There’s the cliche metaphor of marriages being like journeys or adventures into the great unknown with another person whom we’re lucky to have accompany us. The theme of the distant journey is one examined thoroughly in Scott Cohen’s film, Red Knot. Shot on-location in Antarctica, the film is equal parts adventure, romance, and drama as it explores the fall of a newlywed’s young marriage amidst the icy backdrop of the Antarctic landscape.
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Red Knot
Director: Scott Cohen
Rating: N/A
Release Date: December 5, 2014 (NYC)
Chloe (Olivia Thirlby) and Peter (Vincent Kartheiser) are a young newlywed couple embarking on an expedition to Antarctica for an assignment Peter is writing on one of the other passengers. While the journey begins peacefully, Chloe begins to feel isolated and ignored due to Peter’s devotion to his work. The troubles come to a head when Chloe hears word that their psuedo-honeymoon might be extended into a year-long expedition, leading Chloe to get her own room and establishing independence from Peter onboard the ship.
Red Knot‘s thematic explorations is further expounded upon by the gorgeous cinematography of the Antarctic landscape. It’s a bit cliche to draw the comparison of separation and marital displacement with the grandiose displacement of being placed in the Antarctic, but the photography in Red Knot is spectacular, with the cinematography shared between Igor Martinovic, Michael Simmonds, and Chris Webb. Antarctica is the type of landscape saved for documentary fodder, so seeing it play such a pivotal role in an independent drama film was breathtaking and helped enhance the film.
But I probably wouldn’t have felt so strongly about Red Knot were it not for Thirlby’s performance. Those familiar with my work know I’m a huge fan of her work, but it’s not without reason: Every film Thirlby has starred in, she’s stood out with brilliant performances, and Red Knot is no exception. Her character in Chloe struggles with being self-independent, but also supportive and thoughtful of her spouse’s decisions. It’s a hard line to straddle, especially in the rising exposure of pro-feminist ideas in media, art, and culture, but I felt that Thirlby handled the role deftly.
Red Knot is the type of film rife for literary examinations and analyses. There’s much to be said of the film’s themes (which I briefly touched upon with displacement, comparison of the film’s setting and its relation to the marriage front and center of the film, etc.), and will invite avid cinephiles to revisit the film numerous times to fuel their literary fancies. Again, on its surface, Red Knot is a love story about a dwindling marriage, but there are many ways to examine and analyze the film through this basic theme that will appeal to those like me who love to read deeper into the films they watch.
Red Knot is a beautifully-shot film buoyed by an extraordinary performance from Thirlby. While the film’s themes are a bit too cookie cutter, the cinematography and gorgeous shots of the Antarctic landscape make up for it. Cohen certainly has the ambition and vision to become an inspiring filmmaker, if Red Knot serves to be the first in a hopefully storied filmography.