Nervous makes a horror film of tuning out mens voices: Review

Abner Pastoll's horror film Nervous tells the story of a woman who suddenly loses her ability to hear men's voices while women's voices remain clear. Directed by the British-South African filmmaker, the film follows a couple, Sarah (Sarah Bolger) and Sungsoo (Sungsoo Yune), who move into a rural house outside Seoul. As Sungsoo goes to house hunt, Sarah feels undermined by his grand gesture and faces isolation as she is often spoken for in conversations and left to handle household chores.

The film's unsettling atmosphere is heightened by the silent album found in the attic, which causes Sarah to lose her hearing for men's voices, leaving her more aware of their presence. The mysterious neighbour, Eunbyeol (played by Ko Asung), adds a supernatural element to the plot. While Nervous excels in sound design, creating a sense of auditory distinction between men and women's voices, some critics feel that the film falls into the "depraved bisexual" trope, portraying Eunbyeol as a temptress.

Despite this, the film effectively explores themes of feeling unheard, not believed, and gender roles, sparking speculation on the inner workings of relationships.