The filmmakers deserve credit for their achievements in an unforgettable panorama of an idyllic community by the sea. Some of the location filming was breathtaking. In contrast to the cinematography, however, the thematic concerns of "Winter Ridge" were unfocused and bordered on a depressing film experience.
The film's director stated in an interview that "There are an estimated 50 million people suffering from Alzheimer's worldwide and we hope the film is given the platform it deserves for its subject matter to be heard. I'm hoping that this film will raise an interesting debate on the condition."
Unfortunately, the film's structure was that of a thriller about a serial killer taking the lives of elderly residents with dementia. It was not until the end that the film's "twist" revealed that the killers were engaged in what they believed were missions of mercy.
The two principal narrative of strands of the comatose state of the wife of Detective Ryan Barnes and the mysterious deaths of the elderly never had a coherent connection. A false ending to the film with the subplot of Mike Evans, who sacrifices himself to donate his heart to his daughter, also detracted from the principal topic.
The film "The Father" with a stellar performance by Anthony Hopkins offers a better focal point for a debate about the tragedy of dementia. While well-intentioned, "Winter Ridge" did not rise to the level of a film of social consciousness.
The film's director stated in an interview that "There are an estimated 50 million people suffering from Alzheimer's worldwide and we hope the film is given the platform it deserves for its subject matter to be heard. I'm hoping that this film will raise an interesting debate on the condition."
Unfortunately, the film's structure was that of a thriller about a serial killer taking the lives of elderly residents with dementia. It was not until the end that the film's "twist" revealed that the killers were engaged in what they believed were missions of mercy.
The two principal narrative of strands of the comatose state of the wife of Detective Ryan Barnes and the mysterious deaths of the elderly never had a coherent connection. A false ending to the film with the subplot of Mike Evans, who sacrifices himself to donate his heart to his daughter, also detracted from the principal topic.
The film "The Father" with a stellar performance by Anthony Hopkins offers a better focal point for a debate about the tragedy of dementia. While well-intentioned, "Winter Ridge" did not rise to the level of a film of social consciousness.