Amy Redford Talks “Playful” Yet Investigative Approach To ‘What Comes Around’

What Comes Around centers on Anna (Grace Van Dien), a teen whose bond with an online stranger (Kyle Gallner) is, for lack of a better, worrisome. He is in. his twenties, and any kind of love connection will understandably be squashed by Anna’s mom Beth (Summer Phoenix). Director Amy Redford talks about not going the obvious melodramatic route with What Comes Around. Instead, the narrative is an uneasy and unpredictable experience. Redford talked to Deepest Dream about her feature, which is now out in theaters and available on VOD.

Written by Scott Organ, What Comes Around co-stars Jesse Garcia as Beth’s soon to be husband. Though mother (Summer Phoenix) and daughter (Grace Van Dien) are very close, the stranger (Kyle Gallner) is bound to draw a wedge in the relationship.

“It starts with the words. It starts with the craft of the story,” said Redford. “And the desire to take genre and be playful with it. Everybody simultaneously signed up to deliver on that promise. They brought their toolbox to the party to figure out how can we make it feel of one story but take people on a journey.”

What Comes Around is populated by flawed characters, and Redford did not want the story to exist as a one-sided morality tale. Instead, we are given room to explore the interior motivations of the mother, daughter, and Eric (the stranger).

“They really needed to be investigated,” added Redford, who also directed Saffron Burrows in the indie feature The Guitar. “Once we demonize people for their behavior, we miss the opportunity to look at what is the genesis of that behavior? Perhaps that person was failed earlier in (his/her) life and how can we prevent that from happening again?”

All three of us recommend What Comes Around on the latest episode of CinemAddicts. Check out our review:

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Full interview with Amy Redford:

What Comes Around from IFC Films is now playing in theaters and is available on VOD. Support Deepest Dream by purchasing/renting What Comes Around on Amazon (I’m an Associates Member).