IMDb 5.7 2021 HD

Coming Home in the Dark

Coming Home in the Dark

2021
Crime Horror Thriller
93 min TV-MA NZ
5.742 / 10
5.7 IMDB

A school teacher is forced to confront a brutal act from his past when a pair of ruthless drifters takes him and his family on a nightmare road-trip.

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director James Ashcroft
Starring
Daniel Gillies / Erik Thomson / Miriama McDowell / Matthias Luafutu / Frankie Paratene / Billy Paratene / Alan Palmer / Bailey Cowan

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

unsettling tense grim brutal psychological dark atmospheric compelling disturbing raw challenging

Reviews

P
Phoebe Davies
Mar 31, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

While 'Coming Home in the Dark' boasts a solid cast, including Miriama McDowell and Matthias Luafutu, its impact is somewhat hampered by a predictable narrative arc. The premise of a dark past catching up is a well-trodden path,…

J
James Atherton
Mar 31, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a masterclass in escalating dread. 'Coming Home in the Dark' is a brutal examination of guilt and retribution, featuring standout performances from Daniel Gillies and Erik Thomson. The film’s direction cultivates an oppressive atmosphere, making the…

S
Sophia Chen
Mar 31, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Coming Home in the Dark' is a mood piece that thrives on atmosphere and the performances of its lead actors. Daniel Gillies and Erik Thomson effectively portray men under immense pressure, their vulnerability a stark contrast to the…

M
Marcus Bellweather
Mar 31, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Director Unknown has crafted a truly unsettling experience with 'Coming Home in the Dark.' The film’s strength lies in its relentless pursuit of discomfort, propelled by the chilling presence of the drifters. Erik Thomson delivers a particularly nuanced…

E
Eleanor Vance
Mar 31, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Daniel Gillies and Erik Thomson anchor 'Coming Home in the Dark' with performances steeped in quiet desperation. The film leans heavily into a grim, unflinching tone, presenting a harrowing journey that feels both inevitable and suffocating. While the…

FAQs

The drifters in 'Coming Home in the Dark' are presented as 'ruthless,' immediately signalling their dangerous intent. Their role as orchestrators of a 'nightmare road-trip' suggests a calculated and malevolent approach to their actions. The film's premise indicates they are not merely random aggressors, but forces that deliberately seek out and expose a teacher's 'brutal act from his past.' This implies a psychological dimension to their menace, driven by a desire for retribution or to inflict a specific kind of suffering.