Edge of Winter is thin and unexplainable, dunno.

A psychotic father threatens and holds his sons captive. Doesn't engage, no suspense, nothing redeeming. Did Elliot forget his medication? Kinnaman's an excellent actor, I've seen it... So this is bad, a very nothing piece. The younger son, fairly annoying.

This film is actually a tragedy. A parent who is on the verge of losing his two sons goes off the deep end. This is not too much of a stretch from reality. I can easily relate to a divorced father who is having trouble keeping his relationship going with his children; so can a few million other men. The fragility of life is extremely apparent in this film. Just one harsh random event can change lives forever. If the car doesn't crash, the rest does not happen. But it does crash. And the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Elliot's (Joel Kinnaman) life is in a downward spiral. He lost his job. His right arm is in a cast from where he belted his boss. Collection agencies are after him. Now to pour salt in the wound his ex-wife (Rachelle Lefevre) is going on a cruise with her successful husband (Shaun Benson). He offers Elliot a job at the warehouse as they drop off the two boys for him to watch. Elliot is not a role model father. He opts to take the kids shooting which involves a very extensive road trip in the middle of winter. Elliot likes his drink and he doesn't let driving get in the way. Events cause his downward spiral to accelerate as they get stuck in the wilds of Canada.

This is another Canadian drama with the word "Winter" or "Snow" in the title. (Write about things you know.) Much of the film is Elliot bonding, or not bonding with his estranged sons...then the sons coming to terms with their father. The action picks up at the end, but for me the film was much of a snoozer.

Guide: No sex or nudity. 2 blurred F-words.