• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Movie Review – Gone In the Night (2022)

July 14, 2022 by Robert Kojder

Gone In the Night, 2022.

Directed by Eli Horowitz.
Starring Winona Ryder, Dermot Mulroney, Brianne Tju, John Gallagher Jr., and Owen Teague.

SYNOPSIS:

Upon arriving at a remote cabin in the redwoods, Kath and her boyfriend find a mysterious younger couple already there — the rental has apparently been double-booked. With nowhere else to go, they decide to share the cabin with these strangers until the next morning. When her boyfriend disappears with the young woman, Kath becomes obsessed with finding an explanation for their sudden breakup— but the truth is far stranger than she could have imagined.

To borrow a line from a character in Gone In the Night, this is a tale of mortal terror. It will take a while to understand what that means, which is occasionally frustrating considering director Eli Horowitz and screenwriter Matthew Derby have an amateurish execution of everything from the script to the editing. The middle section, in particular, switches perspectives and timelines back and forth, fizzling out until everything converges for an explosive finale.

Fortunately, there is always a decent amount of intrigue within Gone In the Night. It’s a mysterious tiller that receives a couple of Max and Kath (John Gallagher Jr. and Winona Ryder, respectively) attempting to sort out the knots in the relationship by having a weekend getaway up in the mountains. Max is under the impression he has rented out the cabin for his group until another couple is already there upon their arrival. They happened to be Al and Greta (Owen Teague and Brianne Tju), with the former elected to share the space until the latter intrudes on the conversation and says they should stay the night.

A game of Pillow Talk (players roll the dice and move pieces around a board, subsequently picking up cards, forcing them to share secrets or act out dares) follows, where it also becomes apparent that there are cracks in both of these partnerships. Nonetheless, by the following morning, everything has irreparably changed. This is also where Gone In the Night somewhat writes itself into a structural corner, constantly going back and forth between past and present.

One bright spot in the above is a developing friendship between Kath and the cabin owner (Dermot Mulroney). He has a few years on her, which is a notable difference from the relationship with Max, who was once a former horticultural student of Kath. It gives the story some time to elaborate on its themes of mortality and impending death and what can be surmised from associating with younger people psychologically.

However, Gone In the Night is also a nasty little thriller that goes to disturbing places and its climax, with some tense moments questioning whether or not characters will go through confident choices. There’s also some elevation coming from the game performances from the small ensemble successfully able to straddle the line between drama and horror. Again, the middle is poorly constructed and meanders, but the bloody high note Gone In the Night ends on will ensure more moos of approval than boos.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★  / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com

 

Filed Under: Festivals, Movies, Reviews, Robert Kojder, SXSW Tagged With: Brianne Tju, Dermot Mulroney, Eli Horowitz, Gone in the Night, John Gallagher Jr, Owen Teague, The Cow, Winona Ryder

About Robert Kojder

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Great Director’s Cuts That Are Better Than The Original Theatrical Versions

Peeping Tom: A Voyeuristic Masterpiece of the Slasher Subgenre

10 Reasons Why Predator Is Awesome

Die Hard on a Shoestring: The Low Budget Die Hard Clones

The Next 007: 3 Actors Who Could Lead James Bond Into the New Era

Ten Unmade Film Masterpieces

10 Great Neo-Western Movies You Need To See

What Will Amazon Do with James Bond?

In a Violent Nature and Other Slasher Movies That Subvert the Genre

10 Stunning Performances Outrageously Snubbed by the Oscars

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

Top Stories:

Eight Essential Sci-Fi Prison Movies

Movie Review – Hamnet (2025)

10 Great Forgotten Gems of the 1980s You Need To See

The Witcher season 4 first look introduces Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt of Rivia

10 More International Horror Movies You Need to See

Movie Review – Little Lorraine (2025)

Movie Review – Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025)

Movie Review – Night of the Reaper (2025)

Movie Review – Nouvelle Vague (2025)

Movie Review – Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

The Essential Horror Movie Threequels

The Worst Movies From The Best Horror Franchises

Ten Action Sequels The World Needs To See

Crazy Cult 90s Horror Movies You May Have Missed

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket