Critic Reviews

Coldwater lives or dies by the dynamic between Boudousqué and Burns ebbing and flowing from nemeses to partners and back again as the latter begins to lose control.

Grashaw's convincing drama distills this underexposed world into the story of a single young man trying to survive a system designed to break him.

The best thing about it is its star, P.J. Boudousqué, who locates a sense of terror and betrayal that the script lacks.

It's well-acted and works as a cautionary tale for young dope dealers but beats any hint of subtlety into a bloody pulp.

For a first time feature outing, Coldwater is a fine effort from Grashaw, and the setting feels fresh and new. It's an original take on a coming of age, young masculinity tale, but ultimately, it doesn't quite live up to all of its potential.

Suitable for teens — lies somewhere between indignant expose and unusually tasteful exploitation picture, with shower scenes and sweaty young delinquents aplenty.

Coldwater is almost boastfully grim.

The final act of Coldwater is horrendously misguided, the kind of insincere melodrama that erases the memory of what came before. It’s a particular shame because there’s an hour of decent filmmaking here.

Proceeding in a tone of unrelieved misery, Coldwater is a punishing, predictable drama that’s almost rescued by strong acting and good intentions.

Boudousque is young yet, and so he has room to grow as an actor, but he's got nothing but upside to him at this point. It'll be fun to watch his career grow from here.