“Coming Home In The Dark”: Two ruthless drifters take a teacher’s family on a nightmare road-trip

Coming Home in the Dark (2021) is one of those movies so unsettling that due to its inherent darkness and its composition can make the audience feel anger. It tells the story of a school teacher who 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.

A family’s outing descends into terror when teacher Alan Hoaganraad, his wife Jill, and stepsons Maika and Jordon explore an isolated coastline. An unexpected meeting with a pair of drifters – the enigmatic psychopath Mandrake and his accomplice Tubs – thrusts the family into a nightmare after the duo kidnaps them and embarks on a road trip to hell.

This is the debut feature film of co-writer, producer, and director James Ashcroft, a former actor who has participated in films like Black Sheep (2006), Kissy Kissy (2007), and Fresh Meat (2012), and has also been responsible for several short films. Eli Kent has also co-written the screenplay for Coming Home in the Dark (2021) based on a short story by Owen Marshall.

The main cast is formed by Daniel Gillies, Erik Thomson, Miriama McDowell, Matthias Luafutu, Billy Paratene, and Frankie Paratene.

Coming Home in the Dark (2021) had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 31, 2021, and has also been part of the festivals Imagine Film Festival in the Netherlands, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland, Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia, FrightFest London in the UK, and Fantasy Filmfest in Germany. It was also nominated for Best Motion Picture in the Official Fantàstic Competition at Sitges Film Festival.

After a limited theatrical screening on September 25, 2021, it is scheduled for a Blu-ray and DVD release on November 9, 2021, by Dark Sky Films. Here you can watch the official trailer for Coming Home in the Dark (2021).