Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979)

 Leftover comments not used for my Letterboxd account:

It's a film that is brutal to watch all the way through and yet I love it so much. It makes such perfect sense, and how relatable is it to many who watch it? Probably quite a bit. It's like how does one let go of something that feels so right but probably is for the best? Can two people feel so many wonderful things and still struggle together as well? Heard simply cannot break from Laura until something forces him to truly realize it is over. And Laura cannot quite figure out where to go, and who is right for her. But the affair itself, while there are plenty of memories made and those exhilarating experiences will probably pop up in their minds and dreams from time to time, a marriage always remains right there to remind them they are never quite "together". 

The setting in Utah during snowy, icy, bitter cold conditions with freezing rain, teeth-chattering temperature is ideal for this hot and cold relationship. While Laura and Charles can finish their sentences, amuse each other with jokes, smile when looking into each other's eyes, Laura feels Charles sees her as more than she is while he tells her she's so much more than she believes she is. And Charles puts her on such a pedestal, Laura feels she can never quite measure up and even gets frustrated with him...she's of such value he worries about how much he offers her. And, sure enough, Laura moves on while Charles cannot. 

And Riegert's Sam, a freeloading pal who hangs out and chills at his place, tries to get Charles out of his funk while going places with him. Oh, and Charles' mom is suicidal and always on the cusp of nervous breakdown (though Charles' sister and him ponder how real it is).