E105 | I came by (movie)

<p><br></p><p>The latest film from Netflix, <em>I Came By </em>is a <strong>home invasion crime thriller</strong> with a fair amount of pedigree. It has a good British cast, a good director (Babak Anvari, the British-Iranian filmmaker behind <em>Under the Shadow </em>and <em>Wounds</em>) and a plot that features an interrogation of elitism and a lot of twists. Yet its release has flown under the radar. It reminded me a lot of how Netflix handled Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s <em>Bigbug</em>, which was very interesting but ultimately buried by the streamer because of how ‘out-there’ it was. Is <em>I Came By</em> just as interesting? Yes – at least for most of its runtime.</p><p>In London, Toby (George MacKay) and Jay (Percelle Ascott) are <strong>graffiti writers who target the wealthy elite</strong>. Together, they hack into their security systems, break into their penthouse apartments and scribble a message onto their walls: ‘I Came By.’ It acts as a warning, designed to make their victims uncomfortable and inspire everyone else to fight this unbalanced system of wealth. Their next target is Hector Blake (Hugh Bonneville), a respected judge who has recently resigned after 30 years. Noted for helping refugees and asylum seekers, he has been given the nickname ‘Saint Blake.’ But Toby is convinced something sinister is lurking beneath the surface – linked to the long line of colonisers in Blake’s family history.</p><p>However, at the same time, Jay wants out. His girlfriend Naz (Varada Sethu) is pregnant, and he truly wants to be a father. After all, Jay has been to prison before, and he doesn’t want to put Naz or his child in any jeopardy. So an annoyed Toby decides to do the mission alone, breaking into Blake’s home one night. And then, he hears some rattling noises from the basement. What is Blake hiding down there? Whatever it is, it shocks Toby to the core, and he ends up seeking a way to bring down Blake once and for all.</p><p><br></p><p>Saying anything more about <em>I Came By</em>, including the secret of