Reviews: The Voices (2014) Movie Review / Ending Explained / FAQs
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Subgenres: Comedy, Killer, Madness, Split Personality
Exploring The Voices (2014) through our review, we cover its story, scares, and how it fits into the broader horror genre landscape.
The Voices (2014), directed by Marjane Satrapi, is a genre-defying dark comedy horror that takes viewers deep into the disturbed mind of a cheerful factory worker with a terrifying secret. Blending quirky humor with psychological horror and heartbreaking emotion, The Voices is a bold and unexpected entry in the realm of psychopath-centered horror films with a twisted heart.
The Voices (2014) – A Colorful Descent into Madness and Morality
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
The film centers on Jerry Hickfang, an upbeat and seemingly harmless worker at a bathtub factory in a small town. On the surface, Jerry is polite, cheerful, and eager to make friends. But behind closed doors, he struggles with severe mental illness—and his pets talk to him. His dog Bosco represents his moral compass, while his cat Mr. Whiskers urges him toward chaos and violence.
When Jerry develops a crush on his co-worker Fiona, things take a dark turn after a botched date leads to an accidental murder. Unable to reconcile his actions, Jerry spirals into a cycle of killings, dismemberments, and increasingly surreal conversations with his hallucinated pets and victims. As Jerry battles his psychosis, the film explores the blurred line between reality and delusion, asking whether Jerry is evil—or tragically broken.
Themes include mental illness, guilt, self-deception, isolation, and the fragility of perception. While the subject matter is heavy, the film’s presentation is deceptively bright, with vibrant color palettes, upbeat music, and surreal comedy giving Jerry’s world an almost cartoonish quality. This visual contrast reinforces how deeply trapped he is in a false sense of normalcy.
Acting and Cinematography
Ryan Reynolds delivers one of his most underrated performances as Jerry. He fully commits to the character’s awkwardness, sweetness, and underlying darkness. Even more impressively, Reynolds also voices Bosco and Mr. Whiskers—bringing depth and distinct personalities to the internal battle playing out in Jerry’s mind.
Gemma Arterton and Anna Kendrick play Fiona and Lisa, Jerry’s co-workers and love interests, with nuance and sincerity. Their performances make the audience feel both their charm and growing unease as Jerry’s behavior shifts from odd to frightening.
Visually, the film plays with contrasts. Jerry’s perspective is filled with bright lighting, spotless kitchens, and friendly faces, but whenever he takes his medication, reality hits hard—his world turns cold, grimy, and blood-splattered. This stark visual shift serves as a brilliant metaphor for how untreated mental illness can create an alternate reality—one where horrors are masked by delusions of peace.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Director Marjane Satrapi (known for Persepolis) brings a unique and artistic sensibility to the film. Her approach is empathetic yet unflinching, portraying Jerry not as a monster but as a lost soul navigating a fractured mind. The tone, while risky, is masterfully handled—balancing dark comedy, tragedy, and psychological horror without feeling exploitative.
The biggest strength of The Voices lies in its fresh narrative style and emotional complexity. It invites laughter and horror in the same breath, challenging viewers to care about someone who does unspeakable things while offering a deeper commentary on how we treat the mentally ill.
That said, the film may not be for everyone. Its tonal shifts can feel jarring, especially for those expecting a straightforward horror or comedy. Some scenes veer into absurdity, and viewers seeking closure or a traditional arc may find the story unsettlingly open-ended.
Strengths:
Ryan Reynolds delivers a multi-layered, standout performance
Creative blend of psychological horror and dark comedy
Stylized visuals that reflect the main character’s inner world
Inventive voice work and character duality through pets
Emotionally resonant exploration of isolation and psychosis
Weaknesses:
Tonally complex—may not appeal to fans of straightforward horror
Some characters feel underdeveloped compared to Jerry
Dark subject matter may be too unsettling for casual viewers
Abrupt shifts between comedy and horror can disrupt immersion
Narrative leaves some themes unresolved
Final Verdict & Score: 7/10
The Voices is a bold, original take on psychological horror, delivering laughs, chills, and genuine pathos through the lens of one man’s fractured mind. With Ryan Reynolds showcasing his range and Marjane Satrapi’s distinctive vision behind the camera, the film succeeds as both a character study and a disturbing, stylish genre piece. It’s a killer performance wrapped in a candy-colored nightmare—one that deserves more recognition for its fearless storytelling.
The Voices (2014) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is The Voices (2014) based on a true story?
No. The Voices is a fictional black comedy psychological horror film. While it realistically explores mental illness and psychosis, the events and characters are completely fictional. The film uses a unique narrative approach to explore delusion, isolation, and the inner conflict of a man with untreated schizophrenia.
What mental illness does Jerry have in The Voices?
Minor Spoiler: Jerry suffers from severe schizophrenia with auditory hallucinations. He hears voices, most notably from his dog Bosco and cat Mr. Whiskers, who represent the angel-and-devil dynamic of his fractured morality. His condition causes him to lose touch with reality, especially when he refuses to take his medication.
Who voices the dog and cat in The Voices?
Ryan Reynolds, who also plays Jerry, provides the distinct voices of both Bosco and Mr. Whiskers. This casting emphasizes the idea that the voices are not external but are instead fabricated within Jerry’s own mind, symbolizing his internal moral conflict.
Why does Jerry kill Fiona?
Minor Spoiler: Jerry kills Fiona accidentally during a date gone wrong. After she tries to escape from his awkward advances, a panic-driven Jerry unintentionally stabs her. This tragic event sets off a downward spiral as he becomes increasingly consumed by his delusions and commits further murders to “fix” or “complete” what he started.
What do the talking pets represent in The Voices?
Bosco (the dog) and Mr. Whiskers (the cat) are metaphors for Jerry’s conscience and dark impulses, respectively. Bosco tries to guide Jerry toward kindness and sanity, while Mr. Whiskers encourages violence and indulgence. They externalize the internal battle of a man caught between his desire to be good and his psychotic tendencies.
Is The Voices scary or funny?
The Voices is both. It’s a dark comedy with disturbing horror elements, offering viewers a unique blend of unsettling violence, absurdist humor, and emotional depth. It shifts tones frequently—sometimes within the same scene—which makes it a psychologically complex and emotionally unpredictable experience.
Does The Voices have a post-credits scene?
Yes. After the film’s dark conclusion, the credits roll into a bright, colorful musical number featuring Jerry, Jesus, and his victims. This surreal sequence emphasizes the film’s absurdist tone and adds a final comedic twist to an otherwise grim ending.
The Voices (2014) – Ending Explained
In the film’s final act, Jerry becomes increasingly unstable after the deaths of Fiona, Lisa, and his therapist Dr. Warren. When the police close in on him, he retreats into his delusional world where his victims’ severed heads still talk to him, and his pets continue influencing his behavior.
Minor Spoiler: Jerry, recognizing that he’s caused irreversible harm, experiences a rare moment of clarity. He decides not to take any more lives—but instead, chooses to let himself die. He turns on the gas in his apartment, lies down on the floor, and waits for the inevitable explosion. His face is calm, suggesting he finally feels at peace—no longer tormented by voices, guilt, or isolation.
The apartment explodes, marking a final act of self-inflicted redemption, or perhaps resignation. In death, Jerry escapes the horrors of his mind, and the viewer is left questioning whether he was more victim than villain.
The film ends with a dreamlike musical scene in heaven, where Jerry, now clean and dressed in white, sings alongside his parents and the people he killed. This darkly ironic send-off blurs the line between redemption and madness, staying true to the film’s unpredictable tone.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- The Voices Rating Scores
- Our Score: 7/10
- Overall Score: 6.68/10
- IMDB: 6.3/10
- MetaCritic: 5.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 7.4/10
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