“Coherence” is hands down one of the greatest sci-fi thrillers ever made. No question. It’s only 89 minutes long, but every second keeps you hooked, dragging you through a whirlwind of emotions as it completely scrambles your brain.
Watching this movie is a genuinely trippy time, and you’ll probably be thinking about it for days, deep-diving into theories just to see if other people picked up on the same strange details.
Since “Coherence” is a low-budget indie flick, it kind of got buried under the wave of big sci-fi blockbusters. But now that it’s streaming for free on Prime Video in the U.S. (with a few pesky ads) it only feels right to shed light on this again and urge as many people as possible to experience it. It’s some mind-bending madness that will certainly take some time to process.
If my wild descriptions alone have you intrigued, do yourself a favor and watch it without reading the synopsis or seeing the trailer (like I did) since it’ll make the experience even better. But if you need a little context before diving into something this mind-warping, here’s everything you should know about “Coherence” now that it’s streaming for free.
What is ‘Coherence’ about?
“Coherence” follows a group of friends who get together for a casual dinner party on the night a mysterious comet passes overhead. But as the night goes on, strange and unsettling things start happening, including power outages, eerie coincidences, and even the possibility that they’re not alone. Soon, they realize the comet has somehow fractured reality, causing multiple parallel universes to overlap.
As paranoia takes hold, the friends struggle to figure out which version of themselves belongs where, leading to rising tension and desperate attempts to regain control. Despite its low budget, “Coherence” delivers a gripping and mind-bending psychological thriller, playing with ideas of quantum mechanics and the multiverse.
‘Coherence’ is one of the smartest thrillers I’ve ever seen
Director James Ward Byrkit knew exactly what he was doing with this movie because it hasn’t left my mind since I watched it. And the fact that this thriller managed to carve out a spot in my overactive brain is a sure sign that it’s brilliant and clever enough to leave a lasting impact.
It’s hard to even know where to start without giving too much away, but “Coherence” is a mind-twisting ride that’s equal parts character drama and sci-fi madness.
There’s no exposition dump or scientist explaining what’s happening. 'Coherence' expects you to piece things together. And because it's largely improvised, the dialogue feels incredibly natural, which makes the growing paranoia even more believable.
“Coherence” starts off like a simple drama: a group of friends at a dinner party, casual conversations about their lives, and a comet passing overhead. But deeper into the night, strange inconsistencies start piling up and reality itself feels unstable.
This movie is genuinely brilliant in how it plays with quantum mechanics and the multiverse theory without ever feeling like a lecture. There’s no exposition dump or scientist explaining what’s happening as it expects you to piece things together. And because it was largely improvised, the dialogue feels incredibly natural, which makes the growing paranoia even more believable.
The cast is a huge part of what makes the movie so gripping. Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, and the rest of the ensemble feel so natural, it’s easy to forget they’re acting.
That’s because Byrkit gave them minimal scripts, letting them react in real-time to the chaos. It makes you feel like you’re eavesdropping on actual people slowly losing their grip on reality. Their performances alone prove that you don’t need a big budget to make a movie this intense.
One of the things I really appreciate about “Coherence” is how real it feels, even though it’s dealing with such an out-there concept. It’s not a found footage movie, but it might as well be with how organic everything feels.
The way the camera moves makes it feel like you’re standing right there in the room with them. That largely stems from how the camerawork progresses over the course of the movie. At first it’s relatively steady as we get to know the characters, but as things start getting weird, so does the camera. It gets shakier, more frantic, almost like the movie itself is panicking.
“Coherence” is the kind of movie that practically demands a second (or third) viewing because of how much is going on. The first time around, you’re too caught up in the tension to notice all the tiny details that hint at what’s happening. But once you know the twist and the ending, rewatching reveals just how expertly crafted every little moment is.
You also might notice “continuity errors” like a misplaced object or someone wearing their shirt differently, but they’re actually breadcrumbs that purposely aim to confuse you (so no, you're not going mad). That’s all down to Byrkit creating a truly mind-twisting experience in just one claustrophobic location.
Stream ‘Coherence’ for free on Prime Video now
If you’re in the mood for a mind-bending thriller that will scramble your brain for a little while, “Coherence” is a must-watch now that it’s streaming for free on Prime Video (so long as you can tolerate some ads). This low-budget indie flick has gained a cult following for a reason, and that’s down to its unexpected twists and story that messes with your perception of reality in the best way.
I’m not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed this thriller either. “Coherence” has an impressive rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s critics consensus stating: “A case study in less-is-more filmmaking, Coherence serves as a compelling low-budget calling card for debuting writer-director James Ward Byrkit.”
“Coherence” is definitely one I’ll be watching again in the future once I’ve actually processed it (my brain is still warped). Since it doesn’t get talked about enough I’ll be recommending it to as many people as possible, because it really deserves its praise.
For more streaming recommendations, see our general guide on the best movies to watch on Prime Video now. And for those who want another thriller, check out Robert De Niro’s new show “Zero Day” on Netflix.
Stream "Coherence" for free on Prime Video.
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