The movie, “Midwinter Break,” was released on February 20, 2026. It is based on the novel by Bernard MacLaverty and stars Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hinds. The film was directed by Polly Findlay.
Like the book, the movie follows a couple, Stella and Gerry,
on their midwinter trip to Amsterdam. There, they are confronted with the
memories of their past as well as the trials between the two of them.
While the plot may not seem to be the most exciting, the real tension lies between the two main characters. The emotion of the movie, like in the book, is the real driving factor of the storyline.
Personally, I read the book before I saw the film. Knowing
me and my tastes, I do not think I would have liked the movie as much as I did
had I not read the book beforehand. The book gave me insight into the minds of
the characters, so I had an understanding of why they did what they did in the
film.
There were some differences between the movie, especially in
terms of the order of the events that took place, but this did not interfere
with the overall message of the story. The overall feel of tension and trial in
the relationship remained strong, even with some omissions from the movie and a
switch of events.
In terms of the book-to-movie adaptation, this is one of the
best I have seen in recent memory. I saw “The Amateur” last year (2025) and this
year’s release of “Dracula” (2026). These movies went completely different
routes than the books did, and it felt like the directors took too much
creative liberty with them. This was not the case with “Midwinter Break.”
Overall, this movie is perfect for those who love a deeper
look at life and the questions that arise. Issues that are discussed throughout
include religion, living a valuable life, alcohol and drug addiction, and
marital tension. There is something for everyone to ponder in this movie. It is
important that viewers go into the movie understanding that it is not the most
action-packed plot, but the interesting things are the emotional and
intellectual issues that are posed throughout the movie.
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