Plot
Nearing ‘late’ aged Barb is heading to lake in Minnesota during a horrible winter’s snow storm. She claims she is going there to fish, but ultimately she is there for something much more personal and tragic linked to her past.
She happens across the kidnapping of a young girl by a couple, and she starts to try to do what she can to save her.
Now she must fight against the elements, unable to call for help. Why are this couple doing this, and what is their ultimate goal?
Direction
Directed by seemingly usual television director Brian Kirk. He previously directed 21 Bridges in 2019
Cast
Emma Thompson plays Barb. Her character is born and raised in this environment, so naturally she is made to put on the accent (which sounds quite similar to characters in Fargo). Not being from this location myself I can’t confirm or deny how well she pulled this off…
Judy Greer plays the woman (credited as Purple Lady). The longer the film goes on the more you understand her motive (and how bat-shit crazy she is in order to follow through with it).
Marc Menchaca plays her husband who is credited as “Camo Jacket”.
Breakdown
The film begins setting a rather ‘cold’ tone – set in Minnestota during a terrible winter snow storm. You really do get a sense of how cold it is with how the characters are ‘rugged up’ throughout.
We meet a lone woman – who is trying to find her way to a lake for ‘some reason’. She is clearly an ‘active senior’ and we learn through a many series of flashbacks to her time with her husband. This includes their cute first date where he takes her ice fishing, to early in their marriage when they tragically lose a child during pregnancy, to his ill health and recent death.
Her melancholy really was quite touching, and was only strengthened by Thompson’s brilliant performance. It was also revealed well with tiny snippets thrown in throughout. The ending, reveals, Barb, has a hold on a tackle box that was gifted to her on their first date, actually holds the ashes of her late husband, who wants to be ‘laid to rest’.
On her travels she drives past a man who is seemingly ‘off’ – and she soon discovers that the man and a woman he is with (presumably his wife) have a young girl captive. Unable to call for help due to their location and lack of reception (and Barb’s hold onto old technology – still using a Nokia) means she must act herself.
We see that the woman ‘may be sick’ as one of her earliest scenes show her all bloodied. You even believe that the husband might be physically abusive, but it quickly shows that – she is ill, and she is the one wearing the pants in the family.
I loved the pairing of Greer and Menchaca, you really do believe them to be a married couple, and that she is really ready to do whatever it takes to get healthy. The reveal that she has kidnapped the girl in order to take her liver is brutal in itself, but the lengths she goes to go ahead with her plan is just plain sociopathic. Greer is just incredible here, and she can do whatever role is put to her.
The two and fro between the trio, where Barb traps Camo Jacket and causes him to fall into the lake, Barbs loss of her ring which Camo jacket gives back (showing he is an innocent victim in his wife’s plan) and then even Purple Lady killing her husband later in the film when his hypothermia slows her down).
The screenplay is solid too, as for quite a majority of Thompson’s time on screen is very low dialogue. As mentioned earlier, she is portraying a Minnesotan local, accent and all, so whether or not this was due to her inability (or ability? please let me know) to provide a sound accent.
There is some great practical effects, including moments where Barb ‘self surgeries’ herself following being shot by the Purple Woman.
The final showdown with Barb and Purple Woman is quite decent, with *** spoiler *** Barb sacrificing herself to save the day, and drag Purple Woman to the cold depths of the lake (and scatter her husband’s ashes at the same time). While poignant, it was a sad and shocking end to Barb’s story.
There is a terrific score by Volker Bertlemann, who I’ve come across a few times and love what he brings to his projects.
Overall
Solid thriller, with some great performances by the lead three. I love Judy Greer in all she does, and this is one of her best.
Barb’s entire arc involving her late husband is quite heartbreaking, and the finality of it is even more so.
A solid recommend.
4/5
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