Snow Angels is director David Gordon Green’s film adaptation of Stewart O’Nan’s novel about failed and frigid love in the cold and snowy Northeast. At the forefront of the film is the story of Annie (Kate Beckinsale) and Glenn (Sam Rockwell), high school sweethearts separated over his suicide attempt and drunk, born again religious crusade. Arthur (Michael Angarano) is an awkward teenage boy who still pines over Annie, from the days she baby sat him, as he lives under his parents divorce and tries to find true love for himself. When tragedy hits the town, the stories converge in a very profound, almost sacrificial way.
Very rarely do I see a movie that is so close to complete in its own world. Every element in this film is in near perfect proportion; the two stories are intertwined so beautifully that they fit together like lace. Nothing is over exaggerated or forced, but the characters interact and the plot builds upon itself in gorgeous subtlety. Snow Angels is so carefully crafted that the element of surprise is sustained throughout and the real shock lies not so much with what happens but what, in the end, is said.
If I were to stretch the fabric of this film enough so that I could look for holes, I would pick apart the relationship between Arthur’s parents which gives very little explanation for its decline. There is a little bit of generic divorce discourse: those “Pack your things and leave” after those “How can I be a good husband if I’m not really here?” might have been a little nauseating, but they were captured on such a pretty canvas I was able to let them go. Snow Angels might have lagged a bit in its establishment of its characters; we don’t get the full taste of Glenn’s alcoholism and religious fanaticism until well into the second act, nor do we see Arthur smoke pot except on one lone, very important occasion. Finally, there was one scene between Arthur and his girlfriend, over a plate of waffles, and under bed covers that I could have very easily done without.
Kate Beckinsale is probably the best I’ve ever seen her here; her grief, her frustration, her acceptance, all of this was so wonderfully done, but perhaps the best thing she gave to this film was that she always looked so… cold. Sam Rockwell was equally brilliant- disturbing, endearing, someone you’d want to save before you learn, eventually, that such would be impossible. I was equally impressed with some of the movie’s younger stars: Olivia Thirlby was a true gem as Arthur’s quirky, eccentric, yet soft hearted girlfriend; juxtaposed with her role in Juno, this movie really proved her range. I too, completely fell in love with little Gracie Hudson, who played Glenn and Annie’s daughter, Tara; her debut was completely sweet without being overly saccharine as so many other child stars’ have been.
Snow Angels really lived up to its name in the way it very softly, very gently left its impression on my brain as if it were snow. I highly recommend this movie.
