Coherence - A Movie Review

Nothing strange like this happened the last time we got together.

Released in 2013, Coherence is about a group of friends who gather for a dinner party on the same night a comet passes by Earth. Interrupting their evening, strange occurrences happen, such as power outages and mysterious objects appearing. With tensions rising, they realize they may be in a parallel universe.

Coherence is a movie that must be watched twice or even more than that. What starts as a seemingly straightforward premise gradually morphs into a complex and riveting exploration of parallel universes and alternate realities.

The ensemble cast delivers believable and compelling performances, making each character engaging. Emily Baldoni was the standout. Her best scene was figuring out this complex situation from the evidence they’ve tracked.

More credits include Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, Elizabeth Gracen, Lorene Scafaria, Hugo Armstrong, Alex Manugian, and Lauren Maher. The actors are great at building up this friendship, delivering compelling performances.

As a group of friends gather for a dinner party, there’s a lot of dialogue in this film. Some of the best memories involve getting together with friends and talking for hours about various subjects. Their voices flood the sound with everyone talking over, trying to figure out the dilemma. Within these relationships, you have a set of different personalities.

Whether you listen or not, these conversations are filled with essential details about their backgrounds and relationships. We get a sense of individual relationships through these conversations.

One of the film’s best strengths is its remarkable ability to create an uneasy atmosphere. Although it takes place in a comfortable setting, I want to run out of this house. With how shots were dictated, the setting feels claustrophobic.

James Ward Byrkit skillfully uses limited resources and relics on a tight script to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. He had a unique approach to filming. Coherence excels in its intricate storytelling. The film cleverly navigates through various plot twists and revelations, leaving the audience constantly guessing and reevaluating what they think they know.

Filmed in only 10 days with dialogue mostly improvised by the cast, Coherence is a mind-bending science-fiction thriller that identifies exhilarating new heights. Each day, actors only received a small paragraph on what their goal was for the day. It created more genuine reactions.

The film also had a unique editing process. Scenes cut into complete darkness. Filmmakers used a steadicam for filming. The use of this filming technique effectively captures the increasing disorientation and confusion experienced by the characters. The haunting score intensifies as characters discover shattered windows or see figures outside.

One of the best parts about horror or thrillers is when they mess with viewers. Do you think the universe is playing tricks on you? Think about that during the next comet. You need to figure out who or what to trust in this movie.

Once the movie ends, it’s not over. You’re left with several theories as to what is really at play. I watched this film a few months ago and I need a second viewing to see what I missed.

Coherence is an extremely low-budget film, but that only adds to the impact it created. You really need to be in the right mood when watching Coherence which is why I had two separate viewings; a good idea indeed.

Take a look at Coherence because I am surprised that more people aren’t talking about it. With a runtime of just 89 minutes, Coherence delivers a gripping experience that will leave viewers questioning the nature of their own existence.