COHERENCE (2013)

Directed By: James Ward Byrkit 
Written By: James Ward Byrkit 
Story By: Alex Manugian & James Ward Byrkit 
Cinematography By: Nic Sadler 
Editor: Lance Pereira 

Cast: Nicholas Brendan, Maury Sterling, Emily Baldoni, Alex Manugian, Lorene Scafaria Hugo Armstrong, Elizabeth Gracen, Lauren Maher


On the night of an astronomical anomaly, eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events. Part cerebral sci-fi and part relationship drama, COHERENCE is a tightly focused, intimately shot film that quickly ratchets up with tension and mystery.

This is a film Best to go into blind not knowing anything or even too much about it, but if you have seen it or you don't mind here is a spoiler filled review.

Relying on a low budget of $50K, the movie was shot over five nights in a single location with dialogue that was largely improvised.

What could have easily been a dinner party erupting with long lost secrets coming to the forefront seems to escalate due to a more a science fiction twist. That raises the stakes with each scene that passes.

We learn more and more that not only gives us background on the characters.

At times it gets confusing that might take watching it twice to truly appreciate and experience on different levels. It allows us to be unnerved and shocked at times, but not by scares or violence more by revelations and ideas

What is so scary is that the idea defeats individualism that we are the same with all the same ideas and personalities though different yet the same not a negative universe that sci-fi like Star Trek has suggested. Maybe just different motivations that is the only true difference.

It seems to overlap with time travel and dimensions in explanations. While moving forward and keeping you off guard bit likely never feels like it is dense.

The film shows the strength of creativity and ideas over the demands necessarily of the budget. The tensions escalate as well as the emotions as the situations become a little more domestic rather then fantasy though the ideas basis stays in the background to affect the changes that seem to happen though we only know they have changed due to reveals out of nowhere.

It keeps the mood alive and keeps it charging forward while wallowing in it. While offering answers but never a complete one.

In recent months there have been quite a few films with similar plots like most this one sets it's individual self quite nicely. So they are connected but don't feel like copies.

The film offers up surprises even when you don't expect to get them in a film laded with them.

Though out of the more recent ones. This one seems to focus more on the central conceit the most. Though not the one that feels the most personal

In my opinion it's one of the easiest to connect with.


GRADE: B+