‘A Long Winter’ Review: Andrew Haigh’s Moody Drama, Set on a Farm in the Rockies in the Early ’50s, Is a Sweeping Act of Cinematic Storytelling
Andrew Haigh's new film "A Long Winter" is a moody drama adapted from a novella by Colm Tóibín, set on an isolated farm high in the Rocky Mountains in the early 1950s. It marks Haigh's first feature since "All of Us Strangers" and, according to this Variety review, is an austere but confidently told piece of cinematic storytelling built around striking cinematography from André Turpin, which uses the mountain landscape to draw viewers into the story rather than merely decorate it.
The story follows adult brothers Mikey (Fred Hechinger) and Tom (Kit Connor), who share a close, old-fashioned bond on their family farm, with Tom preparing to leave for Army service in Korea while Mikey prefers the settled rural life. Their parents, taciturn Lester (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and troubled Louise (Caitríona Balfe), harbour tension over her secret drinking; when Lester forces her to quit abruptly, Louise disappears just as the first winter storm arrives, leaving the family to spend the following three snowbound months gripped by mystery and dread.
- Andrew Haigh's "A Long Winter" reviewed as visually stunning, austere drama
- Set on a 1950s Rocky Mountains farm, adapted from Colm Tóibín's novella
- Mother's disappearance during a storm drives the film's central mystery
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Andrew Haigh, the British director behind acclaimed films such as "45 Years" and "All of Us Strangers," has made a new film called "A Long Winter," based on a novella by the Irish writer Colm Tóibín. The story is set on a remote farm high in the Rocky Mountains in the early 1950s and centres on a family grappling with hidden strain beneath an outwardly hardy, old-fashioned way of life.
The main characters are two adult brothers, Mikey and Tom, played by Fred Hechinger and Kit Connor, whose lives are about to diverge as Tom prepares to leave for Army service in Korea while Mikey stays behind on the farm. Their parents, Lester and Louise, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Caitríona Balfe, are dealing with a private crisis over Louise's drinking, which comes to a head just as a harsh winter sets in.
The film is being covered here through a review from the trade publication Variety, which assesses its craft, including cinematography by André Turpin, rather than reporting on box office or industry news. It matters as a notable entry in Haigh's filmmaking career and as an early example of critical response that can shape a film's reputation ahead of wider release.