Fine duo in human drama

Unlike most movies centred on people with behavioural problems, Snow Cake's treatment is refreshing. For a change, the lead character, autistic Linda Freeman (Sigourney Weaver) is portrayed as spirited and independent rather than someone who has special talents or needs healing. Alan Rickman plays Alex Hughes, a passionless British man who's involved in a fatal car crash when driving across Canada. He lands in snowy Wawa in Ontario where he ends up taking care of oddball Linda. Both Rickman and Weaver work well together, having previously shared the big screen in Galaxy Quest. Their magnetic relationship provides the perfect combination of humour and drama, with the two constantly getting on each other's nerves. Weaver's role as a disabled person is well executed. One might even say it typifies the role that often begs an Oscar nomination. Rickman's compelling performance is debatably his best work yet. His understated demeanour as Alex, indirectly responsible for Linda's daughter's death, is cleverly juxtaposed with Weaver's strong character. Even though Rickman and Weaver shine in their performances, Carrie-Ann Moss's strong supporting role as Maggie doesn't go unnoticed. It appears to be her first fitting role since the Matrix sequels. Director Marc Evans' brave departure from his predictable thriller genre (My Little Eye and Trauma) to a pulling-at-your heart strings drama proves to be a worthwhile gamble. Snow Cake comes up trumps with Angela Pell's superb script, which produces a poignant drama.
Snow Cake screens soon at a theatre near you.
By Sharu Delilkan