The Cold Light of Day (1996)

In the hauntingly serene landscape of Eastern Europe, a chilling string of child murders sends shivers through the countryside. The victims: three innocent little girls, their lives ended brutally in the woods, each bearing a single, eerie cut on the throat. This unsettling mystery falls into the hands of the city-bred detective, Viktor Marek. Determined to solve the case, Marek is thwarted when his superior, the politically-driven Pavel Nowak, pins the blame on an easy target, the local pothead, Alexi Berka, brutally coercing a confession out of him. Disenchanted by this unjust conclusion, Marek steps away from his job, not to retreat but to hunt down the real killer on his own terms. His pursuit leads him to a desolate old road, where he encounters Anna Tatour, a young girl with a punctured bicycle tire. A lift later, he finds himself cautioning Anna's mother, Milena, about the dangers of her daughter accepting rides from strangers. His investigation grows into an obsession, leading him to rent an old gas station, conveniently located near the crime scenes. In a complex web of intentions, he ropes in Milena to cook for him, secretly hoping to use Anna as bait to lure in the killer. Unbeknownst to him, the real predator, the deeply disturbed pediatrician Vladimir Kozant, has already set his sights on Anna, crossing paths at the gas station. As Marek's investigation intensifies, he finds himself developing deep affection for both Milena and Anna, forcing him to reconsider his perilous plan. The Cold Light of Day is a chilling journey into the depths of human evil and the relentless pursuit of justice. Who will emerge victorious in this deadly game of cat and mouse?

The Cold Light of Day is a drama movie featuring Richard E. Grant and directed by Rudolf van den Berg.

The Cold Light of Day is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on The Roku Channel.