley and working a low-grade job at a plumbing appliance warehouse, he spends lots of time talking to his pets… andmore often than not, they talk back. His dog is a large mastiff named Bosco, who speaks to Jerry with that signature canine praise and affirmation, while his cat is an orange tabby named Mr. Whiskers, who taunts Jerry and fuels his anxieties.Reynolds provides the voices for both of the critters, putting on his bestSam Elliott-style Western drawl for Bosco and his most convincingMike Myers-esque Scottish accent for Mr. Whiskers.
From that simple description alone,The Voicessounds like an innocent, juvenile comedy — likeDoctor Dolittlebut edgier. However, the film takes a dark turn very early on when the audience learns thatJerry suffers from mental illness, specifically schizophrenia, which causes him to hear voices. Bosco and Mr. Whiskers' anthropomorphism, along with Jerry’s other hallucinations, thus stem from the character’s subconscious, and he can only hear them when he stops taking his medication.
Ryan Reynolds' Pets Drive Him to Commit Murder in ‘The Voices’
ThroughoutThe Voices' first act, this premise is unsettling, yet seemingly harmless. In the second act, however, the externalizedvoices in Jerry’s head lead him to do horrible, violent things. We watch him become a serial killer, violently killing three women (Gemma Arterton,Anna Kendrick, andElla Smith) before chopping up their remains and keeping their disembodied heads in his refrigerator. In Jerry’s mind, the heads eventually reanimate and contribute to his conversations with Bosco and Mr. Whiskers.
Come the film’s climax,The Voiceshardly feels like a comedy anymore, but rather a psychological thriller as well as an intense character study. Penned byParanormal Activity 2screenwriterMichael R. Perry, the movie endorses horror iconography throughout, with uncomfortable situations, eerie tension, and enough blood and guts torivalDeadpoolas Reynold’s most violent film.
Ryan Reynolds' Unnerving Performance Makes ‘The Voices’ Even Scarier
It is Reynolds himself, however, who does the most heavy lifting in makingThe Voicesa fright fest. Hisperformance as Jerryis uncanny. Along cry from the charismatic Van Wilder or Wade Wilson, Jerry is shy and strange. He carries an endearing optimism at first and even garners empathy from the audience as he seems to treat everyone with kindness and love. While that empathy never fully fades, it certainly becomes tenuous asThe Voicescarries on. We alwayswant to believe that Jerry is a good personat his core and that illness, trauma, and desperation have simply coerced him into doing terrible deeds. As his sins pile up, though, we find ourselves swimming in a murky mix of emotions.
The Claustrophobic Survival Thriller With Ryan Reynold’s Best Performance Just Hit Paramount+
The acclaimed thriller was an early showcase for Reynolds’ talent as a leading man.
Reynolds also shines in his voice work as Jerry’s pets. Bosco and Mr. Whiskers are very different from Reynold’s othervoice-over rolesinTurbo,The Croods, andDetective Pikachu. The animals can be both foul-mouthed and provocative, and though they are meant to represent different parts of Jerry’s subconscious, Reynolds does a stellar job of giving the illusion of multiple, disquieting personalities. As aforementioned, theactor does not use his natural voice for these parts, and until it’s noted otherwise in the closing credits, one would think that a larger cast brought the animals to life.
‘The Voices’ Closing Credits Nail the Comedy of the Underrated Ryan Reynolds Movie
On the topic of the closing credits, they provide a unique subversion that solidifiesThe Voicesasa dark comedy. While nearly the entire second half of the film delves further and further into the depths of horror, reaching an austere crescendo in its final minutes when Bosco and Mr. Whiskers convince Jerry to “put himself to sleep,“the closing creditsshow Jerry arriving in a brightly lit Heaven as upbeat music plays. The voices now gone,Jerry reunites with his long-lost parents as well as his victims. He also casually meets Jesus. Assured that everything will be okay and agreeing not to think about the bad things in life, they all break out into a choreographed rendition of “Sing A Happy Song,” by The O’Jays.
This dénouement starkly juxtaposes so much of the film preceding it. Though there is heavy irony and a subtle touch of nihilism in the conclusion, it ultimately leaves the audience laughing byembracing the burlesque nature ofThe Voices.For all the sinister and depressing subjects it explores, the film at its core has to do with a grown man talking to animals — and it follows some conventions of that typically childish trope, albeit in a highly disturbing manner.
The Voicespremiered atthe Sundance Film Festival in 2014before Lionsgate acquired it for a limited theatrical run and home video release in 2015. Thisunconventional roll-out — not to mention its unconventional subject matter — has leftThe Voicesunseen by many. Admittedly, it may be a bit too off-putting for some viewers, but for those who seek an original premise, a daring mix of humor and horror, and anunsung Ryan Reynolds performancewhere he plays a very distinctive kind of main character, look no further than this uniquely sinister comedy.
The Voicesis available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.
