Some ghost stories are frightening because of what they show you, but “It’s Coming” is unsettling for what it leaves you wondering.
Director Shannon Alexander’s documentary follows Ashley Roland-White, a wife and mother of five who claims (with an utmost sincerity) she has been tormented by supernatural entities since childhood. After returning to her family’s ancestral apartment in Brooklyn, she begins experiencing disturbing events at home, and soon her children appear to be experiencing them, too. As the incidents escalate, Ashley turns to paranormal investigators, mediums and demonologists for help.
The film’s raw, intimate approach is particularly effective. The shaky cameras, shadowy corners and unnerving audio recordings create an atmosphere that feels uncomfortably close. There’s no need for an oversized orchestral score when a strange thump in the next room or a playback of an unexplained sound can do the job. The visits from various paranormal investigators add another layer of unease, and many of these moments are designed to get under your skin.
I appreciated the film’s focus on a Black family navigating experiences that are difficult to explain and even harder to discuss openly. Questions of faith, cultural beliefs, mental health and the stigma surrounding the supernatural give the story a perspective that feels distinct from the usual parade of haunted houses and ghost hunters. At its heart is a mother trying desperately to protect her children from something she cannot see or control. That fear feels real, whatever you make of its cause.
Of course, belief plays a big part in how well the film will work for you (or not). The family comes across as sincere, but the supposed evidence (suspiciously grainy footage, static and vague noises) is often too ambiguous to settle anything. Skeptics may find themselves rolling their eyes where believers might be chilled to the bone. And while the film’s fly on the wall style suits its subject, Alexander spends so much time documenting paranormal incidents that we learn surprisingly little about the family beyond their paranormal distress.
“It’s Coming” has an unsettling honesty that sets it apart. It doesn’t need to convince you that ghosts are real to make you feel the weight of a family living in fear. If you believe in the paranormal, this one may keep you up at night. Even if you don’t, it’s still a disturbing portrait of a mother searching for answers when the safety of her own home no longer feels guaranteed.
By: Louisa Moore
