“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in,” is perhaps the most famous line of The Godfather Part 3, but it’s a line that can be applied to many crime dramas. Specifically ones that deal with criminals trying to go straight, or who are trying to avoid going back to prison. It can in fact be applied to the new film In Cold Light as well. Unfortunately, unlike the Academy Award nominated film, In Cold Light really never finds its footing and ends up pointless and boring.

In Cold Light follows Ava (Maika Monroe) a recently released from prison criminal who finds life on the outside is more complicated than she remembers it being. She wants to reclaim her former glory as head of a small drug business. Sadly, she ends up in her twin brother’s illegal activities. After he dies in front of her, Ava suddenly she finds herself on the run from criminals and police alike as both blame her for the crime. Desperate to clear her name, and get revenge for her brother, Ava must figure out the truth of what really happened.

The biggest problem with In Cold Light is the film really doesn’t seem to ever know where it’s going. It’s like the writer had an idea, changed their mind mid way, and kept changing it every few pages. This can work if the story of cohesive, but In Cold Light is far from that. It might work better for the film if the characters were relatable, or even likable, but none of them are. The acting is nothing to write home about either.  While the movie does highlight that Helen Hunt is in the movie, she’s only in it for a few minutes near the end, and her role is almost pointless. Allan Hawco’s usual charm never gets to come through either, which is disappointing. And Monroe shows a range that goes from scowling to looking scared, with nothing in between. The film isn’t all bad though.

On the plus side In Cold Light is stylistic and shot well. It feels like a crime drama should. The scene of Ava’s brother’s murder is well done too, and happens so out of the blue that viewers are instantly drawn back in after being bored for the previous thirty minutes.  That moment made the film feel like it was going to start going somewhere, but while it does pick up the pace for a few minutes, it eventually goes back to more of the same mish mash of boring.

In Cold Light needs a better story and characters to get behind in order to be any good. Crime dramas can be difficult to enjoy, if you don’t know what’s going on, or who to cheer for. Pacing is also important too. Most people would turn this film off before the murder happens because there are no real stakes in the first thirty minutes. Unfortunately by the time you get to the end, you discover that the stakes don’t really make the film any better either because it took too long to get to them.