Midwinter Break Review | Flickreel

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
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