Photo via AP News
By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Ever been stuck at an airport waiting to start your vacation only to be interminably delayed, and the excruciating slowing of time makes every minute feel like an hour? Well, that is this movie. “Midwinter Break” is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Irish author Bernard MacLaverty, and if this film is any indication, then you’re better off finding excitement from reading an encyclopedia. One thing is for sure; retirement has never looked duller and more unappealing.
Stella (Lesley Manville) and Gerry (Ciarán Hinds) are an old married Irish couple living out their days in Scotland ever since a traumatic act of violence forced them to vacate Ireland decades ago. Faced with the monotony of their daily lives and looming mortality, Stella plans a life-changing holiday to Amsterdam for them. Hoping to reignite their marriage and bring purpose to her life, Stella turns to her Catholic faith while Gerry turns to his familiar friend, the bottle.
Let’s start with the positives, and that are the character driven performances from two Oscar nominated veterans, Lesley Manville (“Phantom Thread”) and Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”). Manville, an English born actress, beautifully shows the inner torment of Irish Catholic guilt as she fills her character with a strong sense of urgency to fulfill a promise she made many years ago before her time on this planet ends. This mentality drives her character to make reckless decisions and takes her out of her comfort zone to find purpose for her life. Manville also perfectly conveys equal parts of love and derision for her husband, befitting their characters’ longstanding, stagnant marriage.
Irish veteran Ciarán Hinds eloquently conveys his character’s contentment with routine, happy to live life exactly the same way day in and day out while supplying minimal effort to maintain a healthy marriage. He realistically depicts alcoholism in a more functional way as a harmless, happy drunk that makes it more palatable for Manville’s character to accept. As Manville expresses her unhappiness after years of suppression, Hinds displays this sad, relatable confusion with his character, letting alcohol drown his self-loathing.
This is the feature film debut for director Polly Findlay, who has received critical acclaim for her work in theater. Transitioning from stage to screen proves to be overly difficult for Polly as she neglects to provide enough substance for the narrative of this film, relying strictly on the nuances of human behavior. The themes of faith, long-term relationships, and the ordinary are not enough to spark interest without even a little spice of melodrama. Findlay simply leads audiences on this straight and narrow path, giving them very little material along the way interesting enough to make them want to continue this journey. By the time she answers the question, what is the point of this movie, most viewers are already checked out or asleep, and the few still invested become sorely disappointed in her answer.
As a result, the pacing of the film is utterly atrocious, making the 90-minute film feel twice as long. The sluggish pacing is worsened by how completely uneventful Findlay makes a trip to Amsterdam feel. The characters’ sightseeing involves touring a secret Catholic church that was a haven for women hundreds of years ago and an assortment of nondescript cafes and pubs. Only the scene involving the Anne Frank museum is heavy enough to warrant any interest. Findlay seems content to prove what everyone already knows, it sucks to get old.
Despite the two stellar performances and their incredible non-verbal communication, this movie is a complete snoozer that saps audience energy. “Midwinter Break” is like an overly long episode of “Seinfeld,” minus the comedy. As these characters attempt to find a more meaningful purpose for their lives, you will correspondingly reflect on a better use of your time than sitting through this anguishing boredom.
This movie earns:
