Incomer – Film Review
by Brian Merriman

Written and directed by Louis Paxton
Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke, Michelle Gomez, and Emun Elliot,
Composer: Tom Kingston
Cinematographer: Patrick Golan
Produced by Shirley O’Connor and Emily Gotto

Duration: 102 minutes – Certified 12A

I’ve heard it said that there are really only a handful of stories, and they are told, retold, re-imagined, etc but fundamentally there are frequent, strong shared themes.

Incomer, a new film by Scottish writer and director Louis Paxton, defies that limited take by being refreshing, imaginative and quite original. Its storytelling itself drives this dark, funny and sinister plot that enthrals and entertains throughout its 102 minutes.

Set on a remote, sparsely populated Orkney Island (filmed in Caithness, Scotland). We meet its only occupants, a brother and sister, Sandy and Isla, orphaned thirty years ago and left to fend for themselves. They are now self-sufficient and deeply wary of ‘outsiders’ whom they call ‘incomers’. As the initial comedy suggests, you suspend reality a little and go with the creative flow.

Incomer has a tinge of an adult Lord of the Flies to it, but it is much more. There is ritual, costumes, leadership, superstition and survival. A strong Gayle Rankin (Isla) and a likeable Gavin O’Rourke as Sandy’s gullibility reinforce the sense of isolation as they fight, hunt, and tell stories to while away their time. There are mythical and imaginary creatures, including an evil ‘finman’ who tries to exact the ultimate sacrifice from this generation of islanders. Their routine is interrupted when the local authority on the mainland decides to forcibly resettle them and sends a hapless official, Daniel, a lovely study by Domhnall Gleeson, to break the bad news. What ensues is a wonderful fantasy of discovery, growth and freedom all in this remote isolation. You can almost feel the cold of the sea from the screen.

The playing of this talented trio is the heartbeat of the film. Each has their own vulnerabilities, strengths and evolution in a sharp and playful script by Paxton.

The location is as you’d expect – a remote Scottish island- and is visually stunning and beautifully captured on camera by cinematographer Patrick Golan.

Added to Golding’s theme, we get a hint of Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, which keeps us on our toes throughout the dark drama with some terrific comedy touches. Tom Kingston’s atmospheric musical underscore conjures up place, sea, culture and folklore.

Paxton layers his fantasy tale, and each scene is incrementally constructed, building tension with the arrival of each stranger. We see the vulnerability of the characters shaped by isolation and difference. The arrested development of the childlike islanders neither stereotypes nor patronises. It reels us in to understand and connect with their view of life and relationships, nature, loyalty, entertainment, survival and the ocean.

The story of Incomer is beguiling, with a constant, often surprising heartbeat that evolves before our eyes in clever, sinister, and comedic turns, as the different may be good, and the normal, the opposite.

The three central well-formed characters play in a manner that would easily allow this story to transfer to a stage – a rarity for film these days.

If you like a good story, fine performances and are still in touch, even with part of your inner child, you’ll be very impressed with this ‘incomer’.