In Cold Light’s best scene is a confrontation between Maika Monroe’s Ava and her father, Troy Kotsur’s Will. She, fresh out of prison and on the run from a crooked cop chasing her for a crime she didn’t commit, and he, bitter and resentful at his family being torn asunder, have the conversation that they should have had years before. The scene plays out nearly wordlessly as they speak in sign language, and as a result, the performances are almost entirely body language, facial expression, and tone. Standing opposite each other in Will’s backyard under motion-activated floodlights, one has to reach out every few minutes to make sure the light stays on so their connection stays open.
The scene is nearly funny, the kind of funny that comes from the small absurdities that happen in real life. Monroe and Kotsur are both incredible, each dedicated performers who put all of themselves into the roles. The relationship between these estranged family members works because you really believe in the history between them, despite it also being nearly entirely unspoken.
It’s a shame that, with one exception, the rest of the movie never really gains momentum.
Link: https://www.northernreel.ca/2026/02/in-cold-light-is-an-excellently-performed-average-film/
‘In Cold Light’ Is an Excellently Performed, Average Film | Northern Reel
