Snow Cake
starring: Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Scott Wickware, John Bayliss, Jackie Laidlaw
directed by: Marc Evans
directed by: Marc Evans
List Price: $19.95
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Product Description:
Alan Rickman has a made a career of stealing scenes in supporting roles, but he takes the lead in SNOW CAKE. Whether he's playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movie or the voice of God in DOGMA, Rickman provides a fascinating combination of dry wit and gravitas that also serves him well here. Flanked by Carrie-Anne Moss and Oscar nominee Sigourney Weaver, Rickman's performance provides the core of this character-driven drama. Though Weaver's best roles are as strong and independent women in films like the Alien quadrilogy and WORKING GIRL, she's fascinating to watch in her role as an autistic woman.Rickman plays Alex Hughes, a lonely man driving to Winnipeg to meet someone from his past. Along the way, he meets a spunky young woman named Vivienne who is desperate for a ride home to her mother. But a car accident leaves Vivienne dead and Alex full of guilt, and he goes to the small town of Wawa, Ontario, to meet Vivienne's mother. In Wawa, he discovers that her mother, Linda (Weaver), is an autistic woman. She convinces him to stay for a few days, and he meets her beautiful neighbor, Maggie (Moss). With the help of Linda and Maggie, Alex may be able to move beyond his troubled history. SNOW CAKE isn't for those who need an elaborate plot or explosions. Instead, it's a rewarding drama for adults that also features a great soundtrack from Broken Social Scene, Feist, Super Furry Animals, and the Stereophonics.
Amazon.com:
Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver form the quintessential indie-film odd couple in this intimately observed drama that makes a memorable detour from the usual high-concept, special effects-laden studio fare. Rickman is in his element as Alex, a morose, laconic ex-con just released from prison.A tragic twist of fate brings him to a Canadian small town and the doorstep of Linda, a functional autistic woman with a decidedly anti-social personality. Weaver is a wonder in a fiercely committed, vanity-free performance. "I don't like normal people," Linda states, and neither does Snow Cake, the heart of which is clearly with the outcasts and misfits, including Vivienne (Emily Hampshire), Linda's vivacious, hitchhiking daughter, who bums a ride with Alex because he looks lonely ("Lonely people have the best stories," she observes) and Linda's neighbor, Maggie (Carrie-Ann Moss), a nurturing type who is very quick to take damaged soul Alex into her bed. This is a palpably heartfelt project (screenwriter Angela Pell has an autistic daughter) that--the unfortunate title notwithstanding--mostly manages to avoid the cloying or manipulative. The smiling faces pictured on the DVD cover suggest an upbeat romantic comedy, but Snow Cake is a slice of something much more filling. --Donald Liebenson
Alan Rickman has a made a career of stealing scenes in supporting roles, but he takes the lead in SNOW CAKE. Whether he's playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movie or the voice of God in DOGMA, Rickman provides a fascinating combination of dry wit and gravitas that also serves him well here. Flanked by Carrie-Anne Moss and Oscar nominee Sigourney Weaver, Rickman's performance provides the core of this character-driven drama. Though Weaver's best roles are as strong and independent women in films like the Alien quadrilogy and WORKING GIRL, she's fascinating to watch in her role as an autistic woman.Rickman plays Alex Hughes, a lonely man driving to Winnipeg to meet someone from his past. Along the way, he meets a spunky young woman named Vivienne who is desperate for a ride home to her mother. But a car accident leaves Vivienne dead and Alex full of guilt, and he goes to the small town of Wawa, Ontario, to meet Vivienne's mother. In Wawa, he discovers that her mother, Linda (Weaver), is an autistic woman. She convinces him to stay for a few days, and he meets her beautiful neighbor, Maggie (Moss). With the help of Linda and Maggie, Alex may be able to move beyond his troubled history. SNOW CAKE isn't for those who need an elaborate plot or explosions. Instead, it's a rewarding drama for adults that also features a great soundtrack from Broken Social Scene, Feist, Super Furry Animals, and the Stereophonics.
