First Snow

This psychological thriller calls to mind the pulpy, noir-ish novels of Jim Thompson and David Goodis, whose tormented protagonists often lurched through the pages of their lurid adventures knowing that they were predestined by fate to meet violent, ironic ends. Guy Pearce stars as smooth-tongued salesman Jimmy Starks, who consults a psychic while killing time in a desolate Western town, only to be told (to his dismay) that he will die with the coming of winter's first snow. In a desperate attempt to change his future, Jimmy revisits his past, trying to atone for previous sins. Pearce is terrific as the increasingly frantic and paranoid Starks, who ultimately alienates his girlfriend (Piper Perabo), while J.K. Simmons and William Fichtner stand out in the supporting cast. Writer-director Mark Fergus occasionally lapses into cliché with his handling of familiar material, and at times the sense of déjà vu threatens to subvert the narrative and plunge the entire enterprise into parody, but Pearce's intense, mesmerizing performance makes First Snow worth watching. A strong optional purchase. (E. Hulse)