Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Darkly comic thriller is bloody but clever, thoughtful.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Cold Pursuit
What's the Story?
In COLD PURSUIT, Nelson Coxman (Liam Neeson) makes his living driving a snowplow in the mountain ski resort town of Kehoe; he even receives a "Citizen of the Year" award for his efforts. But then his teen son is found dead, the autopsy indicating a drug overdose. Nelson is certain that his son didn't use drugs, so he sets out to find the truth. After a trail of dead bodies, Nelson finds his target: a slick, dangerous, well-protected drug lord called "Viking" (Tom Bateman). Meanwhile, Viking is trying to discover who's killing all his henchmen; he blames rival drug lord White Bull (Tom Jackson) and inadvertently starts a turf war. Nelson goes to his brother/former partner in crime "Wingman" (William Forsythe) for help and eventually forms a plan to get to Viking. But a fresh-faced police officer (Emmy Rossum) is also on the trail, trying to make sense of the whole mess.
Is It Any Good?
This bloody, deceptive thriller starts out like yet another one of Neeson's revenge movies, but it subtly switches into a very dark comedy that asks us to consider our various reactions to death. Cold Pursuit was directed by Hans Petter Moland; it's a remake of his own 2014 Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance for American audiences. It feels like he's iterating to achieve perfection, tone- and style-wise. For instance, something feels odd when Nelson and his wife (Laura Dern) go to identify their son's body and must wait awkwardly while a morgue worker pumps a foot pedal again and again to raise the corpse to viewing height.
The scene is sad, but it also inspires laughter. Moland allows time for viewers to experience both feelings, and then ask themselves "why did I react like that?" The whip-smart movie balances a large array of characters, and each is treated with respect, with the realization that everyone has his or her own feelings. Viking is a slick, selfish villain who's appalling in many ways but also logical; the scenes in which he attempts to relate to his young son are both ridiculous and touching. The movie's biggest flaw is that it keeps all these balls -- characters, humor, and pathos -- in the air for a long time, and it can get exhausting. But for the majority of its running time, Cold Pursuit is surprising, bracing grown-up entertainment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Cold Pursuit's violence. How did you react to the various killings and deaths in the movie? Did you laugh? Were you moved? What caused these reactions?
How are drugs and drinking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences for drug or alcohol use? Why does that matter?
What's the appeal of revenge stories? What does revenge achieve?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 8, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : May 14, 2019
- Cast : Liam Neeson , Emmy Rossum , Laura Dern , Tom Bateman
- Director : Hans Petter Moland
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Thriller
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , Family Stories ( Siblings , Single Parents ) , Sports ( Martial arts )
- Run time : 118 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violence, drug material, and some language including sexual references
- Last updated : September 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate