Review of Snow Angels (2007) by Shafqat A — 22 Nov 2009

It took David Gordon Green a few tries, but with Snow Angels he finally made the movie that anchored his lyrical humanism to a plot. Based on Stewart O'Nan's 1994 novel of divorce, murder, and growing up, the film could easily be a dreary downer, and frankly I'd be lying if I didn't say that at times it can get too frigid for its own good.

What makes it overcome its own seriously negative themes and Green's occasional perplexing (read: pretentious) touches, is the remarkable sense of intimacy and familiarity he creates within this small-town setting, the moment-to-moment feeling of being right there with these characters.

Sam Rockwell is extraordinary as the man who is slowly unraveling, Kate Beckinsale holds her own, while Amy Sedaris provides comedic relief and Olivia Thirlby (the friend in Juno) is a wonder to watch as the new girl in school.

Green impressively juxtaposes a convincing, vivid teenage romance with a the grim tragedy at the story's heart. It's staged like a mystery, but the answers aren't found by procedurally following clues, they're in the soap operatic emotional history the members of the town are carrying.