R-Rated Netflix Thriller Exposes The Monsters That Live Among Us

By Robert Scucci
| Published 24 seconds ago

Some of the best thrillers thrive on their ability to withhold key elements of a story to keep the mystery burning well into the third act. 2022’s I Came By takes a different approach, laying all of its cards on the table early in the first act so the viewer pretty much knows what’s going on right away, while the characters still need to catch up. The thrill comes from knowing what the protagonists don’t, and wanting to yell at your TV because nobody’s communicating clearly, making everything worse for themselves.

I Came By tells a simple abduction story, but complicates itself through these interactions. We almost immediately know who the bad guy is, and we know that our heroes suspect him of foul play. The problem is that the villain is so deeply connected that he can get away with his crimes, and he does. We just need to wait it out so he can finally get caught and locked up for good. That’s the real mystery here: will he get away with it?

From Graffiti Tagging To Body Bagging 

I Came By is unique in the sense that it keeps changing its protagonist. First, we follow Toby Nealey (George MacKay), a 23-year-old activist who operates anonymously through silent protests. He breaks into wealthy households and tags “I CAME BY” in huge block letters as a way to let the upper class know they’re being watched, and whatever bad behavior they engage in behind closed doors has been clocked. Toby works alone now that his best friend Jay (Percelle Ascott) finds out he’s going to be a father with his girlfriend, Naz (Varada Sethu).

When Toby decides to raid the house of former Judge Sir Hector Blake (Hugh Bonneville), he informs Jay, but Jay wants nothing to do with it. He has priors and needs to stay on the straight and narrow so he can be a present father. At home, Toby’s relationship with his mother Lizzie (Kelly Macdonald) is volatile. She knows he’s getting himself into trouble and doesn’t approve of his late-night activities, which eventually leads to her kicking him out.

Toby is dead set on violating Hector’s privacy because he’s convinced that somebody so outwardly progressive must have skeletons in his closet. He learns the hard way that he’s right when he finds a hidden room in Hector’s basement where an emaciated young man is locked up. Given how worse for wear the prisoner is, it’s safe to say he’s been there for a very long time while Hector goes about his life as if nothing’s wrong.

Toby contacts the authorities, who investigate the house, but Hector is one step ahead. When Toby shows up again to free the prisoner, he’s apprehended by Hector, and it goes about as well as you’d expect. Lizzie, distraught over her son going missing and knowing he was targeting Hector, contacts Jay to see if he knows anything. Jay, not wanting to get involved, remains tight lipped but leaves clues for her to follow, which proves without a doubt that Hector was likely the last person to see Toby.

Not A Mystery, But A Solid, Straight-Up Thriller

My favorite aspect of I Came By is that there is no real mystery. As a viewer, you get a clear sense of what’s happening behind closed doors at Hector’s place. While he’s out playing cricket with his high-society peers, he feels comfortable making appearances because he knows the prison hidden in his basement is concealed well enough. His status as a former judge means he’s deeply connected and believes he’s above the law, so he operates without fear of suspicion. Toby knows this, Lizzie figures it out and goes missing, and Jay wants nothing to do with it until he realizes he has no choice but to step back in and try to find his friend and Lizzie, hoping they’re still alive.

It’s not Hector’s evil behavior or Toby’s predicament that drives the tension in I Came By, but how poorly everybody communicates. The police know something’s going on thanks to Toby reaching out before he disappeared, but they have no proof. Lizzie knows Jay is holding back, but Jay is trying to lay low with Naz so he can start a new life. Nobody speaks plainly, and it complicates everything, all while unthinkable horrors are happening in a hidden basement room behind a shelving unit.

When you fire up I Came By on Netflix, don’t expect a whodunit. You’ll be made aware of what Hector is up to before things really get going. But you’ll still find yourself on the edge of your seat as everyone who knows the truth tries to expose him, and that’s where the film thrives.