Edge of the winter

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Elliot Baker seizes the chance to develop a better relationship with his sons when his ex-wife, Karen, and her new husband take a vacation and leave the boys with him. What starts as a bonding opportunity turns into a nightmarish adventure when they get stranded in a deserted cabin near the lake as night falls and a snowstorm rages. Bradley, 15, and Caleb, 12, quickly learn more about their father and what they truly mean to him in this gripping tale of family and survival.

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Plot

Divorcee Elliot Baker, who has just lost his job for punching his boss, jumps at the chance to spend time with his sons, teenager Bradley and younger Caleb. After their mother drops the boys off, they discover Elliot’s shotgun in his bedroom. Elliot yells at them, but then apologises and decides it’d be a good bonding experience to teach the boys about firearm safety. En route to Elliot’s old lumber yard in the wilderness, Elliot discovers text messages on Brad’s phone expressing displeasure with spending time with his father. Elliot hides the phone.

At the lumber yard, Elliot tells Brad to keep the gun close but Brad ignores him and the gun kicks back and knocks him to the ground. Brad gets half angry and half embarrassed, and stays in the car. Caleb becomes upset after killing a rabbit.

Preparing to leave, Brad is concerned about Elliot drinking and driving, so Elliot hands Brad the keys and teaches him how to drive. Caleb and Brad get into a fight, which results in the car sliding off the road and becoming stuck. They spend the night in the car, where Caleb tells Elliot about his step-father’s promotion and their forthcoming move to London. Distraught, Elliot slams his hands repeatedly into the steering wheel, breaking his cast before falling asleep.

In the morning they head to a nearby hunting cabin to gather supplies, as they would freeze or starve attempting to reach the main road. Approaching the cabin, Brad falls through some ice. Elliot jumps in and yells for Caleb to get off the ice and start a fire in the cabin. Elliot covers Brad with blankets and puts Brad by the fire. After a while Elliot expresses his anger at losing his family when they move to London. Later in the night, the three are startled when two hunters, Richard and Luc, arrive also seeking shelter. Elliot is suspicious of the men, and demands they disarm before letting them inside.

Elliot is slowly losing his mind. He follows Richard to his truck, and attempts to stop him from contacting help, unintentionally killing Richard. When Luc arrives a little later, Elliot attempts to shoot him, but Luc escapes thanks to Brad and Caleb’s efforts. The boys return to the cabin, where Brad packs some supplies and convinces Caleb that they need to leave. Elliot goes searching for them and engages Brad in a fight after Brad makes a comment that Elliot isn’t a good dad. Caleb pleads with Elliot until he releases Brad. Elliot forces the boys to the cabin, locking them inside their room. Brad uses a nail to prise up a floor board, and Caleb goes under, seeing Richard’s corpse under the house. Bradley tries to lift one more board for him to fit through but can’t, and tells Caleb to leave. Caleb finds Luc in his truck, and convinces Luc to take him to safety along with Brad. Brad finally prises up another board and starts a fire in the house in order to escape.

Elliot chases Brad through the woods, grabs him and states that the boys will never leave. Caleb appears and to calm him down tells Elliot that, if they stay, they could go fishing and hunting. As Elliot lets go of Bradley, Luc appears and attacks Elliot, but Elliot beats him to death. Brad and Caleb run to the truck and attempt to drive off. Elliot catches up with them and uses the rifle to break the window. As Brad manages to start driving, Elliot grabs on to Caleb. Bradley speeds up faster and Caleb kicks Elliot off. The two hold each other, tearfully, as they drive away into the night to seek help.