GONE IN THE NIGHT is a Mystery Thriller of the good kind. With a runtime of just 1 hour and 30 minutes, it perfectly utilizes every minute. That doesn’t mean anything is rushed, but just that you won’t be bored or wonder how much time is left.
Also, very importantly, the plot is very easy to follow despite some pretty big plot twists in the final half. Plus, Winona Ryder is great in this – as is the rest of the small cast which consists of very familiar faces.
Winona Ryder is awesome in the lead role in Gone in the Night. Obviously, Stranger Things has given her quite the comeback, which she deserves in every sense of the word.
In Gone in the Night, she plays the role of Kath. This character is a lot less quirky than we often see her and more of a laidback character. She really just wants to be happy and enjoy the simple things in life. I love seeing Winona Ryder in a movie like this. As much as I also love seeing her play up the more quirky sides in other characters!
The other main characters in this movie are portrayed by the amazing John Gallagher Jr. (Come Play, Hush) and Dermot Mulroney (Deadly Illusions, Umma). Plus, in two key roles, we see the young talents Owen Teague (I See You) and Brianne Tju.
You’ll recognize Owen Teague from the Netflix series Bloodline plus Stephen King’s The Stand and It. Brianne Tju was most recently in the Unhuman horror-comedy and the I Know What You Did Last Summer series.
Obviously, a plot should always evolve in some way. In Gone in the Night, however, it takes some quick turns here and there. First, you’ll be watching a rather simple thriller, which is almost more of a relationship drama. It’s interesting enough that you won’t think too much of it.
Then the whole mystery element kicks in and things start to get a little weird.
To explain what’s going on, we’ll be seeing the beginning of the movie again, but from a different angle. This is also when you’ll realize that the character played by John Gallagher Jr. is even more of a douche than you might have first assumed. Oh, he’s not cruel or anything. Just a spoiled brat of a jerk, really.
Watch Gone in the Night in theaters
Eli Horowitz is the director of Gone in the Night and he is someone we’re getting more and more familiar with. Not so much as a director though, since this is his feature film debut. He directed the podcast series Homecoming which was turned into a Prime Video series. Basically, he’s the kind of writer who knows how to tell complex stories in a very simple (but engaging) way. For his feature film debut, Matthew Derby co-wrote the screenplay with director Eli Horowitz.
While Gone in the Night isn’t the kind of movie I expect to watch again, I do think it’s really good for the one time. Basically, it’s an interesting plot, driven forward by even more interesting characters, who are all portrayed by really good actors. What’s not to like?!
Gone in the Night is out in theaters on July 15, 2022.
