Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: COMING HOME IN THE DARK [Sundance Film Festival 2021 - Virtual]

"Coming Home In The Dark" [Midnight], like many films so far as Sundance 2021 virtual, resides in the arena of comeuppance depending on point of view. Director John Ashcroft in the intro to the premiere screening alluded to how this film in a way can be an allegory for many problems and past wrongs in New Zealand. The story plays to an element of revenge with slight glimpses into the horrors perpetrated without truly clearly defining them though the inference is clear. This is reflected very darkly in the lead antagonist's flagrant disregard in many ways to a directive of intention for his actions of revenge despite the flim-flam mumblings of his primary victim. From the first 20 minutes, you see what the hunter is capable of and yet the strands quietly unfurl in a slightly disjointed way. There is allusion of cowardice, of betrayal of trust but it is so much more. The night dwindles on but the collateral damage literally begins to reflect a colossus of utter psychosis. Like "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest", there is also a lone figure who sees this strife but does nothing to stop it, even helps it along, despite his knowledge of the truth. In doing so, it becomes a story of fate but, in an ironic way, of choice. Granted, the actions are visceral and rough but ultimately it reflects in the opening and closing shots about seeing a nigh of twilight where things just don't make sense. While this allows "Coming Home In The Dark" to have some impact because of the path it chooses, it simply doesn't create enough connection, despite its harrowing story, to really push the connective tissue forward. C

By Tim Wassberg