Midwinter Break Review

There’s a pretty good short subject in Midwinter Break that’s trying to get out. Throughout Polly Findlay’s film, there’s an elephant in the room. It isn’t acknowledged until the final act, however. The payoff isn’t quite worth the slow burn, even with a runtime of only 90 minutes. By the time we find out what the film has been building to, we’re left asking, “That’s it?” Midwinter Break touches upon heavy themes regarding faith, marriage, and loss. Yet, it doesn’t have anything especially profound to say about any of the above.

Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hinds breathe life into this sedated marriage story as Stella and Gerry. Both turn in authentic performances as an aging couple who are somewhere between still being in love and falling out of love. Stella is leaning toward the latter as she contemplates what she’s done with her life and if there’s still time to do more. Stella is also haunted by a traumatic experience from her past that she believes had a miraculous outcome. Gerry doesn’t quite see it as a miracle.

Uncertain where to turn, Stella considers looking to the Church, but nobody seems to be listening. As Stella bottles up her feelings, Gerry drowns his in a bottle. The two try to leave their problems behind on a holiday to Amsterdam, although their baggage inevitably follows. Much of this is gotten across within the first half of Midwinter Break. The film drags its heels, though, with a series of drawn-out scenes that aren’t especially integral to the plot or visually interesting. They simply exist to bad out the runtime.

Nick Payne co-wrote the screenplay with Bernard MacLaverty, the latter of whom also wrote the novel that Midwinter Break is based on. Admittedly, I haven’t read it. Watching the film, though, you get the sense that this story likely worked much better on the printed page. Books are ideal for stories that revolve around eternal struggles. That’s not to say such stories can’t work in a visual medium like film. You at least get the sense that director Polly Findlay is trying to show rather than tell here. There isn’t much to show, however.

Midwinter Break doesn’t really come to life until the final thirty minutes or so. This leads to a powerful monologue from Manville, who once again demonstrates why she’s one of our most underrated veteran actresses. Yes, she has numerous accolades, but she deserves more. Hinds also does well in a final confrontation where Gerry and Stella say what’s on their minds. There’s no true resolution, though. Ambiguous endings can be thought-provoking, but Midwinter Break didn’t leave you thinking about relationships, religion, or the roads not taken. It just has you questioning why this story was worth telling. Had the film been trimmed down by an hour and delivered a more satisfying ending, this could’ve been a solid short elevated by the performances from Manville and Hinds. As a feature, it’s a trip that isn’t especially worth taking.