Thecharacters have a depth and a warmth to them which although isnt completely engaging does at least make you interested in their ultimate fates. Snow Despite the sombre ending, though, he smiles, as his future is still bright. As a leading lady, her smouldering screen presence holds up perfectly, with her Ingrid Bergman-esque qualities serving the film extremely well in the Cold War sequences as Katya. [2] The Boston Globe also praised the novel, citing the character of Katya as a highlight.[3]. Ultimately, we are never empathise for these characters and importantly are never scared for Katya. I hate to be harsh, because I feel like there was potential in this film. Displaying promises of a polished melodrama, the archetypal romance between between Katya and Alexandre (on which the plot largely feeds) is more mawkish than emotionally charged. Coming Soon. Despite The Falling Snow is a film by novelist and filmmaker Shamim Sharif. Also, her parents died but we dont know how or when, or how exactly she ended up in Alexs care. Considering I was the first person to buy a ticket for it at my local cinema I predict that this will most likely go straight to DVD in other countries, but stay tuned to the release dates in case of any change. Rebecca Ferguson, Following on from Rebecca Fergusons last role as the sassy spy alongside Ethan Hunt, this should be mission possible. It was first published on May 4, 2004 through Headline Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods. And its a little jarring. She is now a spy working for the Americans, and the cell she belongs to has targeted Alexander Ivanov, a.k.a. 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One part of the story is set in 1950s Moscow, Russia during the Cold War years, while the other follows the story of 1992 Moscow and London in the period after the collapse of USSR. In fact, you never really feel any emotions about anything. Become a Member and support film journalism. Theres great potential here, but the execution is far too clunky. Executive producers: Ben White, Lisa Tchenguiz, Katherine Priestley Charles Dance | Katya is eventually won over, of course, but the film fails to generate much heat as she wrestles with her conscience, then eventually reveals her secret to Alex and convinces him to defect. Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Charles Dance, Antje Traue, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Thure Lindhardt and Anthony Head, the film was released in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2016.. His journey back to the dangerous streets of Moscow uncovers a love triangle and betrayals from those he trusted most. Production designer: Mina Buric In both the past and present the characters seem to be without any strong or discernible accents. Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Meanwhilein 1990s New York Katyas niece Lauren, an artist, is making plans to discover what happened to her aunt. In Moscow in 1959, Katya pursues rising Soviet politician Alexander (Sam Reid) at the encouragement of their friend Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) so that she can share his secrets with the Americans. Respectably put together but inert, the basic-cable-ready picture has slim theatrical prospects but may attract some attention thanks to current Russophobia. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Shamim has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. I have a postgraduate education in film & have spent an exceptionally long time trying to get inside the film industry. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. His refreshing understatement contrasts with the more self-consciously stylised leads, which appears to owe more to Sarifs direction than their interpretation of the characters. At the party in the opening sequence the American flag hangs with the field in the upper right corner. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast If nothing else, Despite The Falling Snow proves what we already knew about Ferguson from Rogue Nation shes a bona fide movie star. Up to three inches of snow could fall in less than four hours. I love film, more than people probably, and I will watch pretty much anything. A lifeless love-meets-espionage yarn set in Cold War Russia. Adapted by writer-director Sharim Sharif from her own novel, this romantic thriller casts Ferguson as two women separated by time but connected by blood and a sequence of events that occurred in Moscow at the height of the Cold War. The film is based on her book of the same name and plays outover two time periods. This article is about the book. Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. In one particular case, Katya puts her foot down and tells Misha shes not going to follow his instructions. Hanan Kattan and Lisa Tchengiuz served as the Executive producers. Admittedly I had high hopes for Despite The Falling Snow, I imagined something reminiscent of The Debt (which I didnt like) or Sarahs Key (which I did). In 1950s Moscow, communist Katya secretly spies for the Americans in the Cold War arms race. Her films have won 47 awards internationally. All Rights Reserved. "Despite the Falling Snow" is a phrase that barely sticks in the mind for the time it takes to read it; given that the movie wants to be a Cold War romantic espionage thriller, you can imagine a. Read critic reviews. The film is based on her book of the same name and plays out over two time periods. Charles Dance here is very much the same Charles Dance who wrapped in a couple of days on five other films in the last year or so and while a more game Anthony Head shows up with a spectacularly scruffy and tobacco stained performance as another key player, neither of them is around much and neither has much in common with their respective characters in the main plot. Dont worry, it wont take long. A film set in two time periods is always going to suffer slightly, all the jumping back and forth between storylines can disengage the audience from what is going on. As writer and director, Shamim Sarif brings her own racy, Sheldon-esque espionage romance to the big screen, and she sticks to the above formula. Despite the Falling Snow jumps between the years 1959-1961 and 1991, moving from Moscow to New York and back again. Coming Soon. And be ourFacebook chum here. Sarif employs techniques such as slow motion parting gestures to provide us with cues to start caring. As the present moves to Moscow journalist Marina does nothing to help matters. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Critical reception for the novel was mostly positive, with The Bulletin praising it as a "mature romance". @MHarrison90, Mark is a writer from Middlesbrough, who once drunkenly tried (and failed) to pitch a film about his hometown to a director from Pixar. The 1992 present, in comparison to the past (but also compared to any other film), istwo-dimensional and kind of vacuous. As we learn from the films flashbacks to 1959, Katya is a staunch anti-Communist who is tasked with spying on Sacha, who was then a promising young government employee (and played by Sam Reid), for fellow spy Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), but she finds herself falling for her mark. Despite the Falling Snow Review by Adam Chapman Directed by Shamim Sarif Starring Antje Traue Charles Dance Rebecca Ferguson Anticipation. All the papers are in Russian, so were not sure theyre important. Youll be playing the guessing game on where its going, and who is who. It features laborious acting and directing, and a screenplay whose revelations are uninteresting, even were they not guessable long in advance. LWLies Recommends. Theres also a massive cognitive disconnect between the older and younger incarnations of characters. The acting is very good as is the direction. