"Emma Thompson shines in 'The Dead Of Winter' - a conventional thriller that is rescued by her stellar performance"
In the heart of a severe Minnesotan blizzard, Emma Thompson delivers a captivating performance as Barb, a widowed fisherwoman turned unlikely hero in The Dead of Winter (2025). The film, directed by Brian Kirk and produced by Stampede Ventures and Augenschein Filmproduktion, follows Barb's transformation from a grieving and isolated woman into a courageous fighter trying to save a captive teenager amidst treacherous conditions.
Plot
Barb, mourning the loss of her husband, is fishing in the frozen wilderness when she stumbles upon a young woman imprisoned by an armed couple involved in a kidnapping. Trapped in the blizzard without phone service and far from help, Barb becomes the only hope for the girl's survival. She must rely on her grit and resourcefulness to navigate this perilous situation.
Production
Kirk, known for directing 21 Bridges (2019), returns to the big screen with The Dead of Winter. The film's screenplay was written by Nicholas Jacobson-Larson and Dalton Leeb. Thompson also served as an executive producer on the film. The cast includes Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca, Laurel Marsden, and Thompson's daughter, Gaia Wise.
Reception
Critics have praised Thompson's performance, with Variety's Jessica Kiang describing her portrayal as "a sturdy portrait of grace clad in a sensible, fleece-lined overcoat of gumption." The film's pacy approach, as directed by Kirk, is also noted, along with the attractive cinematography, particularly during a full-throttle, elemental showdown on the lake.
The Dead of Winter is set for release in the U.K. and Ireland through Vertigo Releasing on September 26, 2025, and will be released by Vertical in North America this autumn. International sales for the film can be made through North.Five.Six ([email protected]) and Augenschein Sales ([email protected]).
Key Scenes
After the young woman is captured, Barb retraces her steps back to the cabin and finds her tied up in a basement. Barb goes to a ramshackle cabin to ask for directions and finds a patch of "deer" blood outside, indicating danger. Barb also encounters the young woman trying to escape her kidnapper, who is the cabin's occupant.
Behind the Scenes
The film's production design was handled by David Hindle, while Tim Murrel took care of the editing. Brian Kirk, who has also directed episodes of The Day Of The Jackal and Luther, helms the project. The music for The Dead of Winter was composed by Volker Bertelmann.
The villain's backstory is negligible, but it is known that she is desperate, dependent on fentanyl, and ready to kill. The main cast includes Thompson, Greer, Menchaca, Marsden, Wise, Cuan Hosty-Blaney, Dalton Leeb, Paul Hamilton, Lloyd Hutchinson, and Brian F. O'Byrne.
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