In Darkness (2018 film)

In Darkness is a 2018 thriller film directed by Anthony Byrne and written by Byrne and Natalie Dormer. It stars Dormer, Emily Ratajkowski, Ed Skrein, Joely Richardson, Neil Maskell, James Cosmo and Jan Bijvoet. The film was released on 25 May 2018 in the United States by Vertical Entertainment and on 6 July 2018 in the United Kingdom by Shear Entertainment.

Plot
Blind pianist Sofia overhears a struggle in the apartment above hers that leads to the death of her neighbor Veronique. It is the start of a journey that pulls Sofia out of her depth and brings her into contact with Veronique's father, Zoran Radic, a Serbian businessman accused of being a war criminal.

Sofia is drawn into a dangerous world of corruption, investigating police, hitmen and the Russian mafia—a world with links to Sofia's own hidden past and a path of revenge she has kept hidden until now.

Cast
 Natalie Dormer as Sofia McKendrick / Balma
 Lexie Benbow-Hart as young Sofia
 Ed Skrein as Marc Gordon
 Emily Ratajkowski as Veronique Radic
 Neil Maskell as Oscar Mills
 Jan Bijvoet as Zoran Radic
 James Cosmo as Niall McKendrick
 Ethan Cosmo as young Niall
 Joely Richardson as Alexandra Gordon
 Olegar Fedoro as Orthodox Priest
 Amber Anderson as Jane
 Hala Gorani as herself

Production
Sofia is depicted as living in Maida Vale, London, where scenes were shot for the film, including a flower shop on Lauderdale Road which was converted to act as a café. Sofia and Veronique's building is located in Bramham Gardens, Kensington. Other filming locations included Brompton Cemetery, Ealing Hospital, the Thames Embankment, New Zealand House and the National Gallery.

Release
In February 2018, Vertical Entertainment acquired US distribution rights to the film. The film was released on 25 May 2018 in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the film was released on 6 July 2018 by Shear Entertainment.

Reception

Box office
In the United Kingdom, the film grossed £1,550 in its opening week from 10 theaters.

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 45% based on reviews from 22 critics, with an average rating of 4.8/10. On Metacritic, it has a score of 59 out of 100 based on reviews from seven critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

The film, which features Dormer nude as well as contains a sex scene, has been criticised for what some critics called "gratuitous nudity". Dormer dismissed this in an interview with The Guardian, saying, "There has to be sexuality in the power play of a thriller. We have all got bodies, after all. In this film the sex scene, which for me was a love-making scene, is a metaphor for the way my character connects with the part played by Ed Skrein. Nakedness is a good equaliser and the shower scene also shows the tattoos on my character's body and makes it clear she is not quite who you think."

References

External links
 

Category:2010s independent films
Category:2010s thriller films
Category:2018 films
Category:American films
Category:American independent films
Category:American thriller films
Category:British films
Category:British independent films
Category:British thriller films
Category:Films about blind people
Category:Films about pianos and pianists
Category:British films about revenge
Category:American films about revenge
Category:Films set in London
Category:Films shot in London