“It is a visual feast. How much you enjoy this film will depend on how ready you are to leave your disbeliefs at the door. Go with the flow and you’ll feel the chills.”
Con Nats
3.5 Nokias
Emma Thompson returns to the screen looking older, wisened and in overalls instead of a gown. She’s really extending her range and accent starring in this thriller.
Barb (Emma Thompson) lives on her own in the middle of a snow laden forrest in Minnesota. She wants to do some ice fishing on the lake she had her first date with her late husband Carl. She stumbles on a couple of crazies who have kidnapped a young girl and are keeping her chained up in their cabin’s basement. They’re outside of the range her old Nokia can reach and her ute gets stuck. She’ll need to crack this one on her own.
This thriller is different in that both the protagonist and her main antagonist are women. Most of the men are props – the disposable foolish characters usually reserved for minorities.
Emma is on her own. She’s usually acting against the elements. Being an older woman Barb uses her smarts to fight back and at first her tactics are intriguing. But it doesn’t last long before the story reverts to type. The heavy background soundtrack telegraphs the punches.
Once the explanations surface, it becomes less convincing and there are some strange scenes. Why she stops to stitch up a wound with a rusty fish hook in the middle of a rescue is anyone’s guess. Why men point guns at an old lady pleading for help is another. In one almost comical scene with kidnap victim, Leah (Laurel Marsden), she tells a rambling grandfather story. Leah’s response is: “Is that it?” I’m not sure the comedy is intentional. The dialogue is good but the plot twists aren’t and some scenes feel added to get to 97 minutes.
I think Thompson was attracted by the depth her character has. Through flashbacks we see her regrets and need to help the young girl. And she didn’t want to miss out on having action hero on her CV. As always, she meets the challenge admirably, although comparisons to Frances in Fargo will arise.
Despite some implausible action and twists, this did have me tensing, squirming and cheering for the good guys. The casting is spot on, with Emma’s daughter, Gaia Wise, playing the younger Emma and Judy Greer has fun as the drug addled crazy lady. Marc Menchaca is convincing as the partner in crime.
This was done on a tight budget and the big sweeping scenic shots give it a grander view. It is a visual feast. How much you enjoy this film will depend on how ready you are to leave your disbeliefs at the door. Go with the flow and you’ll feel the chills.
3.5 Nokias
Con Nats, On The Screen