Amazon.com:
Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver form the quintessential indie-film odd couple in this intimately observed drama that makes a memorable detour from the usual high-concept, special effects-laden studio fare. Rickman is in his element as Alex, a morose, laconic ex-con just released from prison.A tragic twist of fate brings him to a Canadian small town and the doorstep of Linda, a functional autistic woman with a decidedly anti-social personality. Weaver is a wonder in a fiercely committed, vanity-free performance. "I don't like normal people," Linda states, and neither does Snow Cake, the heart of which is clearly with the outcasts and misfits, including Vivienne (Emily Hampshire), Linda's vivacious, hitchhiking daughter, who bums a ride with Alex because he looks lonely ("Lonely people have the best stories," she observes) and Linda's neighbor, Maggie (Carrie-Ann Moss), a nurturing type who is very quick to take damaged soul Alex into her bed. This is a palpably heartfelt project (screenwriter Angela Pell has an autistic daughter) that--the unfortunate title notwithstanding--mostly manages to avoid the cloying or manipulative. The smiling faces pictured on the DVD cover suggest an upbeat romantic comedy, but Snow Cake is a slice of something much more filling. --Donald Liebenson
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Fiction is Stranger Than Fact
This film portrays what can go wrong in people's lives even when they are certain that they have not done anything wrong.Many viewers will have experienced some, if not all, of the feelings portrayed so aptly on the screen by the gifted crew.It is a sobering thought that such mishaps can have an innocent begining.
Rating: - Snow -- better than sex!
Snow Cake is a moving tale of tragedy, loss, guilt, and grief. It is also a hugely life-affirming celebration of difference. Sigourney Weaver's portrayal of an autistic single mother is by turns mesmerising and hilarious. As to its authenticity - well I'm not qualified to judge but it has apparently been endorsed by many people who are. Alan Rickman is as effective as ever as the guilt-stricken pilgrim who enters her life by way of a tragic accident and is transformed as a result of knowing her. ... Read More
Rating: 
- Oscar-worthy - in all respects!
This is a fabulous movie with fantastic actors - Sigourney Weaver alone should have received an Oscar for her role as an autistic women. Sad only that movies like this never seem to make it to the big screen - not enough action, sex or violence for the majority of viewers apparently ...
Rating: - Snow Cake
I love this movie!Alan and Sigourney play off of each other so well.Sigourney Weaver should have won some award and there is a sexy Alan scene too.
Rating: - Snowcake, DVD
I liked this film whose theme is random acts of decency, spontaneous families, the problem of how to be truly helpful. Sensitive portrayal by Sigourney Weaver of a mentally challenged (autistic) woman who becomes a mother through someone taking advantage of her when she was young. Her efforts to deal with death, and a helpful drifter, Alan Rickman, who is drawn into the mix by accident.
- Fiction is Stranger Than FactThis film portrays what can go wrong in people's lives even when they are certain that they have not done anything wrong.Many viewers will have experienced some, if not all, of the feelings portrayed so aptly on the screen by the gifted crew.It is a sobering thought that such mishaps can have an innocent begining.
- Snow -- better than sex!Snow Cake is a moving tale of tragedy, loss, guilt, and grief. It is also a hugely life-affirming celebration of difference. Sigourney Weaver's portrayal of an autistic single mother is by turns mesmerising and hilarious. As to its authenticity - well I'm not qualified to judge but it has apparently been endorsed by many people who are. Alan Rickman is as effective as ever as the guilt-stricken pilgrim who enters her life by way of a tragic accident and is transformed as a result of knowing her. ... Read More
- Oscar-worthy - in all respects!This is a fabulous movie with fantastic actors - Sigourney Weaver alone should have received an Oscar for her role as an autistic women. Sad only that movies like this never seem to make it to the big screen - not enough action, sex or violence for the majority of viewers apparently ...
- Snow CakeI love this movie!Alan and Sigourney play off of each other so well.Sigourney Weaver should have won some award and there is a sexy Alan scene too.
- Snowcake, DVDI liked this film whose theme is random acts of decency, spontaneous families, the problem of how to be truly helpful. Sensitive portrayal by Sigourney Weaver of a mentally challenged (autistic) woman who becomes a mother through someone taking advantage of her when she was young. Her efforts to deal with death, and a helpful drifter, Alan Rickman, who is drawn into the mix by accident.
