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Many of us live with a voice inside our heads. For some, that voice simply acts as a kind of personal assistant—offering up reminders of the things we’ve forgotten. For others, it’s more of a companion—offering a running commentary on life in general. But, for still others, it’s more sinister. And in Violet, one woman wrestles with that voice—and fights to silence it.
Violet stars Olivia Munn as the title character. Violet has good friends, a successful career in the film industry, and a great reputation around town. But despite her successes, an ever-present voice in her head (Justin Theroux) is constantly telling her that she’s a failure—that she’s not good enough, that her life is a mess, that everyone is laughing at her. She’s spent her life in fear, believing what the voice (or “The Committee” as she calls it) tells her. But everything changes when she starts breaking away and listening to her own heart.
As Violet goes about her daily life—going to work, having drinks with friends, attending parties—everything may seem to be perfectly normal to those around her. But for the viewer, the effects of her debilitating anxiety are painfully obvious. She can’t stand up for herself because she fears people’s reactions. She brushes off praise because she doesn’t believe it’s sincere. She can’t say what she’s feeling because she worries that people will see what an idiot, what an absolute fraud she really is. Her story is heartbreaking—and entirely heartfelt.
The film is a constant battle between the strong, powerful, painful words of the voice—of the doubts and insults and attacks—and Violet’s own thoughts and feelings, which appear in flowing script on the screen around her. The voice tells her to keep quiet, to keep her feelings to herself, to listen to everyone else—because they’re smarter and cooler and more successful. But what she really wants is to speak up to those who are rude and condescending, to go after the projects she’s passionate about, to be with someone because she loves him—not because it’s good for her career.
Admittedly, the fact that the voice in her head is a man’s seems out of place—especially considering her story—but the deep growl makes a fitting contrast to the script that scrawls out on screen. At the same time, as Violet begins to break this pattern of fear and shame—as she starts to listen to her heart instead of The Committee—the transformation does feel a little too easy. After years of struggling, the dam suddenly breaks free. But though the conclusion doesn’t feel entirely honest, the rest of Violet’s story offers an incredibly realistic picture of anxiety.
Violet certainly isn’t a straightforward film. It’s a film told on multiple levels, through different voices. But for anyone who’s ever struggled to speak up, to do what they love, to be themselves, it’s an incredibly truthful and compelling story.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
