What does it mean to fight for your place in the world?
For director Benjamin Caron, that’s the central question in Night Always Comes, an urgent and visceral thriller about one woman’s struggle to survive, starring and produced by Emmy and Oscar nominee Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman). With the film arriving in August, you can watch the trailer above and check out even more new photos below.
“What drew me to the film was its exploration of survival and sacrifice and the idea of quiet heroism,” Caron tells Tudum. “It asks the question, ‘Who gets to feel safe, and at what cost?’ ”
Written by Sarah Conradt (Mothers’ Instinct), the movie centers on the occasionally reckless Lynette (Kirby) over the course of one stressful evening as she tries to save her family’s home before time runs out. Night Always Comes reunites Kirby and Caron, who previously worked together on The Crown.
“Vanessa brings a beautifully wild energy to Lynette, making the character unpredictable and deeply, deeply human. Together, we worked on creating a character who is simply not just reacting to the world, but desperately trying to wrest control of her future, even as she teeters on the edge of self-destruction,” says Caron, who believes Kirby’s contributions as a producer were also invaluable. “Vanessa was creatively involved from the ground up, which was brilliant. To have someone that was both an actor and producer was incredibly exciting to me.”
Keep reading to learn more about the movie coming to Netflix soon.
Night Always Comes follows Lynette, a woman who risks everything to secure the house that represents a future for her family. On a dangerous odyssey through a single night, Lynette is forced to confront her dark past in order to finally break free.
“Lynette is driven by a desperate need for security, for the idea of home as much as, I guess, the reality of it,” says Caron. “Yet she is haunted by the fear that she doesn’t deserve it. Her journey is a study in propulsion. Each decision, no matter how reckless, is an attempt to outrun her past and carve out a future.”
Vanessa Kirby is joined by an all-star ensemble cast, including:
Yes, the movie is based on Willy Vlautin’s 2021 novel, The Night Always Comes.
“The emotional core [of the book] was my compass,” says Caron. “But there’s a heightened sense of immediacy and propulsion to cinema where the audience feels every blow and every betrayal and every hope. The adaptation became even more of a character-driven thriller with Lynette at the center of every frame. I also opened up the book by having Portland itself become a character in the movie — the contrast between the city’s foreclosed buildings and the gentrified neighborhoods reflecting Lynette’s personal crisis.”
Night Always Comes was shot in Portland, Oregon.
Night Always Comes hits Netflix on Aug. 15.
