The Cold Light of Day

In my opinion, this is one of the better movies to come out of Europe in the past decade. The film's power lies not, like so many of its Hollywood counterparts, in bombastic displays of action and violence, but rather in a well balanced mix of superb character development and a thoughtful but well-paced plotline. The film functions on many levels and probes deeper into the minds of its characters than almost any other film I've seen.

First let me say that one thing I LOVED about this film was the use of sound to set the mood - not noise and music but common every day sounds - the clinking of glass, the slamming of a cell door, the creak of a windmill the squeak of a child's swing, tires on pavement on and on -- and in moments when they were magnified -- just brilliant use of the ordinary to create the extraordinary.

On the whole, I am usually not too taken with foreign made (outside the USA & Canada) films so went into this with the idea I'll give it a few minutes - it's free on Netflix so nothing ventured nothing gained. Not being familiar with any of the actors my first reaction to Swaziland born Grant was Milquetoast - however, his passion in the role and believability took me quite by surprise - effective as an obsessed investigator looking into the brutal murders of three young girls. When, in a game of political chess, the wrong man is accused and commits suicide, effectively closing the case to further investigation, he leaves the department and personally takes the investigation to surprising lengths. Soliciting the help of a psychologist and his access to computers, he narrows down a locale to ferret out the perpetrator. He meets a homeless young mother (outstanding acting by Lynsey Baxter (The French Lieutenant's Woman))and sets her up as his housekeeper secretly using the daughter (a young Perdita Weeks) as bait.

The story effectively plays his obsession with nailing the homicidal pedophile against his growing affection for both the mother and daughter and he does a fine job of drawing you in to the conflicting emotions while leaving you unsympathetic to his using a child as bait for a serial killer. The killer is really rather brilliantly (and sickeningly) portrayed by the late Simon Cadell - Nice character development and surprisingly good insight into how a pedophile sees the world - a struggling mom in a war torn region protecting the innocence of her child, a detective who cannot let go despite the potential for heartbreaking results, a brilliant serial killer, all make for an edge of your seat thriller for the most part. Hauntingly beautiful locales in he Czech Republic. Drags in a few places but well worth a watch.

In the countryside of an Eastern Europe country, three little girls are murdered in the wood by a pedophile and found naked with one precise cut on the throat. Detective Viktor Marek (Richard E. Grant), who has come from the city, investigates the case, but his superior Pavel Nowak (James Laurenson) arrests a scapegoat, the pothead Alexi Berka (Thom Hoffman), and tortures the youngster to confess the murder since he is disputing the elections. Marek does not agree with the result of the investigation and resigns his job but continues to track the killer. While following a lead in an old road, Marek meets the girl Anna Tatour (Perdita Weeks) that has a flat tire of her bicycle and he offers a ride in his car to the girl. Then, he tells to Anna's mother, Milena Tatour (Lynsey Baxter), that she should instruct her daughter to not accept ride from strangers.

Marek becomes obsessed to hunt down the pedophile and he decides to rent an old gas station in the old road near to the place where the crimes where committed to see the cars that use the road and he invites Milena to cook for him with the intention of secretly using Anna as a bait. Meanwhile the killer is the disturbed pediatrician Vladimir Kozant (Simon Cadell), who puts his eyes on Anna while refueling in the gas station. But Marek has fallen in love with Milena and Anna and he decides to call-off his investigation.

"The Cold Light of Day" is a great thriller with murder, pedophilia and obsession. Viktor Marek is an interesting character that becomes obsessed to accomplish his promise to the parents of a victim and changes his life expecting to catch the killer. Anna is a beautiful character, pure and traumatized by her past. In the end, "The Cold Light of Day" is a thriller recommended for viewers that want to see a different and quite unknown movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Isca Mortal" ("Mortal Bait")

A recently finished cop sets out to catch a child killer, using a very dubios and dangerous means.

I rather enjoyed this, it's a good solid thriller, with some good characters, and really fine acting.

Richard E Grant is excellent, as always as the troubled Detective, Simon Cadell is excellent as the criminal, I had no idea he appeared in films such as this, having been so used to watching him in Hi-de-hi.

There are a few plot holes, I don't think anyone could argue with that, would he really have taken such a drastic course of action, in such a secluded place. I'm not too sure, but it does add to the drama.

The ending is very good, and dramatic.

Enjoyable, 7/10.

Others that gave this film low ratings are SO missing out. The character development is superb, the acting compelling, and suspense palpable in parts. No, it doesnt have desperate, flashy attempts at getting your attention. It doesnt need them. The introduction of Perdita Weeks was brilliant. Please dont shy away due to the poor reviews sprinkled in among true and brutally honest reviews. This one will stick with you for a long time...and I guarantee you'll be talking back to the television when you grasp the gravity of the developing story. Maybe you'll zhout about it... but you'll be held captive by this film until the very end.