The first twenty minutes of In Cold Light are sluggish. We meet Ava ( Maika Monroe ), a fresh-out-of-prison heroin dealer and addict who tries to readjust to her suburban life in the Southwest United States. Ava’s mother isn’t in the picture. Her dad, Will ( Troy Kotsur ), is distant. Tom ( Jesse Irving ), her twin, is the favourite child, and he can do no wrong. That is, on the surface. Behind their dad’s back, Tom is a dealer, too. Ava wants back into their hustle even though breaking parole poses a risk for both of them.

In Cold Light at first presents a picture that seems to be about recovery, grief, and interpersonal family dynamics. Viewers will watch, waiting for something to happen that’s more meaningful than petty sibling drama.

Then it happens–a twist. The plot picks up. Without giving away too many details, the film successfully surprises its audience with a tone that shifts from conspicuously boring to fast-paced and electric. The camerawork becomes more dynamic. All of a sudden, there are really cramped and chaotic shots. The scenes are filled with shuffling camera movements that add to the film’s newfound intensity. The acting goes from stiff, awkward, and melodramatic to emotional and strong.

The next thirty minutes are gripping. Each moment touches upon a very real and raw human emotion. Serious situations come as Ava faces panic and indecision. Sweet moments flit by when her brother’s innocent little baby graces the screen. Even funny moments arrive amidst the chaos. One of the best: A heated argument outside has the Ava and her father, who is Deaf, waving their hands in the air every few seconds to keep the motion-sensing porch light on while they argue in American Sign Language.

Ironically, once the genre drifts away from drama, the personal and interpersonal turmoil becomes compelling. The audience feels Ava’s pain in a poignant way; the situation is now life or death. That kind of thing tends to bring out people’s true character.

Just like adrenaline-fuelled moments in real life, the movie has a comedown. The rush wanes. In Cold Light doesn’t do this on purpose, though. The entire plot is supposed to feel exhilarating, but it doesn’t quite get there the entire time.

The pacing slows just a bit and the premise that was originally unique becomes somewhat predictable. Although both Ava and Will keep the movie in a serious mood, the villain, Bob Whyte ( Allan Hawco ), feels cartoonish and silly. His cowboy hat and comically evil lines are reminiscent of a villain from Walker, Texas Ranger .

Part of the problem is that the stylish and engaging camerawork that emerged at the twist slowly fades. It starts to feel low effort, and, at times, even made-for-TV. This might be due to budget constraints, which garners the film some sympathy. The bright red, blue, and orange lighting disappears along with the calming country-style pastels. The colour grading near the end is still good, but it’s very different.

In Cold Light is an emotional roller coaster, but not in the best way. The entertainment value goes from down to up, and back again, leaving the audience a tad underwhelmed and with a mixed reaction. The script has ups and downs, good patches and bad ones, but it brings the film to a strong ending. The audience gets to witness Ava grow from nihilistic addict to admirable survivor with unshakable values. It’s moving. It happens to fits more of the genre that In Cold Light started with, rather than what it turned into. Moreover, the resolution might leave a viewer wanting justice truly served; an outcome that’s tougher and more heroic.

At the same time though, it seems that the filmmakers accomplished what they wanted to, and on some level it does work. In Cold Light semi-successfully melds together different genres. All in all, In Cold Light is a movie that has the potential to be amazing, but isn’t consistent enough to cross that line.

In Cold Light is now playing in theatres.