Minnesota is lovely, but damn it gets cold! In director Brian Kirk’s new thriller, Barb (Emma Thompson) gets lost among backroads near a Minnesotan lake and stops for help at a remote cabin in the woods. Here she discovers a young woman (Laurel Marsden) kidnapped by a desperate couple (Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca) who are armed and intent on murder. Isolated and without cell service, this unlikely hero realizes she is the woman’s only hope of survival.
The plot sounds intense, right? That’s because it is. And here to discuss the movie magic, harsh realities, and brilliance of Dead of Winter are Emma Thompson (Cruella, Nanny McPhee, Sense and Sensibility) and Judy Greer (Jawbreaker, The Long Walk, 27 Dresses), who play Barb, a widow on a mission to spread her late husband’s ashes, and Purple Lady, an ailing and desperate woman on the verge of death, respectively.
While speaking with Emma, we discussed Barb’s survival instinct, tenacity, and resourcefulness throughout the mission. We touch on the film’s harsh weather and discover how the cast and crew kept warm during such a frigid shoot. We also discuss Emma’s desire to become an executive producer on the project and what motivated her to get involved from the ground up.
Speaking with Judy, we discuss her not-so-subtle makeup, the brilliance of practical effects artists, and her character’s gradual deterioration throughout the film. We also discuss mental preparedness for filming in such extreme conditions, and the warmth that comes from filming with a small cast.
While not perfect, Dead of Winter is a hell of a ride. My attention was rapt throughout the film’s entirety, and Thompson’s performance is arresting in its depiction of her resolve and natural talents. Barb is simply a good person with a special set of skills and no tolerance for malarkey. I loved rooting for her throughout the life-or-death ordeal, and I want her to teach a Survivalist workshop at my local university.
Be sure to check out the interview and our 7/10 review for Dead of Winter, which is playing in theaters now. Finally, please enjoy this chat with two of the sweetest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing in my 15 years at JoBlo.
