Midway through, Rapp loses momentum, failing to hone in on just what kind of movie he wants to make, and Winter Passing languishes in that no-man's land between tiny, meandering, indie drama and plotted, pointed family melodrama.

This flawed drama about a self-destructive young actress and her reclusive novelist father has its rewards, mainly in some good performances.

There are intriguing actors and ideas here, but only occasionally do they combine with convincing force.

Although tediously slow at points, Winter Passing has a purveyingly powerful familial dynamic from start to finish.