In Cold Light: An Icy Expression of Hollow Storytelling

Making his English-language feature debut, writer-director Maxime Giroux’s In Cold Light is a frigid crime tale, highlighting rural Alberta, Canada and the criminal underbelly that’s camouflaged into the background. Tackling Patrick Whistler’s screenplay, he attempts to elevate a hollow story by establishing the dark atmosphere that leaves our troubled characters alone within its quaint small town setting. Led by Maika Monroe, a familiar face that is no stranger to the indie scene, she plays Ava, a character who must survive the night running through its streets.

Ava is quickly established as a key player in this small-town drug ring, until a police raid just as easily snatches it away, leaving her to take the fall in a grounded chase sequence that will leave audiences just as visibly frustrated with her predicament as she was. Two years following her jail stint, she returns home on a mission to reclaim her key role in the drug trade. Easier said than done, as we meticulously – perhaps even tediously – see her work at the Ponoka Stampede as a means to scrape by, all while dealing with her resentful father Will (Kotsur), and relentlessly trying to convince her twin brother Tom (Jesse Irving) to let her back into the business. Monroe effectively exudes the malcontent, bitterness that would frustrate anyone in this situation, even personifying the audience’s opinion towards the shallow character development throughout the film.

Tom gives Ava the opportunity to become involved in the business again, as they decide to go on a drug run one night. When an unfortunate encounter with corrupt cop Bob Whyte (Hawco) goes south, she is forced to go on the run to survive after being framed for a murder that she didn’t commit. Dealing with bumps and bruises as she navigates through streets, homes, and hospitals, Bob is hot on her trail as she trudges through as painfully as audiences deal with this agonizing pace. Canadian audiences may recognize Hawco as the titular character in CBC’s Republic of Doyle. Unfortunately, Hawco delivers a muddled performance that can’t quite elevate the haziness of his written character, often adding to the relatable irritation that Ava feels when she continuously crosses paths with him.

Ava’s conversations with her distant father are where the film’s emotional core truly takes shape, as unearthed truths and admitted regrets carry this father-daughter relationship into a new light. Elevated by Monroe’s portrayed agitation through Ava’s pleas for understanding and Kotsur’s gut-wrenching showcase of Will’s internal turmoil, In Cold Light finds its emotional footing amongst Ava’s long journey of cold survival. Ava understands what needs to be done, as she must face crime boss Claire (Helen Hunt) to protect her family and clear her name. However, Claire’s brief, indifferent handling of the film’s climax heavily impedes the film’s pacing, leaving audiences with a dreary confrontation that even Monroe and Hunt aren’t able to enrich this hollow screenplay.

Evident that this character-driven story falls heavily on a rudimentary screenplay, any redeeming quality falls heavily on the cast who attempt to elevate the material to varying degrees of success – and – Giroux, who has to muster together a sense of style that aims to distinguish this crime thriller from the next. In Cold Light shows glimmers of poetic, visual storytelling through Ava’s dreams of her mother and the future, while cinematographer Sara Mishara skillfully captures it throughout the film’s rustic Alberta setting. However, Giroux’s efforts aren’t enough to compensate for Whistler’s underdeveloped take of a crime thriller.

still courtesy of Elevation Pictures

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Costa Christoulas

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