IN COLD LIGHT: 3 STARS. “enough style to transcend its pulpy roots.”
SYNOPSIS: In the crime drama “In Cold Blood,” starring Maika Monroe and Troy Kotsur, and now playing in theatres, a woman, fresh out of prison, is forced to go on the run when she witnesses a murder.
CAST: Maika Monroe, Troy Kotsur, Helen Hunt, Allan Hawco. Directed by Maxime Giroux.
REVIEW: The low-key English language debut of director Maxime Giroux, “In Cold Light” benefits from a steady hand on the wheel, and (eventually) pedal to the metal pacing.
Set mostly on one event filled night, Maika Monroe plays Ava, a felon fresh out of the joint after a drug bust. When her plan to go straight by cleaning out stalls for rodeo-riding father Will (Troy Kotsur) doesn’t work out, she is determined to reclaim her place in the drug business she left behind, now being run by twin brother Tom (Jesse Irving).
When a deal goes south, she witnesses a murder and is framed for the crime by corrupt cops and a cold-blooded rival in the form of drug lord Claire (Helen Hunt). To survive Ava—and a family secret—hoof it as her enemies close in.
“In Cold Light” takes few minutes to kick in.
Giroux takes his time with the set-up, establishing the family dynamics and Ava’s outsider status as she returns to a world and a business that is much different than the one she left behind. Once the stakes have been established, “In Cold Blood” proves itself to be a generic, but effective and stylish (thanks to cinematographer Sara Mishara) neo-noir.
Best known as a scream queen in films like “Longlegs” and “It Follows,” Munroe is a big reason “In Cold Light” remains compelling. Steely but vulnerable, she is given room in the sparse script to explore Ava’s physical and emotional sides. Ava begins as a gritty, mysterious character but slowly transcends the cliches of the crime thriller genre to become worthy of sympathy even as her behavior escalates.
As Ava’s father Will, Oscar winner Kotsur adds to the film’s emotional sweepstakes.
“In Cold Light” is a moody thriller that is a little light on memorable situations or characters—save for Ava and Will—but at a tight 93 minutes, it delivers enough style to transcend its pulpy roots.
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