Ingimundur, a cop, is grieving the loss of his wife in a tragic car accident. Though he barely speaks of her, it is clear that he misses her. He is unwilling to let go of her things, but refuses to confront his emotions during his therapy sessions. When Ingimundur decides to go through her things one last time, he realises that she was cheating on him with a neighbour.
Ingimundur wants to understand why his late wife would do that to him, while he was always faithful to her. When he tracks down and confronts her paramour, one feels puzzled by the strangeness of his questions.
A White, White Day is a slow burner. After the agonising yet stunning opening sequence, director Hlynur Pálmason takes his own sweet time to develop Ingimundur’s character, even as he builds the suspense before the final confrontation. The movie, which was screened at Cannes and was the Icelandic entry for best international film at the 92nd Oscars, is an intimate look at a man whose grief and rage consume him. More of an existential drama than a revenge flick, A White, White Day might test your patience a bit, but it is every bit worth it.