Dead of Winter

Wasn't expecting a Fargo-esque film from Emma Thompson, but I hope she does more like it. The casting and acting all around matched the stark, brutal environment perfectly. I could physically feel the dead air and exhaustion. There were moments where I thought the writing took a dip in quality, but for the story as a whole, it all worked out alright. The pacing was a little slow, although the stellar directing and superb dialogue made up for it. The emotional pulls worked wonders too. All in all, it's probably more of a one-time watch, still an enjoyable one though.

Not bad, a decent watch, and I must say the real reason to watch this is honest intense performances from the full cast. This ensemble really nails every bit of what they’re doing. Would recommend just to appreciate strong acting in an otherwise simple moderately generic thriller.

Emma Thompson’s performance here is amazing and you can feel her struggle through the screen. The icy and desolate atmosphere feel almost as an additional character in the film. It’s cliched but was done well, very suspenseful.

7

It was ok

Good watch

Always love the work of Emma T. and especially enjoyed hearing her Minnesotan accent and seeing her take on a McGyveresque solution to each new situation. That said, the plot was pretty unbelievable and relied heavily on gratuitous violence. Thumbs up for Emma, beautiful Finnish setting, and a nod to the resilient Norwegian ancestors who brought us so many great traditions and stories.