Review of Snow Angels (2007) by Yeleysa C — 10 Dec 2015

On a cold afternoon, with snow on the ground, the high school band is practicing for the last football game. They hear shots. Flashback a few weeks before. Arthur is a high school student, bussing at a restaurant. Annie and Barb are waitresses there - Annie was Arthur's babysitter when he was little. She's now separated from her husband Glenn, who's on the wagon, starting a new job, praying to Jesus, and trying to prove he has his balance back so he can see more of their small daughter, Tara. Annie's seeing someone else, Arthur's parents have just separated, and Arthur is attracted to Lila, a new student at the high school. It's a small town, people's lives cross. [IMDb].

David Gordon Green is in the list of my top ten favorite directors and this movie is one of the main reasons for that. As I said in my review for "Undertow", his films are like magic to me. There's a few exceptions here and there (Your Highness, The Sitter and Our Brand Is Crisis) but overall, I mostly love his work. George Washington, All The Real Girls and Snow Angels are some of the best movies I've ever watched. Hell, even Pineapple Express and Prince Avalanche are both two of my favorite comedies. The man knows film and also how to work his way into my heart. Thank you, David.

I'm not a huge fan of Kate Beckinsale but this is easily the finest she's ever been. Her portrayal as Annie was some seriously impressive work; she held back at all the right moments and it really surprised me. Now here's an honest question: when the hell is Sam Rockwell ever bad in a film? He chews up the scenery with his performance here and his role further solidifies him as one of my favorite actors. Glenn is such a tragic character who we watch gradually fall into darkness and it's the highlight of the film. DGG knows when to be real and doesn't flinch in the face of authenticity.

Snow Angels is a masterpiece drama that's filled to the brim with realistic depictions of relationships (On both sides of the fence), magnetic acting and a director who knows how to make tragedies a beautiful thing. This is one of DGG's top quality films and it's a brutally realistic drama that has a few shocking and brilliant moments that knock my socks off and elevate this film above what it could've been. If you're looking for a dark and depressing drama about the bad side of two separated parents, this is a must-see. It's a great watch and I couldn't recommend it enough. The ending is my favorite scene and it's worth watching just to see the outcome of these characters. One of my favorite dramas without a doubt. Highly recommended.

P.S. S/O to Michael Angarano. I love you, man. Keep it up.