How I found this movie: Again, working from home on a Friday. This time I had a long, long day. When I was done around 9 pm, I just wanted to relax. I checked LMN and found what looked like the beginnings of a horror movie: a dark, gray-toned film with snowcover and an overcast sky, and piano music. This was Pick A Flick Fridays on LMN (throughout the week viewers vote on what they want aired on Friday) so there was no description from TV guide to clue me in on what this movie was about. I just had to wait and see. And that really paid off.
What this movie is about and what I think: Sometimes not knowing anything about the movie going in really enhances the experience. This was the case with Wind Chill. It starts off focused on a college girl, played by Emily Blunt, searching for a ride home for, presumably, Christmas, judging by the snow on the ground and the Christmas music that plays later on in the film. She finds a fellow student, a boy, which is very important, and together they head home to Delaware.
The relationship between these two is central to the film. They, at first, seem like complete strangers forced to share a five-hour trip together in a small car until critical tidbits of information are revealed later on. Their relationship likewise experiences great swings, from friendly to not-so-friendly, and... well I won't reveal any more.
The pacing in this film is somewhat slow and methodical, until about halfway through where the action and activity really ramps up and things are thrown at you at a rapid-fire pace. It starts out mysterious though, including just the right amount of subtle unease. And that's why I say that knowing nothing about the film going in is a real benefit. You don't know why things are happening, you don't know who these people are, and you don't know what to expect at the end of their journey.
Where you can experience what I just described: The next time this movie will be shown on LMN is Monday April 11 at 4 pm EST.
