Coherence

Coherence is a 2013 American science fiction film that centers around a peculiar gathering of friends on a fateful night when a mysterious comet passes close to Earth. The narrative primarily revolves around four couples, each consisting of long-time friends, as they reunite for dinner and attempt to rekindle old bonds. Mike (Alex Manugian), Emma's (Lauren Maher) boyfriend, joins the group, along with Mike's friend, Wyatt (Peyton List), and Emma's friends, Lee (Haley Fleischhaker) and Sasha (Emily Foxler), who are in a tense relationship. The other two couples are Chloe (Natalie Martinez) and Keith (Daryl Sabara) and Oscar (Michael Rasmussen) and Madeleine (Maury Sterling). As they sit down to enjoy their dinner, a knock at the door interrupts them, revealing a panicking chef who is frantic about a power outage in the area. This brief but disconcerting moment prompts Mike to run to the kitchen, a decision that sets in motion a series of disparate events. An inescapable sense of tension thickens as the group begins to experience an inexplicable phenomenon. Time seems to falter for them, and a mild argument among the guests culminates in the possibility of different branches of reality shifting simultaneously. Their ordinary gathering steadily shifts into an existential struggle, particularly for Wyatt, a rational person who is entrenched in skepticism and strives to understand the events unfolding before his very eyes. His rationality, however, takes a backseat as he faces daunting possibilities - not only about the celestial event above but also the nature of their existence. Simultaneously, the story splits and converges at different parts. In multiple diverging paths of the narrative, different characters discover parallel realities coexisting due to the Earth's interaction with the comet. It becomes increasingly evident that what is happening around them is interconnected yet disjointed from our reality. These alternate branches escalate the group's internal conflict, as each one grapples with the implications of these ephemeral moments and whether their reality is actually coherent. One member starts to unravel into chaos and worry as multiple versions of the comet pass over Earth while others begin to realize how slender their perception of reality might be. Most of the cinematic experience of Coherence comes to life through the fragmented storytelling and shifting dynamics of the characters. These unique perceptions create an unshakable sense of realism within the strained dinner-date atmosphere, giving viewers a captivating glimpse of how humanity copes with severe uncertainty. In this reality-shattering context, three things intensify the sense of menace - the catastrophic physical change, the fragmentation of reality caused by the shifts, and, most severely, the increasing strain on personal and emotional relationships. An argument reveals wounds long buried beneath the group's facade of togetherness, amplifying the depth of unease throughout the night. On the night that a mysterious comet slices across their tiny community, old friendships get tested by an incredibly deep existential crisis that might prompt guests to question where they're coming from.