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. When she begins spying on Alexander, an idealistic Communist politician, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. Yet it certainly shows off what a versatile actress Ferguson is. despite the falling snow ending explained. The plot bounces back and forth between time periods, jumping from a stylised period drama of the 50s to New York and Moscow of the 90s. Then, suddenly, she loves him. It is like Jeffrey Archer with a twist. You're almost there! Plot Keywords In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Half the film follows Katya and Sashas courtship in Moscow in 1960 and 61, culminating in the fateful moment when Sasha defects to the United States, leaving Katya tragically behind. A Cold War spy thriller from Steven Spielberg thats as sleek, robust and alluring as a vintage Rolls Royce. Charles Dance and Anthony Head (as the older Misha)dont really put anything into their roles,although they occasionally, and rather grossly, ham them up. Despite being with a lot of loose ends, 'Under the Skin' is the epitome of abstract filmmaking, so much so, that the abstraction itself is abstract and questionable. This can just add to our confusion. Its been a few years since Ive seen such a cold lesbian relationship on screen. The smoothest of these comes when one Ferguson walks out of the state archive in Moscow after a dangerous mission, as another Ferguson walks in. Alas, Lauren is going in there to read about this sort of thing, and so, even the slicker transitions slide the film right back into sub-Who Do You Think You Are procedural before it can really gather any steam. lost in the dream-killing melancholy of the old Soviet Union. | 2022 Film Inquiry. Just confirm how you got your ticket. The very next scene, she goes right ahead and does what shes told. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Menu Despite The Falling Snow (300) 5.8 1 h 33 min 2017 X-Ray PG-13 Moscow 1959: Katya is young, beautiful, and a spy for the Americans. The romantic relationship between Lauren and Marina is pretty poor too. Its a formula not to be sniffed at he has sold over 300 million books during his 50 year career. Sharif is no stranger to adapting her own novels for the screen, via her production company Enlightenment Productions, and sadly, although Im not familiar with previous films such as The World Unseen and I Cant Think Straight, you wouldnt know it to look at this one. Production company: Enlightenment Productions Sasha (Sam Reid). 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. As the final credits roll, that overarching theme about photos being timeless rings true. Seriously, anything! It feels abridged, almost as though the film has to come in under a time limit, and many of the important beats dont really get time to land. There he remains, and for some reason has ended up being the father figure to Katyas niece Lauren. Director Shamim Sarif Writer Shamim Sarif (written for the screen by) Stars Rebecca Ferguson Sam Reid Charles Dance See production, box office & company info Watch on Freevee Watch Free on Freevee More watch options That offers a parallel narrative of hidden motives, but Snow does little with the comparison. Director of photography: David Johnson despite the falling snow ending explained. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Reconciling her passion for him with her beliefs about communism means making the greatest sacrifice - of her life - a sacrifice that Alexander only uncovers thirty years later. So I was less than optimistic about the film as a whole when the opening titles were nothing more than a series ofhistorical film imagesoverlaid withsome pretty crass, amateur Times New Roman titles. Thematically, Despite the Falling Snow could be summed up as an exploration of the way in which the inhuman brutality of Stalinism wreaks its deep emotional damage decade after decade, generation on generation, even following its victims halfway round the globe. Hes an uncomplicated functionary in the Kremlins foreign-affairs department; she, unbeknownst to him, is a spy selling secrets to the U.S. Coming Soon. I'm a big believer in treating every film the same, and bringing something new to the film theory table, giving reasons for every argument made. When the preview of Despite The Falling Snow the film appeared on YouTube a song performed by Ella Henderson called "Now You Say You Love Me" featured prominently toward the end. Lauren sets out for Moscow and with the help of political reporter Marina (Antje Traue), sets about trying to uncover what happened to her aunt. It stars Rebecca Ferguson in both roles, as Katya and Lauren. Its a particular gripe of mine that I hate films that try to get by in an 80s or 90s world just by ditching the mobile phones and wearing slightly unfashionable clothing. Her choice between love and duty leads to a nail-biting conclusion. Flag etiquette requires that it have the field in the upper left corner. Are record snowstorms proof that global warming isn't . You'll receive your first newsletter next Saturday. Charles Dance plays the older Alex but sounds and looks nothing like Sam Reid, and we never really connect to him as this man who loved Katya so passionately. Katya is young, beautiful and a spy for the Americans. . The most successful part of Despite The Falling Snow takes place in the past. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, weve been described as being at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement. Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. Copyright Fandango. Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Charles Dance, Anthony Head, Antje Traue, Thure Lindhardt Katya is young, beautiful and a spy for the Americans. Fortunately, he. Hammy histrionics Sam Reid and Rebecca Ferguson in Despite the Falling Snow. Because although its not awful, its really not very good either. Get our L.A. Hanan Kattan and Lisa Tchengiuz served as the Executive producers. The mystery of the story is so simple andclichdit is impossible to engage with. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, Novelist/filmmaker Shamim Sarif goes to Cold War-era Russia for the espionage-laced love story 'Despite the Falling Snow.'. Its not awful, its really not very good either have a depth and a screenplay whose are... Attention thanks to current Russophobia and who is who start caring but inert, the basic-cable-ready has. Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods in both,... 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