Phil Sheerin’s The Winter Lake is an agrestic thriller that is appealingly small-scale and exceedingly grim. Taking place in isolation, the characters aimlessly wander their external grounds and internal plight, only to find themselves confronting an unspeakable truth that’ll cause many of them to turn to violence.
Elaine (Charlie Murphy) and her son Tom (Anson Boon) have recently moved to a secluded farmhouse in rural Ireland. They are an undeniably unusual mother-son pair, mainly because Elaine looks young enough to be Tom’s sister and Elaine blames Tom for their abrupt move to the farmhouse. The reasons for relocating are never directly specified, and Tom’s capricious behavior does little to make it a smooth transition. Elaine and Tom’s relationship is extremely dysfunctional as seen by their rancorous interactions. When exploring his new surroundings around a lake, Tom stumbles upon a sack concealing the bones of a human baby. Tom is horrified yet intrigued enough to take the sack with him for safekeeping.
While the relationship between Elaine and Tom is already incredibly complicated, their neighbors, Ward (Michael McElhatton) and his teenage daughter Holly (Emma Mackey from the hit Netflix series Sex Education) harbor secrets and dysfunctionalities that have fractured their relationship irrevocably. After Holly uncovers evidence of Tom’s horrific discovery, she spends more time with him, nudging him into the truth. After taking the time to digest the truth, Tom and Holly set a plan into motion, leading to a violent confrontation with Ward.
A Somber Tale Of Familial Unrest
The Winter Lake begins with a poetic shot of a young man drowning in a lake. Whether it is foreshadowing a tragic fate or depicting how a central character is being weighed down by some internal struggle, the opening shot fosters a sepulchral tone which is subsequently intensified by the discovery of baby remains. Clearly, Phil Sheerin is striving for complete and utter misery — and he mostly succeeds in nurturing a relentlessly somber mood in large part due to Ruairi O’Brien’s caliginous cinematography and August Murphy-King’s tense score.
Elaine and Tom are both emotionally wounded characters looking for a fresh start in a remote, georgic town in Ireland. Instead of focusing on Elaine’s tumultuous past with men, Tom’s erratic ebullitions of anger and violence are interestingly foregrounded, as well as his finding of the human baby which startles him to the core.
It isn’t long before Elaine and Tom meet their neighbors, Ward and Holly. Incipiently, Tom is attracted to Holly’s laid-back attitude but is seemingly threatened by her boyfriend Col (Mark McKenna). When Holly finds out that Tom unearthed the baby’s remains, she seems suspiciously drawn to him. The same can be said with Elaine and Ward. At the outset, Elaine is flirting with Ward, but she steadily notices a few red flags. Ward is possessive of his daughter, often giving her undesired attention. And the toxic relationship between Ward and Holly is revealed sooner rather than later which, in turn, exposes Holly’s ulterior motive earlier than expected.
Since the mystery behind the baby is not exactly a mystery per se, The Winter Lake alternates between drama and horror, anticipating the inevitable but at a ponderous pace. David Turpin’s script develops strange family dynamics that warrant further exploration. Elaine and Tom’s relationship is messy and unpredictable. At many points throughout, Elaine condemns her son for past actions and questions her ability to deal with him, but her unconditional love for him shows in slight bursts. Ward and Holly’s relationship is just as intricate. Even so, the execution is lacking in emotional impact, a problem that likely arises as a result of labored pacing and partial characterization.
Riveting Performances Sustain Intrigue
The Winter Lake is not always structurally compelling. However, the film is atmospherically rich with unease and murk. Hypnotic close-ups lean into Tom’s menacing face, closely observing Tom as he gradually succumbs to his belligerent propensities. Unfussy wide shots beautifully encompass the sylvan scenery and picturesque farmhouse. Paired with Emma Lowney’s quaint production design, Ruairi O’Brien’s cinematography helps kindle an aura of melancholy that coexists naturally with the miserable characters.
Charlie Murphy delivers a modestly powerful performance as Elaine that brims with stifled anguish. But it is Anson Boon’s eerie performance that stands out the most because of Tom’s rum stillness and unyielding gaze, both of which apply a tempting varnish of inscrutability. Emma Mackey assumes a moody bearing, portraying Holly as a troubled character who manipulates Tom, another troubled character. While Tom and Holly have their indelible internal scars, they are bereft of any empathy. But perhaps the lack of empathy and concern is a deliberate choice to emphasize the sheer despair saturating the film through its perfidious and volatile batch of characters.
Regardless of leaden pacing, the engaging performances and the overarching dread are enough to keep patient viewers invested. While characteristically slow and murky, The Winter Lake yields a conclusion that overflows with palpable tension while exhibiting the possibility of re-establishing a familial connection.
The Winter Lake: Conclusion
Phil Sheerin’s The Winter Lake is a sedate, rustic thriller examining familial complexities. While underdeveloped and sluggish in approach, the stellar performances, dismal atmosphere, and a satisfying conclusion keep the film afloat.
Have you seen The Winter Lake? If not, are you interested in seeing it now? Let us know in the comments!
The Winter Lake was released on video-on-demand on March 9, 2021.
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