Coherence: parents' guide
Best for ages 15 and up. Not formally rated.
A clever, low-budget sci-fi puzzle for older teens who like a mind-bender and can handle strong language. Eight friends at a dinner party lose power as a comet passes, then discover unsettling copies of themselves down the street. There is little gore, but expect frequent f-words, a few violent struggles including a blow to the head, heavy drinking, and a guest who mixes ketamine into a drink to calm everyone down. The paranoia is creepy rather than terrifying. The film was never rated; its content is roughly R for language and drug use, so we suggest 15.
What's in it
Violence
ModerateA few bursts of realistic violence: a character is hit on the head with a toilet tank lid, others are punched and strangled, and people are tied to chairs and gagged. One man has a bloody forehead cut; otherwise there is little blood.
Language
StrongStrong profanity comes up often in the largely improvised dialogue, including f-words, s-words and "bullshit," along with milder words such as "bastard" and "hell." No source we read counted the f-words.
Sex and nudity
MildNo sex or nudity. Adults flirt and kiss, there is some frank sexual talk, and the friends discuss an extramarital affair.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
StrongWine flows at the dinner party, and a guest said to have a drinking problem gets drunk. Another guest mixes a ketamine drink to take the edge off, and one person drinks it and falls asleep. Later, a character uses ketamine to sedate someone.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateA steady sense of unease builds as the power fails and the friends realize they cannot trust who comes back through the door. There are tense confrontations and eerie reveals, but no monsters, gore or drawn-out scares.
Worth talking about
The friends turn on each other as soon as trust breaks down. Ask what the film suggests about honesty, regret and the choices we wish we could undo.
On our lists
Similar picks around 15+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Wikipedia, the MPA. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.