Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Memorable, crazy movie

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A beautiful film with a truly impressive performance by Sigourney Weaver as an autistic woman that befriends traumatized Alan Rickman.Helmed by Walesian director Marc Evans, "Snow Cake" is set and shot in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was written by Angela Pell, her first and (still) only movie. The atmospheric small-town winter setting adds a lot of bubble-in-time feeling and makes a good backdrop for the story.

"Snow Cake" is an adult drama that is set in Ontario, Canada. It has three stories that overlap. One is of loss and healing from tragic highway deaths. Another is about experiences living with an autistic adult. And the third is about healing and recovery from things in one's past. These facets are peppered with light comedy in places. Alan Rickman is superb as Alex, and Sigourney Weaver shines as Linda. The supporting cast all give very good performances. Emily Hampshire is Vivienne, Carrie-Anne Moss is Maggie, James Allodi is Clyde, Selina Cadell is Diane and Julie Stewart is Florence.The Toronto Sun review of Sept. 15, 2006, called "Snow Cake" "a film for discerning audiences." That hints at why it is an adult drama. The visuals of a highway accident, behavior and actions of an autistic person, intimate relationship between Alex and Maggie raise this above normal fare for young people. It has much for one to contemplate. It runs the gamut of emotions. It's a good film that packs a lot into less than two hours, without ever seeming rushed.Here are some sample lines of comedy and contemplation. Alex, "You're unreasonable, Linda." Linda, "I'm autistic, Alex." Alex, "Well, it's the same thing."Linda, "You have been very helpful, Alex, and I want to say thank you. You're not as interesting as Vivienne was, but you have some quite good characteristics." Alex, "Whoo hoo. Don't go overboard with the praise there, Linda."Alex, "You're the only person I have ever met who I didn't have to explain or even justify myself to." Linda, "Perfectamundo!"

I just saw the movie for the second time after 3 years. I can't believe Sigourney Weaver didn't win any award for this amazing performance. She deserved an Oscar nomination for it. Alan Rickman is fantastic as well. Excellent low-key score, direction and writing.One of the things I like the most about this movie is that it's so low-key. It doesn't put the sad stuff "in your face" in a cliché sort of way, but instead the sadness is usually underneath. Sigourney's character is happy in the most unlikely circumstances - which is the exact opposite of what you would except from a movie like this - yet it doesn't affect the sadness itself. Excellent work.Don't forget to check out the deleted scenes - most of them are excellent and it's a shame they had to delete them from the final cut.

...thanks to a fine script by newcomer Angela Pell and adept direction from Brit Marc "I'm not a household name" Evans that delineates the personal healing of a wounded soul (superbly played by Alan "Die Hard" Rickman) when he meets the autistic mother (Sigourney "you ought to know by now" Weaver) of a young woman who has died in his company (the very winning Emily "Ruby Gloom" Hampshire), as well as a concerned neighbor (Carrie-Anne "Fido" Moss) who proves more nurturing than one might otherwise expect. Shot in Canada and pretty much released direct-to-video, "Snow Cake" is one of those odd character-driven films like "Transamerica" and "Broken Flowers" that entrusts a decidedly non-mainstream screenplay to an off-the-radar director and a coterie of accomplished actors with remarkably satisfying results.I love discovering films like "Snow Cake," and am thankful that talents like Weaver, Rickman, and Moss are willing to tackle them. I love enjoying the work of journeymen like cinematographer Steve "Durham County" Cosens who fruitfully labor outside the limelight of celebrity and deliver results that match or exceed those of their more famous counterparts. Most of all, I enjoy experiencing the fruition of efforts by talented unknowns like Ms. Pell.This is not to say that "Snow Cake" has no faults, script- or otherwise. At times the fades/edits clearly indicate a narrative structure adaptable to commercial television presentation. The score by Broken Social Scene is often overtly manipulative, if not downright cloying. Some of the premises of the film seem a bit forced (cf. the Rickman/Moss romance). Nonetheless, "Snow Cake" has far more to recommend it than not. The three leads are at the top of their game (disregard any comments you see that claim Ms. Weaver is "acting" rather than "being"), the storyline is engagingly peppered with quality dialog that actually has something to say, and I'm hard pressed to recall a film in which the significance of the title is revealed so late in the plot and yet carries such resonance throughout.There's nothing here for action fans to see; move along, please. "Snow Cake" is a lovingly realized character piece, well-crafted despite whatever weaknesses it may have, and easily worth the several hours spent with it by open-minded viewers. The DVD features include deleted scenes (most for obvious reasons) and trailer. Recommended to all who enjoy life-affirming tales that refuse to condescend.