Let
It Snow... (2000)
Perhaps not the most typical of romantic
comedies, "Snow Days" seems familiar nonetheless.
It does have a lot going for it including a script
that is usually pretty clever, great acting, wonderful
assured direction and, well, Bernadette Peters.
Peters is the only name in the cast
and although she has only maybe 15 minutes of screen
time, she outshines her younger contemporaries in
the film. She's a joy here and it's so nice to see
her in a good film.
She plays mother to a young man (scripter
Kip Marcus) who falls in love with his neighbor girl.
Perhaps this is the first indication of what seems
familiar about the film. It's about high school sweethearts.
But here is where the film is unique and different,
it follows the lovers all through school and out into
the real world. And it never gets typical or too sugary.
In fact, we see the couple, especially him, struggle
with a friendship that is turning to love, long distance
relationships, break-ups and make-ups. It goes through
the whole relationship with passion and intelligence
and shows us a love affair that is typical but not
typical, cinematic but never really seen exactly like
this before.
The acting is great. Marcus and female
lead Alice
Dylan(INTERVIEW) have a crackling chemistry that
makes you dive into the romance and care about their
characters. Watching them grow from animosity days
to friendship to separation at college is quite delightful.
Marcus has a natural charm and comedic sense and although
he isn't attractive in the traditional sense of Hollywood
(i.e. modelesque), he does have a chiseled face and
a warm smile that ingratiate him into your heart.
Dylan, meanwhile, is a sweet and charming, beautiful
creature that never lets her attractiveness overwhelm
her character. We don't care about her because she
is pretty, we like her because she is warm and human
and real and nice. A perfect love interest for a romantic
comedy.
Director Adam Marcus, Kip's brother,
films the piece with assuredness and almost perfect
pacing. The jokes are amusing and the chemistry oozes
from the screen. Adam's work here may be traditional
(i.e. not trendy cutting edge stuff), but his film
is sweet and heartwarming and likable. We don't need
cutting edge here.
Yes this film is a bit of a warm fuzzy.
But it's a delightful little heterosexual love story
that we can all enjoy. It's got sweetness and a real
sense of honest emotion. It should be an indie hit.
Note: A great score by Sean McCourt.
The film's final scene will remind
you of both "the Graduate" and TV's "Rhoda."
LODGER
checked this out at Sundance 2000
