The multiverse is all the rage, right now. You’ve got Everything Everywhere All at Once, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and many others. However, ten years ago, a micro-budgeted flick was released that played with the concept of alternate realities in a much more psychological manner. Writer/director James Ward Byrkit’s Coherence from 2013 takes the scientific and philosophical theory known as Schrödinger's cat and coaxes out creepy vibes in a sci-fi/horror setup.
Though it’s an ensemble cast, I think it’s fair to say that our lead is Em (Emily Baldoni credited as “Emily Foxler”). While a comet passes overhead, a group of eight friends reunites for dinner at the suburban Los Angeles home of Mike (Nicholas Brendon of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame) and Lee (Lorene Scafaria). Em’s boyfriend Kevin (Maury Sterling) wants her to accompany him to Vietnam for his job, but she’s not sure if she can drop everything and make the trip, which has created some tension in the relationship. More friction arrives in the form of Laurie (Lauren Maher), Kevin’s ex who is now dating Amir (Alex Manugian who also co-produced and co-wrote the story with Byrkit). Additional dinner guests include the new age-y Beth (Elizabeth Gracen) and her husband Hugh (Hugo Armstrong).
The conversation soon turns to the comet, with Em relating some strange incidences that have coincided with the appearances of comets in the past. Most of the crew has fun with the idea until the power goes out and a mysterious house appears down the road. Hugh’s revelation that his quantum physicist brother recently warned him about the comet in a cryptic manner raises everyone’s hackles but allows them to slowly piece together what is happening. If they can’t set things right before the end of the night, they begin to suspect that it might spell their doom.
Byrkit took an unusual approach to the scripting. He’s credited as the writer and receives a story credit along with Manugian, but no script was used while shooting the film. During the five-day shoot, the actors were given a sheet of paper each day that contained some guidelines and motivations which they were not allowed to reveal to their comrades. As such, much of the dialog is improvised. This creates a situation where performers are talking over each other, there are background conversations going on, etc. However, it generally feels quite authentic and naturalistic.
This is a testament to the skill of the cast. Sometimes, films that use lots of improv can come across as sloppy or unfocused. That’s not the case here. I was actually surprised when I learned about Byrkit’s method. He keeps the narrative tight and his characters all move with purpose. Em’s journey (journeys?) ground the big ideas present in the story and allow us to experience them through the eyes of a relatable, if flawed, person. The various interpersonal dynamics are handled well, too, as past transgressions bubble to the surface during this Twilight Zone-esque event.
Foxler carries the story admirably upon her shoulders, but the entire cast is pretty great. I particularly enjoyed Brendon’s turn as a mischievously confrontational alcoholic and Maher as a seductress with hidden motives. All in all, the cast has great chemistry and displays impressive expertise in improvisational acting.
Coherence was shot in a single location (Byrkit’s house) by Arlene Muller and Nic Sadler. Being confined to a house and its immediate vicinity was probably challenging, but the duo assist in wringing plenty of paranoia and eeriness out of these confines. With all their work being handheld, it creates an almost home movie feel that is intimate and, at times, unsettling. It’s solid work that places us right in the action, making us feel like another guest at the party, though it’s important to note that this is not a found footage flick.
Lance Pereira’s editing emphasizes the home movie aspect but maintains clear storytelling. The stylistic cut to black moments early in the film makes it feel a bit episodic, but without giving anything away about the plot’s mind-bending reveals, I wonder if they also serve a story purpose. In any case, Pereira delivers some momentum to the piece, and at 89 minutes, the film never lags.
I quite enjoyed Kristin Øhrn Dyrud’s musical accompaniment. She wasn’t afraid to go big sometimes and it actually gives the film some scope. Laura Veirs’ song “Galaxies” which plays over the closing credits is a perfect capper to the proceedings, fitting right in with the narrative’s themes.
James Ward Byrkit’s Coherence was made for a mere $50k with a tiny crew and a novel approach to scripting. It’s a triumph of the less is more style of filmmaking that kept me completely enthralled. It skillfully grounds its brainy concept and takes us along for a thrill ride that’s more psychological than other entries in the multiverse genre. Highly recommended for fans of Cube, Primer, and Timecrimes. The blu ray is available to purchase at oscilloscope.net and features a nice behind-the-scenes doc as well as a couple of commentaries.
Michael Cavender