There are a lot of different subgenres of sci-fi but few as interesting as alternative realities. These sort of sci-fi stories can take many different forms. Sometimes it’s a situation where you get a character you has a chance to explore what could have been if they had simply made a different choice or had a different opportunity. Sometimes, it’s a situation where a completely different world quite literally presents itself to offer a glimpse into another life — the film Another Earth is a great example of this. But then there are alternative realty stories where different versions of people end up in the same place at the same time and things get not just weird, but sometimes terrifying. These are often some of the most fascinating, complex, and underappreciated sci-fi films and now one of the best is a surprise streaming hit 13 years after its modest box office release.
If you haven’t seen Coherence yet, you’re missing out. Released in 2013. the film is written and directed by James Ward Byrkit and stars late Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon along with Emily Foxler and others as a group of friends who come together for a dinner party on the night that Miller’s Comet is passing Earth. However, a power outage occurs and things start to take odd turns. There’s one house in the neighborhood that still has lights, there’s a glass in the house that no one recalls breaking, and that house with lights? Turns out to be an alternative version of the same house they are in. Turns out that the comet may have created mirror realities with one set to collapse when the comet passes — and that means there may be more than one duplicate of everyone. It’s strange, twisty, and complex. It had a very small budget when made (think $50,000) and only made $139,000 at the box office, but it’s currently streaming on Peacock where it’s cracked the Top 20.
I cannot stress this enough: Coherence is truly an extremely underrated gem. Not nearly enough people know about this movie, but it’s also a very complex film which means that it might take you more than one watch to fully soak in all the details, the nuance, and fully get the surprise ending. It’s a film that relies deeply on the details, particularly because it’s a movie where there are multiple versions of what you think is the same character moving around at any given time. You have to watch for those details: different gestures, manners of speaking, expressions, all of these things help offer clues as to who is who and what might really be going on. When you layer those details onto the actual mystery of it, you get a story that will keep you glued to the screen the whole runtime.
And what is that mystery? Well, there’s the question of what is actually going on because, as far as the characters know, it’s all speculation based on what another character’s brother thinks the comet could be causing. But there are also relationship tensions, issues with friendships, secrets, lies, and ultimately the human will to survive at any cost that surfaces. Coherence is truly a complete sci-fi experience with plenty of elements — and it’s streaming success shows that maybe it’s finally getting the recognition it has always deserved.
Coherence is currently streaming on Peacock.
