Cold Ones Sneak Peek: Independent Film Review

One time novelist, turned English professor K.C. Corcoran's (C. Thomas Howell) world is rocked when his girlfriend dumps him. Instead of wallowing in grief, he uses the turn of events to seek refuge at a mountain cabin to reinvigorate the novelist he hope still resides within him.

It's a classic scenario. Howell's character gets a slap in the face; his girlfriend summarily dumps him, throws him out, warns him to take only clothing and pity money she gifts him. His teaching job is getting him nowhere - not even respect from his students - so what now? As a writer, he must write, but his sole minor novel came and went years ago. Time to head back to nature -the solitude, the fresh air - it will undoubtedly stir the imagination to summon the muse.

We've seen similar set-ups before, though mostly played for laughs. In Chevy Chase's Funny Farm, he's married, but like K.C., flees to the country to reclaim his writing and churn out a great American novel. The scenario is so recognizable to writers, perhaps because many have in fact tried it. Stephen King sought country quiet and reportedly his stay in The Stanley Hotel in Colorado, gave him the basic idea for his best selling novel The Shining.

Writer seeking refuge as central theme in Cold Ones, not only concerns K.C., but also a tight knit community he becomes preoccupied with as his attention wanders from an old manual typewriter, to sexy, troubled neighbor Juliet (Kristy Hinchcliffe). Juliet or Candy - depending on her mood or person you're talking to - is bewitchingly beautiful and a promising artist, but trapped in an abusive mockery of a marriage to violent truck driver Mack (Adam Nelson) whose long hauls enable K.C. and Candy to do more than innocently hike mountain trails.