"The Mountain Between Us," starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, a combination of survival tale and love story, does an adequate job of both but isn't spectacularly outstanding. The acting, however, is top notch. And they didn't kill the dog, always a good thing. The cast and crew went to actual mountains with real snow because much of the script required pristine snow and the scene where Winslet's character falls into icy water is real. According to director Hany Abu-Assad, she did that several times so he could get it just right.
The movie starts with travelers stranded at an airport due to an incoming storm and canceled flights. Two people, neurosurgeon Ben Bass (Elba) and journalist Alex Martin (Winslet), desperately need to get out. He has surgery the next morning and her wedding is less than 24 hours away. They charter a flight with a jovial pilot (Beau Bridges) and his dog. Everything seems to be going well until the pilot suffers a stroke and dies. The resulting crash on a mountain in the middle of nowhere leaves both injured. Ben has broken ribs and Alex has a fractured leg. The next hour follows them braving the elements as they realize rescue is unlikely. Their survival depends on finding civilization and as they struggle down the mountain, they begin to fall in love. Unfortunately, there are elements in the plot that challenge our suspension of disbelief. And while I like having a dog in the movie, he really doesn't need to be there and tends to distract. "The Mountain Between Us" wastes the talents of Kate Winslet and Idris Elba with a story that's too melodramatic to be memorable.
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