Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 42 minutes, Director – Louis Paxton
On an isolated Scottish island siblings Isla (Gayle Rankin) and Sandy (Grant O’Rourke) take the council worker (Domhnall Gleeson) sent to move them on hostage.
You can almost hear in Domhnall Gleeson’s pleading to be let free from the Scottish island that siblings Isla (Gayle Rankin) and Sandy (Grant O’Rourke) have spent their lives on a whimpering of “I’ve been sent to move you on by mistake!” Sent by his boss (Michelle Gomez) instead of the usual, special-forces-esque doorstep enforcer (Emun Elliott), Daniel’s place is behind a desk, with his wizard figurines looking at him. Confrontation is the last thing he needs, instead of making eye contact he reads from the pre-prepared script on a tattered bit of paper, before the siblings attack the new incomer.
However, instead of killing him, as they’ve spent every day training for, they decide to hold him hostage, eventually hearing of the ways of the mainland while he discovers what their lives of solitude are like after everyone else on the island moved away. The quirks and idiosyncrasies of the consistently scrapping pair bring about a good few chuckles, as does Gleeson’s panicked responses to them as he fears for his life, against washed-up sex toys that have been confused as either weapons or simple fidget toys to spin around.
There’s a good deal to amuse throughout The Incomer, especially when it feels best connected to committing to silliness. As Elliott’s Calum turns up on the island to get the job done, the extremity of his attitude to work is so out-of-place with the job itself, alongside how seriously he treats it all, brings plenty of humour that feels most natural and effortless. The film overall doesn’t feel as if it’s forcing anything, and the lead performances help it along – particularly Rankin who captures the more sombre beats as Isla combats with the idea of being separated from the island she’s spent her life with, being taunted by a seal-like creature (John Hannah) coaxing her to join her family in the sea.
Occasionally things can feel as if they’re threatening to cycle in the quirkiness of what’s being shown, but there’s still a generally amusing nature to much of what we see, and again held afloat by the performances of the cast and the different elements we see. There could be a bit more done with Isla’s lone moments on the cliff edges, looking into the water and reflecting, but there’s enough done in the final stages to just about bring these to a proper close and make them properly worthwhile. Doing enough to not create a tonal clash with the more comedic beats, and eventually bringing more to them as the feuds between the siblings change. Bringing more to them and their lifestyle that helps to avoid repetition from the film.
A quirky indie Scottish comedy that brings about a good number of chuckles, although could do a bit more with its sombre moments, The Incomer gets the most out of its more absurd and silly moments but sometimes feels at threat of repeating itself.
