Snow Angels

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I was looking forward to seeing Snow Angels initially because of how brilliant Sam Rockwell looked in the trailer and because he has a lead role which happens way too seldom. I also had a hunch, that for the first time, writer/director David Gordon Green would make a really solid film. I am happy to report, my expectations were definitely met. Each of Green's past three films all had elements of a good film but each of them faltered pretty significantly in some way or another, the problems usually stemming from a poorly structured and/or written screenplay and some of the acting. Green corrects both areas in Snow Angels, his first adapted screenplay.
I never read the novel from which this is based, but I assume Green benefits from having a story already laid out before him. He was able to concentrate more on dialogue (his strength) rather than crafting a story (his weakness). As far as acting goes, Sam Rockwell is sensational. Surely one of the best lead performances of the year. Rockwell delivers a really detailed portrait of his character, a man who is mentally unwell despite his best efforts not to be. Much like the film as a whole, Rockwell is often funny but always with an undercurrent of sadness. Rockwell uses, what seems like, every part of his body to serve the character with constantly defeated but hopeful eyes and various facial and body gestures that make the character feel alive and real. The rest of the cast is pretty solid, with good supporting performances by Amy Sedaris and Nicky Katt. Kate Beckinsale is the other lead and she contributes a decent performance, but doesn't produce a full bodied character the way Rockwell does.
I appreciated that the film focuses more on characters' reactions to the tragic events that unfold in the film rather than on the events themselves. So you end up with a film about the people in the town rather than a film about a child gone missing which, while the story's main "event", only occupies a small section of the film. This makes the film much more significant and in an unassuming way, unique. There are many great plot-driven films but it seems to be more difficult to craft a film about people successfully, which David Gordon Green does here.

Donna Kenny's Thoughts:
I agree, I thought Sam Rockwell was sensational.I do think Brolin in Milk has a contender for best "drunken" actor.I believe a "decent" rating for Kate Beckinsale's performance is a gift. Her reaction at hearing about her daughter's death is superficial. Soon after she returns to her job at the Chinese restaurant PLEASE!I thought Olivia Thirlby's performance as Lila was excellent. I loved her costuming especially the glasses.Did you know Connor Paolo's debut was Young Sean in Mystic River? The movie kept me interested and I said at least once out loud "Don't do it" when Rockwell carried the rifle upstairs and you saw his reflection in the T.V.