Coherence
Four couples gather for dinner the night a mysterious and powerful comet passes overhead.
What critics thought
James Ward Byrkit's micro-budget debut earns genuine admiration for wringing metaphysical dread out of a single dinner-party setting, with semi-improvised performances that feel authentically rattled. Critics broadly agreed it was a smart, creepy achievement, but a meaningful gap opens between the enthusiastic crowd and those who felt the film eventually collapses into a cold logic puzzle — ingenious but emotionally thin once the premise is fully exposed.
“An ingenious micro-budget science-fiction nerve-jangler which takes place entirely at a suburban dinner party, Coherence is a testament to the power of smart ideas and strong ensemble acting over expensive visual pyrotechnics”
Stephen Dalton·The Hollywood Reporter
“Coherence is not just smart science fiction: it's a triumph of crafty independent filmmaking, made with few resources and big ambition.”
Ryan Lattanzio·IndieWire
“the movie becomes slightly too much like an unfolding mathematical puzzle, although an ingenious one that reaches a chilling conclusion”
Salon
“remarkably grounded for how complicated and bizarre the story is”
Film School Rejects
Genres
Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast & Crew
James Ward ByrkitDirector
Emily BaldoniEm
Maury SterlingKevin
Nicholas BrendonMike
Lorene ScafariaLee
Elizabeth GracenBeth
Hugo ArmstrongHugh
Alex ManugianAmir
Lauren MaherLaurie
Kelly DonovanExtra
Aqueela ZollExtra
Mark BallouExtra
Alexis Boozer SterlingExtraAlex ManugianWriterCoherence
Four couples gather for dinner the night a mysterious and powerful comet passes overhead.
What critics thought
James Ward Byrkit's micro-budget debut earns genuine admiration for wringing metaphysical dread out of a single dinner-party setting, with semi-improvised performances that feel authentically rattled. Critics broadly agreed it was a smart, creepy achievement, but a meaningful gap opens between the enthusiastic crowd and those who felt the film eventually collapses into a cold logic puzzle — ingenious but emotionally thin once the premise is fully exposed.
“An ingenious micro-budget science-fiction nerve-jangler which takes place entirely at a suburban dinner party, Coherence is a testament to the power of smart ideas and strong ensemble acting over expensive visual pyrotechnics”
Stephen Dalton·The Hollywood Reporter
“Coherence is not just smart science fiction: it's a triumph of crafty independent filmmaking, made with few resources and big ambition.”
Ryan Lattanzio·IndieWire
“the movie becomes slightly too much like an unfolding mathematical puzzle, although an ingenious one that reaches a chilling conclusion”
Salon
“remarkably grounded for how complicated and bizarre the story is”
Film School Rejects
Genres
Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast & Crew
James Ward ByrkitDirectorEmily BaldoniEmMaury SterlingKevinNicholas BrendonMikeLorene ScafariaLeeElizabeth GracenBethHugo ArmstrongHughAlex ManugianAmirLauren MaherLaurieKelly DonovanExtraAqueela ZollExtraMark BallouExtraAlexis Boozer SterlingExtraAlex ManugianWriter