The Incomer
by Hope Madden
The Incomer, acclaimed short filmmaker Louis Paxton’s first feature, opens as a sort of fairy tale. A woman’s voice begins a narration about two gulls, brother and sister, and their obligation to protect themselves and their island from incomers.
What follows is a charming, funny, endearingly odd and oddly endearing story of isolation and community.
Isla (Gayle Rankin, glorious) and her brother Sandy (Grant O’Rourke, dear) have lived alone on Auk Isle, a remote Scottish island, since they were children. And, like the tale, they organize their days around certain tasks including training for the invasion if incomers. They get their chance to test that training when Daniel (Domnhall Gleeson, awkward perfection) comes to call.
Daniel works for the government, who’s recently learned that this uninhabited island is, indeed, inhabited. Daniel’s been sent to evict and relocate the siblings.
Their time together devolves into an often absurd and silly but always intelligent and empathetic struggle: between the incomer and the gulls, between loneliness and community, and between fear and optimism.
Paxton’s somewhat miraculous script never dismisses Isla and Sandy, even when it’s laughing at them more than with them. And Gleeson is the ideal choice to bridge “normal civilization” with the mythical fantasy alive on this island.
A lonesome darkness anchors the film that gives the absurdity substance, and Gleeson’s endless tenderness keeps you emotionally invested in the story. And O’Rourke’s soft-headed vulnerability makes for a delightfully sweet character.
Back on the mainland, a small ensemble of sharply drawn comic foils (Michelle Gomez and Emun Elliot, in particular) serves as a wonderful balance for the trio on the island. But Rankin owns this film.
Isla’s ferocity and naivete both reflect an incredible intelligence, and Rankin brings all three to bear in a performance that commands attention. Because of this powerful performance, The Incomer is more than funny, more than clever. It’s a reminder that we are each the agent of our own destiny.
