Twisty thriller ‘WHAT COMES AROUND’ explores online dangers, abuses of power

Preston Barta // Features Editor

Any words I could put together to encapsulate the experience and story of IFC Films’ new dramatic thriller, What Comes Around, would not hold the same weight as Amy Redford’s official director’s statement in the film’s press notes.

In the statement, Redford discusses how her film dips its toes in many different genre pools.

“We navigated through teen flick, drama, psychological thriller and horror. The horror element [extends] from the idea that the ‘bills’ you don’t pay in your youth might end up resting on the shoulders of your children; the psychological thriller [extends from how] the center of empathy shifts unexpectedly throughout the story; drama with the complex evolution of a mother-daughter relationship and the discomfort of role reversal; teen flick with the unleashing of the untamed heart and all that can lead to, in a world where trust in adults is endangered,” Redford said. “To me, this film has elements of each but feels most like a classic morality tale from a Greek tragedy — complete with the horror that attends to that.”

What Comes Around is set up as this teenage romance that centers on 17-year-old Anna (Grace Van Dien of Stranger Things fame), who falls for a mysterious older man (Kyle Gallner of Scream and Smile). But what seems like a story akin to Endless Love quickly morphs into something more like 1996’s Fear, starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Wahlberg. And just as you become comfortable with what’s sure to happen, the rug is pulled from under you to become a thriller of a new kind and an emotionally rich film about secrets.

The journey and all its turns and collisions make it a unique, compelling experience. What Comes Around so easily could have sunk into Lifetime Original Movie territory. But with its incredible details, authentic dialogue and wonderfully committed performances (especially Gallner), Redford positions the film on a thoughtful, human ground.

Q&A

If you’re itching to know more, watch Fresh Fiction‘s conversation with Redford below. The video interview dances around the secrets and examines the film’s themes and poetry. Enjoy, and catch What Comes Around in select theaters this weekend or anywhere you rent movies from the comfort of your couch.