French-Iranian artist Marjane Satrapi is best known for her role as the creator of Persepolis (2000), the brilliant graphic novel that would later go on to be made into a stellar animated film of the same name in 2007. With The Voices, she remains as inventive as ever, although things are much different here than they are with the autobiographical Persepolis.
The Voices, Satrapi’s latest directorial outing, stars Ryan Reynolds as a man called Jerry Hickfang, who seems like an ordinary, working class dude — until we’re introduced to his talking pets, a kind-hearted dog and an evil cat (both voiced by Reynolds). When a woman stands him up for a date, Hickfang has to decide whether to take the advice of his kind canine or his more sinister feline. This black comedy looks to be one of 2015’s under-the-radar highlights.
The Voices received a quiet release after its Sundance debut earlier this year, but it is now out on DVD and Blu-ray. Watch it with a pet — although you might want to keep your distance.