Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Up until a few days ago I hadn't heard of this film but when I saw it listed in the television guide and read that the always excellent Shirley Henderson was in it I decided to give it a go. I'm glad that I did as it was pretty good.Shirley Henderson plays Kath a woman who can't get over the disappearance of her sister two years before. She is convinced that somebody has done something to her but the police have no evidence to suggest foul play. The only real clue is CCTV footage which shows her entering an alleyway but doesn't show her leaving. Kath is helped by the CCTV operator who lets her review the tapes and by her Counsellor who she discusses her problems with. I won't say anything about the ending as I wouldn't want to spoil it for first time viewers.The film is fairly bleak, both in the subject matter and the way it is filmed, there was a constant sense of isolation and cold. As I'd expected Shirley Henderson did a great job in the leading role, the supporting cast also put in good performances, I especially liked Roshan Seth as her counsellor. While I did enjoy the film I felt it looked more like a superior television production rather that a cinematic production intended for the big screen, not that that is necessarily a bad thing, it makes a nice change to see a thriller with no guns in sight let alone the explosions that seem de rigueur these days. If you get a chance to watch this fine film I'd certainly take it.

Juliet McKoen's 'Frozen' is an odd little film. On one level it's a simple mystery, with Shirley Henderson's sad, disturbed Kath searching for her missing sister. On another it's, in part at least, a re-telling of elements of 'Orpheus and Euridice' - complete with tragic finale. Surprisingly, given setting and subject matter, allusions to Greek myth are made throughout this film, often in a rather contrived manner (an Oracle, in the form of a CCTV camera, is consulted; a modern Charon is seen in visions; Kath sets off into the Underworld to find her beloved sibling, etc), often in a rather laboured manner – but it's an interesting approach Henderson, a most capable character actress, is as good as ever, and holds our attention throughout – and her Kath is genuinely touching. Of the supporting cast (a surprising number of whom seem drawn from the northern sit-com stable) only Roshan Seth as Kath's counsellor-cum-love-interest is worthy of note.Much of this subtlety in characterisation is, sadly, lost in the plot. The mystery at the heart of the story, it has to be said, is wafer thin – the final, fatal direction of Kath's sister's last known steps is blindingly obvious half-way through the film. That said, the inevitable end of the hero is one of the most notable features of Greek Tragedy, so perhaps this was intention. A good script, strong, subtle performances and skillful direction make this a most entertaining, if contrived tale.

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.