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Edge of Winter

Edge of Winter

Nothing is more dangerous than a father's love.

201689 minRMidcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Director
Rob Connolly
Starring
Joel Kinnaman, Tom Holland, Rachelle Lefevre, Percy Hynes White

When two brothers are stranded by a brutal winter storm with an unpredictable father they barely know, the boys begin to suspect their supposed protector may be their biggest threat.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Edge of Winter?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Edge of Winter streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Edge of Winter?

Edge of Winter earns 5 badges, led by Standout acting and Atmospheric.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Edge of Winter worth watching?

Edge of Winter's Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all films, from 9.9K ratings across 6 sources. 32% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of films

26th percentile among Drama31st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)36th
Approval (how many liked it)26th

57 /100

36th percentile of all films

32nd percentile among Drama37th percentile among 2010s

Critics 50 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

32% liked it

26th percentile of all films

21st percentile among Drama25th percentile among 2010s
32% rated it 7–1068% rated it 1–6

Critics 52% · Audience 38%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

83rd percentile

9.9K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow-burn survival thriller anchored by solid acting and wintry atmosphere, but hampered by a thin, ambiguous story and uneven pacing.

Fans praised

  • Kinnaman and the young leads (Holland, Hynes) deliver convincing, top-notch performances.
  • Taut atmosphere and mounting suspense keep the tension gripping.
  • Beautiful wintry cinematography and a serious, dark tone.

Detractors panned

  • Thin, poorly written story with flat, 2D characters.
  • Slow pacing that drags and fails to build to a meaningful climax.
  • Underdeveloped plot that never explains itself and feels pointless.

What stands out

Acting85

Cast praised across camps; Kinnaman and the boys singled out as excellent.

Atmosphere80

Wintry, isolated tone appreciated by many; critics note a 'lovely, wintry tone.'

Cinematography80

Visually beautiful, wintry scenery emphasized; camera work praised.

TensionDivisive75

Suspenseful moments and uncomfortable tension noted; some detractors find it unearned or minimal.

CharactersDivisive40

Detractors call them poorly written, lacking depth; fans see nuance in the father's instability.

Plot and storyDivisive35

Thin, underdeveloped, and unresolved story; fans note it's a simple drama, detractors call it 'no story.'

Pacing35

Slow burn that drags for many; a few fans wished it were faster but found it gripping.

Ending30

Resolution unsatisfying or anticlimactic across both camps.

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Edge of Winter like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its survival drama straight, maintaining a tense and earnest tone throughout.
The rideThe middle section, where they are stranded and the father's behavior deteriorates, likely carries the emotional and suspenseful weight.
StructureA conventional three-act structure confined mostly to a single cabin during a snowstorm.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with a mix of relief and reflection on the father-son bond.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA father and his two sons are stranded in a remote cabin during a blizzard, forced to survive the elements and their own strained relationship.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFamily bondsPurpose · 9% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeElliot's attempt to be a father forces him to confront who he is, while the boys discover what their father truly means to them.
StanceThe film questions what kind of father Elliot is and what the boys truly mean to him, without offering a clear resolution.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingA deserted lakeside cabin during a snowstorm
MusicThe score likely uses sparse, tense textures to underline the isolation and psychological pressure.

Content guide

Is Edge of Winter okay for kids?

R

Edge of Winter is rated R: “Rated R for language and some violence” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at intense (72/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (52/100) and frightening material at intense (61/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • JapanR15+
  • Denmark15
  • Poland12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (36 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Edge of Winter have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Edge of Winter?

Cast

Joel Kinnaman
as Elliot Baker
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Holland
as Bradley Baker
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rachelle Lefevre
as Karen
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Percy Hynes White
as Caleb Baker
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rossif Sutherland
as Luc
Shiloh Fernandez
as Richard
Shaun Benson
as Ted
Patrick Garrow
as Gas Station Clerk

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Edge of Winter?

Movies like Edge of Winter include The Contract (2006), The Edge (1997) and Green Room (2015). Of the 12 closest matches, most are survival thrillers, and most are films set in the Pacific Northwest.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its world: wilderness. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Edge of Winter?

770 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: castaway. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.