Centigrade (2020)

What Is Centigrade?

Centigrade is a tense, single-location survival thriller directed by Brendan Walsh, co-written with Daley Nixon. The film follows an American couple—Naomi (Genesis Rodriguez) and Matt (Vincent Piazza)—who become trapped in their SUV during a brutal snowstorm in Norway, with Naomi eight months pregnant and both facing the deadly cold in near isolation

Plot in a Nutshell

• The couple pulls off the road amid a snowstorm to sleep, only to wake completely buried in ice and snow with no way to restart the vehicle.

• With dwindling food, water, and time, tensions rise as Naomi pushes for escape while Matt clings to hope of passing traffic.

• As they confront hypothermia, physical deterioration, and emotional strain, Naomi goes into labor; Matt dies while helping her deliver their baby girl

• Naomi eventually escapes with her daughter, thanks to the "igloo effect" that retained heat within the car

Behind the Scenes

• Based on real events: Inspired by the true survival story of Peter Skyllberg, a Swedish man trapped in a car for two months under snow

• Budget & Production: Modest indie film with a $1–2 million budget, shot over 23 days in New York and Norway using an ice-staged SUV set to simulate real conditions

• Performances & Realism: Rodriguez and Piazza lost weight during filming for authenticity, and physical discomfort was real—the car was frozen to simulate sub-zero temperatures

Themes & Style

• Focuses on survival, isolation, and relationship breakdown under extreme stress .

• The claustrophobic, single-setting structure draws comparisons to films like Buried and 127 Hours, accentuating both psychological tension and emotional unraveling

• The minimalist score and tight framing amplify the feeling of being trapped and the slow erosion of hope .

Reception & Critiques

• Rotten Tomatoes: 40% critic average; 22% audience score

• Critics praised the premise and performances but critiqued pacing and lack of sustained thrills

• Polygon called it a “creatively crafted claustrophobic study of a fractured marriage,” complimenting its emotional beats

• RogerEbert.com criticized its pacing and failure to generate true tension—“if the cold doesn’t kill you, the boredom will”

• Other reviewers noted strong technical aspects but felt the film lacked narrative impact

Who Should Watch It

• Fans of intimate survival dramas and minimalist horror

• Viewers who appreciate performance-driven storytelling in confined spaces

• Those interested in realistic portrayals of human resilience and mental endurance

While Centigrade may not offer blockbuster thrills, it's an effective, character-focused endurance story that sheds light on love, fear, and determination in desperate circumstances.