In Cold Light (Tribeca 2025) Film Review & Summary

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“In Cold Light” Film Details

• Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 36 Minutes
• Seen Via: Film Festival – Tribeca Film Festival | Press Screening or Screener

• Released On: In Theaters
• Public Release Date: June 7, 2025 (Get Tickets)
• Director(s): Maxime Giroux
• Writer(s): Patrick Whistler
• Primary Language: English | Non-English (American Sign Language)
• Genre(s): Crime, Drama, Thriller, Young Adult
• Rating: Not Rated

Summary

Ava, after a recent stint in prison, tries to go legit, but the money and the lack of respect became too difficult to adjust to. So, she tries, through her brother Tom, to get back to making money the way she used to. However, with different power dynamics and a new direction for the group under the current leadership, she finds herself being left out.

Yet, no sooner than she finds herself frustrated and Tom is trying to find ways to keep the peace, all hell breaks loose, and there is blood and bodies everywhere.

Cast and Characters

Ava (Maika Monroe)

• Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]

• Character Summary: With a criminal conviction on her record and zero desire to go back to jail, Ava truly made a real effort to go legit. However, to go from something to nothing, to barely above the minimum wage? It is only natural for someone to be tempted to return to their old ways.

Tom (Jesse Irving)

• Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
• Character Summary: While Ava went to jail, Tom continued with the hustle she started and made good money, all while maintaining the façade with their dad that he was the good one. However, without his sister’s guidance, he and the rest of the team may have gotten too ambitious, and it may soon bite them all in the behind.

What To Expect In “In Cold Light” (Not Rated) – Content Overview

• Dialog:
  • Cursing: Occasional
• Violence:
  • Gun Violence: Moderate
  • Gore/ Blood: Moderate
  • Notable Violence: Fight Scenes
• Miscellaneous:
  • Smoking: Yes

Links

• Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.
• More Coverage Of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival

Review and Commentary

On The Fence

Good Setup But Lacks Payoff [73/100]

A lot of what In Cold Light sets up is genuinely compelling. Ava, freshly released from prison and trying to go legit despite limited options, presents a familiar storyline but from a rarely seen female-led perspective. Add in that she was the former leader of her crew before things fell apart, and you have a premise with potential.

However, every film reaches a moment where promise must give way to delivery, and In Cold Light struggles there. Even as the stakes rise and bodies fall, the action — while loud and jarring — doesn’t always translate into emotional investment. It often feels like the film is signaling, “This is the part where you care,” rather than earning that reaction.

And it is because the character development isn’t enough, and villains lack being memorable or menacing, the momentum fades. Ultimately, making it so In Cold Light ends up going from lukewarm to frostbitten.

Overall

Our Rating (73/100): Mixed (Divisive)

In Cold Light presents a promising premise with a female-led story of redemption and leadership, but falters in execution. For despite high stakes and the violence to match, underdeveloped characters and forgettable villains prevent long-term investment, resulting in a thriller that starts strong but finishes cold.

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