Rent The Dead of Winter (2025)

Solid Crime Thriller - The Dead of Winter review by GI

With this thriller we're in Fargo territory as Emma Thompson nails the Minnesota accent. She plays Barb, a kindly woman freshly widowed who heads out to a remote lake to scatter her husband ashes at the fishing site where they had their first date. But losing her way she stops at a remote cabin and disturbs a bizarre couple who have kidnapped a young girl. Without a phone signal and limited resources Barb decides she has to help the girl. This leads to a series of events as the nasty pair played by Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca try to deal with Barb as well as carry out their macabre plan involving the girl. It's an entertaining thriller with a first class lead performance from Thompson and whilst there are some plot holes this is a film that rattles along at a strong pace, has an alarming and twisted plot and a distinct chilly atmosphere. It's outrageously good fun.