Beauty In The Cold
Based on the play "Killers" by Armento, and the 2019 short film of the same name, this film is about isolation, and the adverse effects that prolonged loneliness may have on someone. Fran, played by famed English actress Daisy Ridley, is our vehicle through the every day life of a young woman commanded by isolation and entrenched with dark thoughts.
We observe Fran's world as she exists within it - as a figurative ghost, somberly floating through life's mundanity. Life sort of happens around Fran, like she is transparent, or an inanimate figure that is only ornamental to the lives of her peers. The introduction of her love interest, Robert, played by Dave Merheje, is slow, and the bond that is fostered is subdued, almost translucent. The script and direction handles this frailty and understated life change with the delicacy of a small animal in your palms - the transformation that occurs through the awkward, stumbling feat of getting to know someone sends both Fran and Robert into a journey of self reflection and growth. I would also be remisce to not mention Marcia Debonis's Carol, whose candor is magnetic and wholesome.
The art direction of this film is brutally cold - not a hint of warmth is felt for most of the runtime, which reflects Iran's state of being, even after the fateful joining. This almost makes the movie's pace feel like wet cement, adding to the weight of the already palpable depression. Even the small sparks of levity that come from this artful rom-com fizzle out without creating much light.
This film certainly has something to say, which becomes most apparent during its seemingly ambiguous ending, though I don't think the goal was to leave us wiser, more empathetic, or even happy. It creates an experience for us - one in which we have found ourselves being Fran, Robert, or those who populate their lives. This is this film's special power, and there is undeniable beauty in the frost.
We observe Fran's world as she exists within it - as a figurative ghost, somberly floating through life's mundanity. Life sort of happens around Fran, like she is transparent, or an inanimate figure that is only ornamental to the lives of her peers. The introduction of her love interest, Robert, played by Dave Merheje, is slow, and the bond that is fostered is subdued, almost translucent. The script and direction handles this frailty and understated life change with the delicacy of a small animal in your palms - the transformation that occurs through the awkward, stumbling feat of getting to know someone sends both Fran and Robert into a journey of self reflection and growth. I would also be remisce to not mention Marcia Debonis's Carol, whose candor is magnetic and wholesome.
The art direction of this film is brutally cold - not a hint of warmth is felt for most of the runtime, which reflects Iran's state of being, even after the fateful joining. This almost makes the movie's pace feel like wet cement, adding to the weight of the already palpable depression. Even the small sparks of levity that come from this artful rom-com fizzle out without creating much light.
This film certainly has something to say, which becomes most apparent during its seemingly ambiguous ending, though I don't think the goal was to leave us wiser, more empathetic, or even happy. It creates an experience for us - one in which we have found ourselves being Fran, Robert, or those who populate their lives. This is this film's special power, and there is undeniable beauty in the frost.
- steveinrowg
- Mar 16, 2024