Snow Cake is another great indie film that seems to have been ignored simply because the cast is middle-aged (see my review of Autumn Hearts). Directed by Marc Evans, the film stars Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, and Carrie-Anne Moss as lonely characters serendipitously drawn together in a small Canadian town.
Alan Rickman plays Alex Hughes, an ex-con whose life is irrevocably changed when he gives young, eccentric hitchhiker Vivienne a ride.
Tragedy brings Alex to Vivienne’s small hometown, into the home of her jubilant and sometimes volatile autistic mother Linda (Sigourney Weaver). As Alex endeavors to help the resilient but demanding Linda deal with the loss of her daughter, he finds a strange balm for his own emotional wounds.
Particularly poignant are Alex’s revelations about his past and the scene in which a distraught Linda shocks her neighbors with an inappropriate dance at her daughter’s wake. What could easily be a dry and dire indie film is instead uplifted with warmth and charming humor.
2 Responses to “DVD: Snow Cake”
Seeing Alan Rickman grin is transformative and startling, especially after his especially dour turn as Snape in the HP flicks. Looking forward to re-evaluating his range — thanks for the recommendation.
[...] While Rickman was not in the movie as much as I would like, he is the scene stealer. I hope his success with Harry Potter continues to allow him the freedom to make these wonderful little indie flicks (see my review of Snow Cake). [...]