Four out of
Five stars
Running time:
105 mins
Engaging, brilliantly written and ultimately moving drama with superb central performances from Rickman and Weaver.
What's it all about?
Alan Rickman stars as Alex, an emotionally distant British man who gets into a tragic car accident whilst driving across Canada. The repercussions of the crash bring him to snowy Wawa, Ontario where he finds himself looking after an eccentric, high-functioning autistic woman named Linda (Sigourney Weaver).
As Alex gradually begins to adjust and open up to his new surroundings, he develops an awkward friendship with Linda. However, things are complicated when Alex begins a tentative romance with Linda's divorced neighbour Maggie (Carrie-Ann Moss).
The Good
Director Marc Evans is best known for psychological thrillers such as My Little Eye or Trauma, so it's unusual to see him shift so comfortably into heartwarming drama. As it turns out, Evans has a real eye for detail, both in terms of character and of location – the press notes reveal that the slowly melting snow was a coincidence forced upon the film by the weather, but it's turned out rather nicely, metaphor-wise.
Rickman is terrific as Alex, his minute reactions to the people around him speaking volumes about his unspoken past. Weaver has the more obviously showy performance but she plays it exactly right and you never feel like you're seeing a series of For Your Consideration -style Oscar clips.
The Great
There's also strong support from Carrie-Ann Moss, in what seems like her first decent role since the abysmal Matrix sequels and newcomer Emily Hampshire in a small, but central role.
There are several wonderful scenes (such as Linda and Alex playing Scrabble with made-up words) and Angela Pell's script crackles with great lines. Ultimately, it's the sort of film that creeps up on you and you don't realise how much it has affected you till you find yourself still thinking about it days later.
Worth seeing?
A superbly written, thoughtful and ultimately moving drama with superb performances. Recommended.