Film Reviews

Snow Cake

• Rating:
• Director: Marc Evans
• Starring: Alan Rickman
• Details: UK / Canada / 112mins (15A).

Snow Cake is one of those movies that's enjoyable while you're watching it, but when the credits roll, you'll be scratching your head thinking 'what was the point?'. It's not really a plot-driven film, more of a character exploration - and to that end it's the performances that grab you. Rickman is the most understated he's been in years and Weaver, here playing an autistic middle-aged woman, hasn't been this in captivating since Death and the Maiden. Lonely Alex Hughes (Rickman) gives a lift to hitchhiker Vivienne (Hampshire) but not long after, his car collides with a truck and Vivienne is killed instantly. Alex tracks down Vivienne's mother Linda to express his condolences but is taken in by the autistic woman and, feeling guilty because he was at the wheel, offers to make arrangements for the funeral. Spending time with Linda and her next-door neighbour (Moss), the cynical Alex finds some joy in human nature again. Weaver is obviously the standout and her role will be given some unfavourable similarities to Dustin Hoffman's Raymond. To Weaver's credit, she doesn't even attempt to do a Rainman and she makes Linda a different character, pulling the audience into her world on her terms and her little idiosyncrasies. It's not all downbeat and depressing, as humour comes in the form of Alex's anticipation of how Linda will react to certain situations and Linda's childlike, tell-it-like-it-is nature: "I like you too, but I don't want to talk you right now. Will you leave?". Like Linda's character, Evans gives some scenes in-depth, meticulous attention while he leaves others wide open and loose (some of them feel like they belong in another film); but overall, Snow Cake is a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.

Review by Gavin Burke