Coherence is built around a rapidly evolving fantastical mystery, and those evolutions can be hard to stick with. It lost me some in the back third, even though I always held a basic grasp of events. I prefer this to the enigmas of Shane Carruth. (Primer, Upstream Color) Rather than dreading re-watches, I welcome them and the opportunity to figure out more of the mystery. Best of all, the mystery is structured around the characters rather than the characters being pushed across the game board.
I learned afterwards this was made without a script, which is remarkable considering how expertly the ensemble melds and how easily the conversations flow. I could watch a film that’s just these eight people having dinner. I especially love how mild humor is frequently dropped in to make people feel at ease or break tension. If the director had served the puzzle and not the characters, I don’t think the ending would’ve mattered much.
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