If you found yourself gripped by the incredible amount of tension in "Speak No Evil," you’re likely craving more movies that explore the dark side of human interaction and the unsettling nature of trusting strangers.
This psychological thriller is a remake of a Danish movie released in 2022. It centers on a family invited to spend a weekend at a remote countryside home, only to discover that the hosts harbor a dark and unnerving side. James McAvoy delivers a standout performance as a seemingly friendly but profoundly sinister character.
I saw it in theaters over the weekend, and let me tell you, the suspense was so thick that I could never relax. If that kind of tension is your thing, you’re in for a treat with these similar movies. You can also read our "Speak No Evil" review if you're on the fence about watching it.
So, without further ado, here are the best movies like "Speak No Evil" and where you can stream them.
'Speak No Evil' (2022)
Of course, how could I not include the original movie on this list first? Arguably this version is much darker and contains more disturbing scenes, making it more of a horror than a thriller. It does a great job of ripping apart the false sense of security people have when they meet seemingly normal people.
The original "Speak No Evil" pretty much has the same premise as the new one. It follows a Danish family who, while on vacation in the countryside, accepts an invitation from a friendly Dutch couple they met while on holiday. The visit, intended to be a pleasant weekend getaway, gradually becomes a nightmarish ordeal as the hosts reveal increasingly unsettling behavior.
Watch on Shudder
'The Invitation' (2015)
Perhaps the most similar to "Speak No Evil" has to be the incredibly tense horror-thriller "The Invitation." It centers around a man named Will (Logan Marshall-Green), who attends a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new husband after not seeing them for two years. As the evening goes on, Will becomes increasingly suspicious of the hosts and their guests.
The movie carries a tense atmosphere as Will starts to notice odd behaviors and strange conversations that suggest the party may have a darker agenda. As you can tell, this movie also features hosts whose friendly facades hide darker intentions. I can also say that the ending will shock you, so it’s definitely worth watching.
Watch on Prime Video
'Funny Games' (1997)
Like "Speak No Evil", "Funny Games" explores the dangers of politeness and trust. In both movies, the protagonists are manipulated into dangerous situations by seemingly pleasant strangers. The tension escalates as the victims, out of social decorum or fear of confrontation, fail to escape when the warning signs first appear.
"Funny Games" follows a family — husband, wife and young son —on vacation at their lakeside home. Their peaceful retreat is interrupted when two polite, yet increasingly menacing young men appear at their door. What begins as a casual interaction quickly devolves into a horrifying game of psychological and physical torture, as the men hold the family hostage and subject them to sadistic mind games.
Watch on Max
'The Visit' (2015)
I truly believe that "The Visit" is an underrated movie, and that probably stems from it being in the style of found footage. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this movie is about two siblings, Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould), who go to spend a week with their estranged grandparents. The kids have never met their grandparents before, so they plan to document the trip with a camera. Initially, everything seems normal, but as the days pass by, the grandparents start behaving strangely, especially at night.
Even though the grandparents aren’t technically strangers, they’ve never interacted with the kids before. But what makes this so similar to "Speak No Evil" is how it centers around characters who are isolated and vulnerable in a remote setting. They’re stuck with people who are acting strange, which causes things to go downhill very quickly.
Watch on Max
'Get Out' (2017)
One thing that stands out about "Speak No Evil" is how it shows the dangers lurking beneath seemingly polite social interactions. "Get Out" follows a very similar premise in how it explores the consequences of ignoring one's instincts when confronted with strange or inappropriate behavior.
"Get Out" is a psychological horror that follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young Black man, as he visits the secluded family estate of his white girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams). At first, her family seems overly accommodating, but Chris soon notices strange behavior from the family and their Black housekeepers. During the visit, Chris finds out disturbing truths about the family’s sinister intentions. It’s a critically acclaimed movie that takes on themes of racism and social justice while including an incredible amount of suspense.
Watch it now on Peacock
