Cold Brook

It's a William Fichtner exercise, written by and directed and starring with Kim Coates, shot around western New York, most recognizably in East Aurora. The cast is good, the buddy part a little overplayed, as though he wanted a buddy flick,then threw in the ghost. Robin Weigert is under utilized, and Harold Perrineau is okay as the ghost slave looking for his home, though why a New Orleans slaver owned land in wny is a minor puzzle. A fun and charming piece, locals will enjoy local touches. Not all it could have been, but watchable. When the ghost puts a stolen deed back in the locked display, it is a reminder that this is a ghost story that will never scare you. The ending seems like an afterthought, with Fichtner and Weigert renewing their vows, though it would be a better written script to have tossed an upcoming anniversary in.... Roger Ebert called it under imagined, which seems apt.

But charming and watchable.

I didn't expect much from this movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. No, it's not a big budget, CGI, or agenda driven picture, it's just a nice story with no gratuitous sex, violence, or language. How refreshing.

It would be nice if more movies like this were made today.

First, what can go wrong if you put together great actors from series like Lost, Orange is the new black, Prison break and Sons of Anarchy?.. The answer is a little bittersweet. Second, I love William Fincher as an actor but I think Kim Koates is actually on fire and a step over him. Just watch him on Bad Blood series. Lastly, the script here is a kind of a bittersweet harmony. The movie starts pretty well but end in a mess with no explanations about what you have watched. So, overall a good movie with great actors but a weak script. A bittersweet symphony.

Suspend your cynicism and expectation of fancy CGI glitz. Enjoy this movie about friendship, small town life and the choices who make us who we are.

The relationships are nuanced and believable; the acting is spot-on; the story is intriguing; and I liked every single character. It's a "buddy movie," but their relationship isn't a silly one, they're genuinely friends. The dialogue is believable, the pacing is perfect, and the music is lovely. There were a couple of small plot issues that were a bit far-fetched, but they didn't detract from how much we liked this movie. The reviewer here who said it was a similar theme to Night at the Museum must have been watching a different movie. This is an adult film with an intelligent story, and a wonderful break from the ridiculous claptrap coming out of Hollywood these days. Bill Fitchner, you need to write more movies!