Film review: Snow Angels

The Concordian, Volume 25, Issue 25, March 25, 2008
Film review: Snow Angels

Dir. by David Gordon Green

By: Elisabeth de Grandpre

Snow angels are defined as depressions in the snow. Snow Angels, directed by David Green and based on the novel by Stewert O’Nan takes a raw look at the tragedy and joy of three intertwining couples’ stories set in a small snowy town.
Arthur (Michael Angarno) connects all the stories, as he deals with his parents separating, flirts with his old babysitter Annie (Kate Beckinsale) while she deals with her broken marriage, and starts his own relationship with Lila (Olivia Thirlby), the new nerdy girl at school.
Arthur’s story is the first focus, as we meet his parents, his friends, his love interest, but once we meet Annie, her story becomes the main plot. Arthur’s subplot is wonderfully woven in and provides light in what could be a much darker film.
Annie has recently separated from her husband Glenn (Sam Rockwell) because they grew apart. She tries to take care of their toddler Tara, while protecting her from Glenn, who has recently tried to kill himself.
Glenn tries to become a better father and husband by getting his life on track, but he continues to drink. Both Glenn and Annie struggle to be parents to Tara, depending on their own parents to pick up the slack.
The tension explodes when Glenn discovers Annie is having an affair with Nate (Nicky Katts), juxtaposed with Arthur’s innocent childhood crush on Annie. At the same time Arthur matures and starts seeing his parents as separate people with their own problems, and learns to stand up and communicate. These events all intertwine until tragedy strikes.
This film is full of strong performances, especially from Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell. There is always an underlying tenderness between them, even in the most violent and tragic situations. Beckinsale is far from her usual blockbuster film and takes Annie on a hard journey, trying to make the right choices for her daughter. Olivia Thrilby from Juno fame as Juno’s best pal stands out as geeky-indie Lila.
The film’s images are poignant with the snow’s glaring white and the bright red of Michael’s band uniform. The snow traps its characters and isolates them along with the audience.
Snow Angels is reminiscent of Ang Lee’s Ice Storm (1997) with its ’70s tone, as well as the infidelity and violence behind closed doors.

Penelope will float your boat… if you like 13 going on 30

The Concordian, Volume 25, Issue 21, February 26th 2008
Penelope will float your boat… if you like 13 going on 30

Penelope will float your boat

. . . if you like 13 going on 30

Once upon a time in the 19th century, the Wilherns, a very wealthy family who wanted to keep their blood as blue as a blueberry, denied the marriage between their son and a lowly servant girl.

Unfortunately, the servant girl’s mother was a witch who cursed the family — the first girl born would have the face of a pig. Like most curses it has only one cure, to be loved by one of her own for who she is. Unluckily for Penelope (Christina Ricci), she is that girl.
She is hidden from the world by her mother Jessica (Catherina O’Hara) who orchestrates a matchmaking attempt by offering a hefty dowry to whomever will marry her daughter, snout and all, in hopes that the curse will be broken and her daughter will finally become the woman she was meant to be. Alas, the matchmaking attempt always results in the would-be-suitors running away at first sight.

The plot feels contrived because the snout is anything but grotesque. It actually comes off as cute, so it’s hard to understand why suitors run so quickly and so far. The film is set in a London populated by mostly Americans, and where one of the main locations is an Irish pub. Adding to the confusion is British actor Richard E. Grant (as Penelope’s father) who puts on an American accent, as does the Scottish James McAvoy, Penelope’s love interest. Although the trailer and many posters feature Reese Witherspoon front and center, she’s in a small role as a female friend. Witherspoon’s production company, Type A, was one of the film’s producers.

The film’s turning point is when a would-be-suitor (Simon Woods) manages to escape without signing a non-disclosure agreement, and goes straight to the press, where the only one to believe him is Lemon (Peter Dinklage), a hard-boiled reporter out for the story of his life. Enter the love interest, as they hire Max Campion (McAvoy), a broke blueblood, to get the scoop and pictures to prove Penelope exists.

Penelope is clearly a gender spin on Beauty and the Beast, as well as a story of girl power. Although charming and well-intentioned, that isn’t enough to keep this film afloat. Its constant positive messages of “beauty is on the inside,” “the world is beautiful” and “different is beautiful” were needlessly forced throughout the film, enough to make most adult viewers nauseated. It felt like it was trying to be a magical tale akin to a Tim Burton film or the television hit Pushing Daisies, but it falls short.

If you liked Ella Enchanted or 13 Going on 30 this might be worth the cost a ticket.