Winter People

It's the 30's. Clockmaker Wayland Jackson (Kurt Russell) and his daughter Paula leave their home and her late mother's grave behind. He's driving his truck in the mountains when it breaks down in a stream. He finds Collie Wright (Kelly McGillis) and her son living in a remote cabin. The local community is run by her father William Wright (Lloyd Bridges) and the extended family. The mountain folks Campbells led by Drury (Mitchell Ryan) trash Wayland's truck. Cole Campbell is the father of Collie's son.

I don't know anything about the book. This seems to be Hollywood trying to be truthful with a local society without the capabilities. I don't buy Russell as a tinkerer. The character may be better as a bookish nerd so that he can differentiate himself from the macho locals. Russell is not weak enough as a personality. Don Michael Paul is trying too hard as Young and his hair is way too pretty. More than anything, there isn't enough chemistry between Russell and McGillis. She had way more chemistry with the midget Tom Cruise. Non of these people are that appealing and thereby not that compelling. It's an epic melodrama but I'm not feeling it.