Anti-Spoiler Trailer Preview | Gone In the Night
Looking for a spoiler-free peek at Gone in the Night? This custom-cut trailer gives you tone and tension, without revealing what’s really going on. Perfect for those who prefer to experience the twists as they come.
This special cut of the Gone in the Night trailer avoids major plot points. Here are a few moments from the opening lines to set the mood:
“We should take a little trip — just the two of us.”
“Why is there another car here?”
“Already dark… no hotels for like 100 miles.”
That’s all you get, no reveals, no twists. Watch it below if you’re trailer-curious but spoiler-averse.
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Film Data
- Film Title: Gone in the Night (2022)
- Cast: Winona Ryder, John Gallagher Jr., Owen Teague, Brianne Tju, Dermot Mulroney
- Director: Eli Horowitz
- Writers: Matthew Derby, Eli Horowitz
- Distribution: Vertical Entertainment
- Production: Hantz Motion Pictures, XYZ Films
- Release Date: July 15, 2022 (USA)
- Review by: Mother of Movies
There’s a unique, modern dread that comes with booking a stranger’s remote cabin online. You’re putting your faith in a few well-lit photos and a profile that says “Superhost,” hoping you don’t end up the opening scene of a true-crime documentary. Gone in the Night takes this baseline anxiety. Then it mixes it with the quiet panic of aging, and shakes it into a strange, uneven cocktail of a thriller that is, if nothing else, certainly memorable.
Winona Ryder stars as Kath, a woman who looks in the rearview mirror and sees the roadmap of her life staring back. She’s with Max (John Gallagher Jr.), her younger, terminally hip boyfriend. Their weekend getaway to a secluded cabin immediately sours when they find it double-booked by Al (Owen Teague) and Greta (Brianne Tju), a Gen-Z couple radiating chaotic energy. After an awkward, booze-fueled decision to share the space for one night, Kath wakes up to find that Max and Greta have vanished seemingly into thin air. This leaves Kath with the devastating explanation that they’ve run off together.
A Ghosting or Something Far More Sinister?
What follows is not so much a desperate search for a lost love as it is a dogged pursuit for answers. Kath can’t accept she’s been unceremoniously ghosted. Her sleuthing skills lead her to the cabin’s owner, the enigmatic and charmingly reclusive Barlow (Dermot Mulroney). Together, they form an unlikely detective duo, piecing together the events of that night.
The film leans heavily on a fractured narrative structure, constantly jumping back in time to show us Max’s perspective. This use of a disrupted chronology is meant to build suspense, revealing puzzle pieces one by one. Like when a politician selectively releases documents to control a story. We see Max’s insecurities and his attempts to connect with the younger couple, while the simmering resentment builds in his relationship with Kath. All before he mysteriously disappears.
The performances are the film’s strongest asset. Winona Ryder is always great. The story has a relatable weariness; she’s not a damsel in distress but a woman tired of being undervalued. Her determination feels authentic. Dermot Mulroney, meanwhile, slips into the role of Barlow with a disarming ease. He’s the quiet intellectual running a humble business, a facade that lulled both Kath and me into a false sense of security. Even if only momentarily.
However, the film’s reliance on flashbacks becomes a crutch that ultimately hobbles its pacing. Instead of allowing tension to build organically, the narrative constantly hits the brakes to show us another piece of backstory. While these scenes fill in the gaps, they also drain the present-day mystery of its immediacy. It’s a classic case of telling instead of showing. By the time the film reaches its climax, the slow-burning suspense has fizzled into a lukewarm simmer, which left me more curious than concerned.
Gone in the Night is an entertaining ride with a destination that will leave many baffled. It’s a film that bravely swings for the fences with its high-concept finale but doesn’t quite connect. It’s a mediocre but watchable thriller that serves as a grim reminder: always read the reviews before you book, whether it’s an Airbnb or a new relationship.
Gone in the Night is rated
3 Questionable life choices out of 5
Midlife Crisis Meets Bio-Horror
Gone in the Night starts as a familiar “cabin in the woods” thriller but swerves hard into a suprise twist. Ryder’s performance is the highlight, but the film’s wild tonal shift may leave you with whiplash.
The Cast of Gone in the Night
Distribution by Vertical Entertainment. Production Companies: BoulderLight Pictures, MM2 Asia, Post Film, SSS Entertainment
The film was released on July 15th in cinemas in the USA. For more options on where to watch Gone in the Night, see the link below
Filmmaker Stamp
In his directorial debut, Eli Horowitz shows a clear talent for establishing an unsettling atmosphere and drawing nuanced performances from his veteran actors. The film’s initial slow-burn tension is effective, showcasing a patient hand. However, the script, which he co-wrote with Matthew Derby, struggles with narrative cohesion, particularly in bridging the gap between its grounded first two acts and its wildly high-concept finale. This debut suggests a filmmaker with bold ideas, but one who may still be refining the craft of seamlessly executing them.
Post-Production Buzz & Trivia
Upon its release, Gone in the Night (originally titled The Cow, a much more on-the-nose hint at the ending) divided critics. Most praised Winona Ryder’s central performance, but many were thrown by the film’s sharp turn into sci-fi body horror. This genre-bending aspect became the film’s primary talking point, with discussions online centering on whether the audacious twist worked or completely derailed the narrative. The film has since found a spot in the niche category of “Airbnb horror,” a subgenre reflecting the anxieties of the gig economy and the potential dangers of trusting strangers.
Hit the Arrow for Spoilers
The Gone in the Night Movie Ending Explained, Spoilers
So, About That Ending…
This is where Gone in the Night takes a sharp turn from a standard mystery into something profoundly strange. After discovering that Al is actually Barlow’s son, Kath uncovers the grotesque truth: Barlow doesn’t have a rare genetic disease. He’s found a twisted fountain of youth, and Max is “The Cow,” unwillingly donating his blood in a makeshift lab to keep Barlow young and vital. The whole affair, the double booking, the seduction, the disappearance, was an elaborate trap orchestrated by Barlow and his disciples, Al and Greta, who believed this vampiric procedure would save their patriarch.
The final act is a jarring, almost comical, pivot into body-horror territory. The revelation is so outlandish that it feels ripped from an entirely different movie. One with a much darker, more satirical bent. Kath, in a moment of sharp survival instinct, turns the tables by convincing Barlow she wants in. She sets up the unstable Greta to be the next blood bag. Then, she escapes, locking the whole dysfunctional cult in their own sterile prison. The film ends on an ambiguous note, with Kath contemplating her next move. Does she call the police, or does she keep the secret of eternal youth for herself?
The implication is that the allure is too strong to ignore. It’s a cynical but fitting commentary on a society obsessed with cheating death. While the twist is super unexpected, its execution feels rushed and underdeveloped. It leaves a trail of plot holes and a sense of “wait, that’s it?”
At the end of Gone in the Night, Kath is shown in a state of deliberation. Should she turn them all in or keep the cure for herself? She stays. This implies that the possibility of staying young is still on the table.
If you liked Gone in the Night, you might also like:
- Barbarian (2022): Another Airbnb-nightmare film that starts as a thriller before descending into absolute, unpredictable horror.
- Push (2025): A woman heads to a remote deceased estate and realises there’s a reason no one has been able to sell it.
- The Invitation (2015): A slow-burn cult classic, where a dinner party gradually reveals a sinister agenda.
- 1BR Apartment (2019): A young girl moves out of home to prove she can make it on her own.
- Bone Lake (2025): A couple arrives at a beautiful lakeside estate, only to discover another couple is there too.
Gone in the NIght
Director: Eli Horowitz
Date Created: 2022-02-03 14:48
3
Pros
- Winona Forever. Ryder perfectly channels exhaustion obeing a responsible adult in a crisis.
- Airbnb Anxiety. Weaponizes the universal fear.
- Twist and Shout. A welcome departure from predictable thriller endings.
- Deviously Dermot. Mulroney’s rom-com charm creates a unique villain.
- Subverting Scorn. Trades the tired "woman scorned" revenge fantasy for a hero seeking answers.
Cons
- Genre Whiplash. Abruptly shifts from a tense thriller to Black Mirror episode.
- Flashback Fatigue. Overused flashbacks kill forward momentum.
- Logic is Optional. The twist creates getaway-car-sized plot holes.
- Gen-Zombies. The younger cast are walking clichés, serving as plot devices.
- The Un-Ending. Sacrifices a satisfying conclusion for a cynical shrug.
