Director David Gordon Green's ironically-titled film focuses on characters haunted by a host of personal demons in a wintry northern town. Annie Marchand (Kate Beckinsale) is a waitress at a Chinese restaurant that also employs busboy Arthur Parkinson (Michael Angarano), a sensitive high school kid who still nurses a crush on Annie (his former babysitter). Annie dotes on her young daughter Tara (Grace Hudson), cares for her ill mother, and tries to maintain reserved relations with her ex-husband Glenn (Sam Rockwell), a troubled soul who has “found Jesus” after a stint in a mental institution following a failed suicide attempt. Annie is also having an affair with Nate Petite (Nicky Katt), the wayward husband of best friend (and fellow waitress) Barb (Amy Sedaris). Meanwhile, Arthur is coping with his parents' (Griffin Dunne and Jeanetta Arnette) separation, while gingerly striking up a romance with geeky classmate Lila (Olivia Thirlby). The cast is excellent, overall, and Green adeptly juggles the various narrative threads while presenting a harrowing and uncompromising vision of small-town life. Recommended. (F. Swietek)
Snow Angels
Warner, 107 min., R, DVD: $28.98 Volume 23, Issue 6
Snow Angels
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