Frozen

I have just finished watching this film on TV and I was totally absorbed. The casting was perfect, the coastal locations bleak but with a strange beauty as only our coasts have, and the story itself is haunting. This beautifully crafted film, reminiscent of Nick Roeg's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 'Don't Look Now', is a credit to the British Film industry. It just goes to prove that you don't need mega amounts of money and 'A list' Hollywood stars to make an thoughtful and very watchable film. In particular, I thought Shirley Henderson as Kath Swarbrick and Roshan Seth as Noyen Roy, were both superb and brought sensitivity to their roles which was both understated and convincing. The direction by Juliet McKoen and screenplay by her and Jayne Steel were, I thought, pretty much faultless. Some viewers have complained about the slow pace - unfortunately now-days the art and skill of building tension or atmosphere gradually is in danger of being lost in favour of crashing out everything at breakneck speed. I loved this film - if you're considering buying it on DVD, 10% of the proceeds goes towards the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

I recently saw 'Frozen' at the 2005 RiverRun International Film Festival, and I must say I enjoyed it. However, I don't think it's a film you'll watch over and over again... explanation: The basic synopsis of 'Frozen' is a girl, Kath, is curious about what happened to her sister, Annie. Is she alive? Dead? Living a new life? When Kath finds some evidence showing Annie the day she went missing, she becomes almost obsessed with finding her. It's not the most original plot you've ever heard of, but it is pulled off very well for what it is.

Along Kath's "journey," you'll meet a few central characters, though after all is said and done, I find some of the characters --or more importantly, the one emphasized most (a therapist/priest character)-- has little to no real relation or development to the plot and could've been done without or built upon in many areas. Though the acting is convincing throughout, it's because of this that some of the exchanges can feel as if they're unnatural or dragging (even at a 90min. runtime.) What the previously mentioned slacks on, 'Frozen' more than makes up for with visuals and sound. The film uses lots of blues and dark greens, which give it a very cold feeling. This pulls you in to relate to the character, who describes herself multiple times as feeling "frozen." The camera work itself is good as well, with some very good shots scattered about. The sound is equally cold as the visuals. There's not much use of music here, which further helps with the feeling of isolation.

Overall, the movie is nothing amazing, but even considering the flaws, 'Frozen' is a very good and interesting watch in the thriller category (especially considering what's been passing as "thrillers" lately.)

Juliet McKeon's film 'Frozen' tells the story of a young woman searching for the truth about her disappeared sister, and has elements of the thriller, the supernatural, a tale of mental disintegration and, most convincingly, a portrait of Fleetwood (in Lancashire) as a place beyond the end of the world (think of Pavel Pawelikowski's interpretation of Margate in 'Last Resort', and then imagine somewhere even more bleak). But it's a low budget, low-key affair, and while I often consider these virtues, McKeon doesn't quite have the skill to put everything together, or the ability to lace her portrait of darkness with the dose of lightness and humanity necessary to make us care. The result is somewhat alienating for the viewer, and the final message unclear; it feels like a beginner's piece, and more reminiscent of a BBC television film from the 1980s than a conventional movie.

I looked forward to seeing this film as it features the Scottish actress, Shirley Henderson, who I have really admired for years and who finally gets a starring role here.

This story of a woman's search for her missing sister feels quite relevant to today's newspaper stories of disappearing women. As the grieving Kath (Henderson) begins her search, the film takes on the form of a thriller and this story unfolds in a measured way that becomes totally mesmerising. The escalating tension is well judged, never letting the audience get ahead of the plot.

What is pleasantly surprising are the strong performances that director Juliet McKoen gets from all her actors in her debut film. As expected, Henderson is superb, but I would also single out Richard Armitage as the Port Authority boss who helps Kath with her investigations into CCTV footage of her sister and who gives a performance of some subtlety. The treatment of Kath's encounters with the counsellor, movingly played by Roshan Seth, also treads a fine line emotionally.

The sense of place in this film is palpable and is one of director McKoen's real achievements. You feel she knows the territory. The film is set in the port of Fleetwood which makes the film visually very distinctive. There are also strong scenes on Morecambe Bay producing some beautiful images of desolation that are quite haunting.

The scenes of Kath and her fellow workers at the fish factory are well handled, though I would have liked to see some of these actors given more to do. It is a tribute to McKoen's casting efforts that many of these smaller parts are played by actors who have a track record in British TV drama. But it is Henderson, with an impeccable Lancashire accent, who carries the full weight of this film as she appears in virtually every scene. With some powerful close-ups of her expressive face, we really get inside this character's mind.

There is a seriousness about this film which is to be applauded in an era when I, for one, find many filmgoing experiences instantly forgettable. There is plenty to think about here and this is one that stays with you

I just returned from seeing this film in Lancaster. Hearing about a locally shot film, I expected not much more than a mini-DV cheapie. However this film is far removed from that.

Kath is a young woman (33) whose sister Annie disappeared two years ago without a trance. Kath rather obsessively hunts around for information to try and work out what happened. The centre of her focus is CCTV footage of her sister, that seems to suggest that something odd happened.

Shot entirely in the Lancaster/Morecambe/Fleetwood region, in the North West of the UK, the film has very powerful visuals, the scenes shot on the bay itself have an amazing dream-like quality almost Herzog-like. The direction is never pedestrian, always adding to scenes.

Shirley Henderson is superb as Kath, who is just by rights, a typical northern girl and comes across very well as such. The supporting cast is all solid.

The script is simply superb, with an ever changing story line, and some very interesting sub-plots, that add a lot of detail to the characters and remind you that nothing ever happens in isolation, there are always other things going on in their lives. Fortunately these do not pose any real pacing issues. The ending is solid.

A unique film, it is hard to determine who it would really be aimed at, certainly fans of Don't Look Now, and similar, would really enjoy this - on a larger scale, any fans of small scale, artistic cinema should get their money's worth.

In all, a very good film and certainly worth seeing if you get the chance. I am looking forward to a DVD release so I can watch it again.