Turns out we really missed out. This is an insane (literally and figuratively) comedy that shatters Reynolds' usual nice-guy image.
He turned 49 on October 23rd. And to celebrate, let's dive into the strangest film (not counting "Free Guy") in the actor's career. That film is "The Voices" (2014).
What's It About
Reynolds plays Jerry — a seemingly cheerful, pleasant guy. He works as a regular plumber and secretly has a crush on his coworker Fiona (Gemma Arterton).
The problem is, Jerry has schizophrenia. And he's stopped taking his prescribed medication, which means he's hearing voices.
More specifically, he talks to his pets. His cat, Mr. Whiskers, is a cynical type who constantly tries to get Jerry to do something terrible. And his dog, Bosco, is pure kindness, begging Jerry to stay a good person.
Reality vs. Hallucinations
A huge plus for this comedy is the work of director Marjane Satrapi, known for "The Voices." Under her guidance, the film literally splits into two parts — reality and hallucinations.When Jerry's off his pills, his world is bright, clean, almost like a musical. Plus his pets start chatting away (who hasn't dreamed of that?).
But when his therapist finally gets him to take his medication, the musical becomes gray reality. The hallucinations vanish. The cat and dog go silent. The apartment is becoming... Well, you’ll find out when you see it.
"I really loved how drastically his apartment changed depending on whether he was taking his medication or not. At first I didn't even realize it was the same place. I love little details like that," describes Reddit user Meffrey_Dewlocks after watching the film.
So What's the Verdict? (And What's Jesus Got to Do With It)
The ending. Oh, this ending. You could legitimately call it one of the most insane in cinema history. Though the whole film is bonkers, the finale... It's not happy, not sad, it's just "crazy" — probably in a good way.Spoilers ahead, so brace yourself. Reynolds' character dies in a burning house. Finding himself in a white void (Heaven?), his dead parents appear before him, along with everyone he ever killed. Then Jesus shows up, and everyone starts dancing joyfully.
Source:
youtube.com
Should You Watch It?
Critics (74% on Rotten Tomatoes) received the film warmly, calling it "horrifying and hilarious," with Reynolds delivering one of the best performances of his career.Audience reviews (6.3 on IMDb), however, were more mixed. Many viewers expecting Reynolds' typical comedy fare were shocked by the story's darkness and its depiction of murder.
One viewer, bbickley13-921-58664, wrote in their review:
But even this weird film ended up being better received than Reynolds' "Green Lantern". A big-budget, serious action movie completely loses to trash. Times have changed.IMDb user bbickley13-921-58664 on "The Voices"This is a dark comedy in the darkest sense of the term, as we're witnessing what goes on inside a madman's head, and it's pretty disturbing.
After watching, here's what I'll say: the article's headline isn't misleading or clickbait. This is exactly what you'll get—a bold, surreal, and deeply dark film about mental illness.
The description might make it sound insane, but trust me—it's anything but forgettable. If you're up for black humor and want to see Reynolds in a completely unexpected role, don't miss it. Earlier on zoomboola.com, we covered "The Prophecy": a thriller where the world's nicest actor played Lucifer.
