Chilly Scenes of Winter

Charles Richardson, a civil servant in the Department of Development in Salt Lake City, is depressed and impulsive in romance. He drinks on the job and remains fixated on Laura, his former lover, even though she is now with her husband Jim. He vows to win Laura back, confiding this intent to his younger sister Susan and his best friend Sam. The film presents his desire as a stubborn fixation rather than a healthy pursuit.

Nonlinear flashbacks reveal the affair between Charles and Laura and its swift downfall. When he asks Laura to marry him, she distances herself, signaling the end of their relationship. The relationship is defined by jealousy and possessiveness that foreshadow Charles's ongoing fixation.

Charles and Laura briefly meet in the parking lot of Laura's stepdaughter's school. What begins as a casual encounter devolves into an argument, with Laura accusing Charles of an exalted, unrealistic view of her. The exchange underscores the gap between Charles's fantasy and Laura's reality.

Charles becomes consumed with Laura and Jim's A-frame home, parking outside it regularly. He constructs a miniature replica in his own home, complete with figurines and furniture, turning fixation into a tangible project. Sam grows increasingly worried about Charles's obsessive behavior.

Charles contends with his eccentric mother, Clara, who is consumed by suicidal ideations, creating emotional strain at home. His stepfather, Pete, remains incredulous and distant. The turbulent family dynamics amplify Charles's isolation and sense of instability.

Charles learns that Laura's coworker Betty has remained friends with Laura since she quit. He casually courts Betty, but his feelings are not genuine and merely serve as a cover for his obsession with Laura. The deception highlights his inability to move on.

Charles and Sam visit Jim's custom home-building company under the guise of being a gay couple interested in buying a house. Jim allows them to view a home, and Laura is shocked to see them there. Laura returns during the tour, and Jim explains to her that Charles and Sam are lovers and potential clients. The deception strains Laura further.

During the kitchen visit, Charles approaches Laura and hugs her, declaring that he is in love with her. Jim, startled and angry, forces the two men out of the house. The scene crystallizes the boundaries Laura has tried to maintain and underscores the fragility of any chance for reconciliation.

Weeks after the confrontation, Charles decides to have dinner with Betty to distract himself. Betty informs him that Laura has moved out of Jim's house and into an apartment of her own, reviving a glimmer of possibility. Charles retrieves Laura's phone number and heads to her apartment with a bouquet of tulips.

Charles arrives at Laura's apartment with tulips, hoping to resume something with her. Laura is ambivalent about restarting their relationship, wary of their tumultuous past and present circumstances. The conversation ends with Laura standing firm and Charles bidding her farewell.

That night, Charles returns home and throws the A-frame replica dollhouse into the garbage. He declares that he is finally done pursuing Laura, signaling a tentative shift away from the fixation. The act marks a turning point, even if the emotional consequences remain unresolved.

Weeks pass as winter transitions into spring, and the film closes with Charles adjusting to distance from Laura. The characters drift into new routines, and the lingering ache of the past remains. The narrative ends on a note of quiet ambiguity about what comes next.