Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Deadpan comedy mixes crude humor and violence with warmth.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
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The Incomer
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE INCOMER, adult brother and sister Isla (Gayle Rankin) and Sandy (Grant O'Rourke) are the only two inhabitants on a remote Scottish island. Isolated since childhood, and following the rules set out in the mythology their father taught them, they devotedly guard their peace from any "Incomers" from the mainland. When council worker Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson) is sent against his will to evict them from their island home, which is officially classed as uninhabited, they must do whatever it takes to get rid of this dangerous stranger. Even though they're actually starting to warm to him.
Is It Any Good?
The isolated oddballs at the center of this offbeat comedy will quickly grow on you in writer-director Louis Paxton's impressive debut feature. The Incomer gets the tone just right in its mix of deadpan humor and eccentric but layered characters—all set against the sweeping Scottish scenery. The animated interludes that accompany stories of the island's history are another clever touch that add a mythic quality to it all. Rankin is great as the fiercely protective sister who takes on responsibility for the island and her brother with an unhinged determination. She's all the more likable as she gradually opens herself up to new thoughts and experiences that intrigue and terrify her in equal measure. O'Rourke is the sweetly clueless man child, whose innocent obsession with a sex toy he doesn't understand is a particularly funny running joke. Gleeson is reliably watchable as the kind of everyman at the center, though he's isolated too and creating his own myths through fan fiction—specifically a Lord of the Rings/Predator mashup. The story is predictable in places, but it has a charm and playfulness that will likely appeal to those who enjoy the subtle details as much as the big, bold outbursts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the themes of loneliness and being an outsider in The Incomer. How might each of the characters be described as outsiders? How do they change during the film? How does connection and community become more important to them?
The movie's humor is mostly deadpan. Did you find it funny? Which scenes stood out and why? Does the humor remind you of any other films? How do they compare?
How does the movie portray the council that is trying to evict the siblings? How does the person in charge in the office treat and think of others—particularly the people they evict from their homes? Do you think there are places that approach things like this in real life?
Discuss the violence in the movie. Do you think it was the right level or was there too much? Did the tone of the movie affect how impactful it was?
Talk about how the film depicts relationships and sex. Is it gratuitous? Played for laughs? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding relationships.
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 25, 2026
- Cast : Gayle Rankin , Grant O'Rourke , Domhnall Gleeson
- Director : Louis Paxton
- Studio : Sumerian Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : brief graphic nudity
- Last updated : September 25, 2026
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