Lesley Manville hailed as “simply spectacular” in “gripping” new spy thriller

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The much-awaited espionage thriller, titled “Winter of the Crow,” which features Lesley Manville, has started receiving its initial critical evaluations.

In the forthcoming movie, inspired by Olga Tokarczuk’s short story “Professor Andrews Goes to Warsaw,” Manville takes on the role of a scholar traveling to Warsaw, Poland during martial law in 1981.

All of a sudden, Dr. Andrews finds himself fleeing down empty city streets, now filled with tanks and military personnel, as per the movie’s plotline. The story further reveals that he must maneuver through a complex maze-like urban landscape.

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Under the direction of Kasia Adamik, and with Tom Burke playing a significant part, the film titled “Winter of the Crow” made its debut at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on the 6th of September. Critics appear to have responded favorably to it.

The movie in question is not your typical film, and at times its narrative can be perplexing. However, Lesley Manville’s captivating performance keeps it from falling apart until a breathtaking climax – one of the best I’ve seen this year. According to RogerEbert.com, her acting was nothing short of extraordinary.

The Crow’s Winter grabs your attention right away with its chilling, palpable desolation… The vividly crafted ambiance intensifies the eerie horror that permeates the narrative. IndieWire, in their review, described it as both ‘gripping’ and ‘atmospherically rich’.

The entertainment publication, Screen Daily, also gave a positive review, stating: “Lesley Manville adds to the growing group of extraordinary 60-something protagonists in Kasia Adamik’s suspenseful thriller. Her portrayal is intense and captivating, despite moments where the film’s pace seems to slow.

Previously, Adamik – who jointly directed the Netflix series “1983” – discussed her link to Tokarczuk’s short story, elaborating: “Growing up, I resided in a satellite town near Warsaw. Upon moving westward, I often dreamt of the maze-like expanse of grey apartment blocks.

Although the UK release date for “Winter of the Crow” hasn’t been announced yet, Helena Bonham Carter will shortly appear alongside Liam Neeson and Joe Keery in “Cold Storage”, a comedy-horror movie penned by David Koepp.

The movie, helmed by Jonny Campbell and adapted from Koepp’s 2019 novel with the same title, chronicles the story of two workers at a storage unit facility, following a hazardous parasite’s escape from a government laboratory.

Winter of the Crow has no UK release date. Cold Storage is released on 6 February 2026.

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2025-09-09 13:49