Snow Angels

SNOW ANGELS brings together the best of David Gordon Green, its director. Green is often poetic, often sepulchral, has great shots within his films, and stories about small people within vastness. It's probably his best film beside his debut film, GEORGE WASHINGTON. It's music is disturbingly tranquil, playing at all the wrong moments, and Green has every character except one say "I love you" and the person to whom its directed misses it. SNOW ANGELS is a sort of ensemble piece, which is its only weakness as that is too overused, and the film doesn't focus upon those who we want it to focus on. It concerns itself with a teenager (Michael Angarano), his old babysitter (Kate Beckinsale), and her husband (Sam Rockwell). Rockwell and Beckinsale are currently separated, and the only thing that keeps them together is their daughter Tara. The first hour of the film deals with the relationship between the husband and wife, and their various partners in happiness: whether that be sex, booze, or a dog. The story with Angarano is perhaps most fogettable in the first hour, and his presence is strange. But by the time we reach the second hour, and the story takes a horrific turn, the film is filmed with pathos, empathy, and depression. Green here is directing masterfully, allowing his actors to take over their scenes and share their energy, and forcing the camera off its subjects at perfect times. The music is great and reminiscent of FARGO, which was also about small town evils, and mixed with Green's directing, and the acting, the film only grows stronger in retrospect.
Snow Angels: ★★★★