Snow Cake

Snow Cake’s opening scene shows a man, Alex, in a roadside diner, who’s taking a break from driving to see his ex-girlfriend. A young girl plops in the chair opposite him and begins a one-sided conversation, much to the annoyance of Alex who just wants to be alone. “You look like a man who needs to talk,” Vivienne tells him, and a reluctant Alex agrees to give Vivienne a ride to Wawa, where her mother lives. When he starts warming up to her, a truck driver hits Alex’s car and leaves Vivienne dead, while Alex walks away with barely a scratch. Filled with guilt, Alex decides to make his way to Wawa to see her mother, Linda. Alex discovers that not only Linda is autistic, but also that she has no one around, so he decides to stay to help Linda with the planning of Vivienne’s funeral. He meets Linda’s neighbour Maggie, and starts a romantic relationship with her. Over the few days the movie takes place in, Alex slowly learns to let go of his painful past while finding comfort in the company of both women. Along the way, audiences learn why Alex, Linda and Maggie are the way they are— why Alex keeps himself disconnected from his surroundings; why Maggie, a beautiful woman is single; and why Linda chooses to live alone despite her disabilities. What makes this movie stand out is its great acting; and it helps that and there’s an undeniable chemistry between all the characters as they make the best out of being in a small, secluded town. Alan Rickman might just be the man born to play the brooding Alex; and Sigourney Weaver aces her role as an autistic person. It’s rare to find a movie that makes you laugh and at the same time, touches you in unexpected moments. Snow Cake is a movie that does both flawlessly.

Opens 14 June (GSC International Screens only) Dir Marc Evans Cast Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman. Carrie-Ann Moss, Emily Hampshire Runtime 112 minutes

Text Jolyn Thong