I continue to be surprised, time after time, by how bad William Penn can be as a film-maker. From the excellent "Bonnie and Clyde", that quintessential American pulp classic, Peen seems to have simply dropped to the level of the listlessly bizarre "Alice's Restaurant", the disappointing mainstream Hoffman vehicle "The Little Big Man", and the chewed-up conspiracy-rescue cliche in "Night Moves". As if Penn was worried that he had not damaged his reputation enought, now he gave us this lethargically awful story called "Dead of Winter", a thriller without thrills, featuring flat, one-dimensional characters that seem cut out of paper board and put together a few minutes vefore the shooting starts.
As if the awful plot and poor characterization were not bad enough, the female lead is the fearlessly boring Mary Steenburgen. It is fine to stash away this actress with a negative charisma and no in-depth acting ability to speak of, in some minor supporting role, where she may conscienciously work towards her ill-deserved Oscar. But what devious mind would put all her inadequacies in the limelight of a leading role? Penn's, obviously.
