I don't believe I've seen any of Shamim Sarif's other films to date, and as I also haven't read her original novel, I suppose I'm in a prime position to judge this as objectively as one could. Apart from noting some familiar names in the cast, and lovely filming locations (in Belgrade, accordingly), there's nothing particular about the title that immediately leaps out one way or the other as the clock advances. Even one-third into the length it doesn't necessarily make a major impression, though in the very least the tale is sufficiently interesting to keep on watching. And maybe that's kind of the best evaluation of 'Despite the falling snow' at large: broadly unremarkable, but passively enjoyable.
While neither strengths nor weaknesses especially stand out for the most part, various elements slowly begin to either concretely earn favor, or come off as not being to the picture's advantage. I'm not sure whether it should be attributed to director Sarif, cinematographer David Johnson, producer Hanan Kattan, or some combination thereof, but most shots and scenes are visually pleasing in a way I can only describe as peculiarly warm and inviting. On the other hand, when it comes to guiding the cast's performances and the active orchestration of scenes, there's a certain brusqueness in Sarif's direction that's mildly off-putting, and sometimes I also wonder if Johnson's camerawork isn't a little too zealous. Overall I think the acting is commendable, with noteworthy nuance seen from Rebecca Ferguson, Antje Traue, Charles Dance, Sam Reid, and more; then again, though this may be a result of the direction or other factors, there's often a vague but detectable stilted quality to their portrayals that comports with neither the emotions the characters should reasonably feel, nor the control those same characters should presumably exercise over their emotions. I have no notes for editor Masahiro Hirakubo, whose work is quite fine all around, and in some cases extra sharp as the plot shifts between time periods. For that matter, in all regards the crew behind the scenes turned in reliably terrific contributions, including production design and art direction, hair, makeup, and costume design.
While it carves no new paths, I like the tale that Sarif spins - one of love, espionage, and conflicting loyalties; deception, destroying lives, and echoes of the past. Characters have complexities that are gradually show themselves more, and the dialogue neatly dovetails into that sensibility. The scene writing boasts some splendid detail that belies a more delicate hand, and the narrative is compelling, and solid, if less than exceptional. Yet here is where the biggest issue with 'Despite the falling snow' ultimately lies, for as enticing as the saga is on paper, in execution the realization of it falls a little flat. The vast majority of these ninety-some minutes pass with a subdued, bland tone that deprives the presentation of almost any sense of immediacy, urgency, or electricity. Even as secrets are revealed that are of major significance to characters, most of the plot development is no great revelation to the audience, and regardless the tableau is painted with such dull colors that the viewing experience feels less like historical fiction of life and death, and more like an episode of one of those TV shows where celebrities learn about their ancestry and feign shock as all the information is laid out directly in front of them. It's not until the very end - truly the last few minutes before credits start to roll - that the picture seems to have finally struck the perfect chord. The ending is sad, beautiful, and highly impactful, and without a doubt the best part of the whole film. I'm reminded of 2005's 'Brokeback Mountain,' in that whatever one thinks of the title in total, the final sequence is singularly powerful, and far outshines everything that came before it. If only the rest of these one and a half hours were approached with the same care, and mind for vibrancy, then my assessment would be very different.
If my words come off more critical than positive, I don't altogether intend it. To be clear, I do like this movie, and it's certainly better than not. It's just that if the strengths and weaknesses were weighed using a balance scale, in sum the feature is almost entirely even-keeled (incidentally matching its tone or lack thereof), and it's only the last few minutes that give it an edge. While I don't think all the choices herein serve the film well, I nonetheless salute all involved for the work they put in, and only wish that the production were one that really let us Feel the drama it's trying to communicate. For such deficiency, it seems difficult to give a specific recommendation for this, unless one is a huge fan of someone who worked on it. Still, if you're looking for a picture of such a thrust, this is decent enough if you happen to come across it. Don't go out of your way by any means, but so long as you're not looking for only the best of the best, 'Despite the falling snow' is modestly worthwhile.
While neither strengths nor weaknesses especially stand out for the most part, various elements slowly begin to either concretely earn favor, or come off as not being to the picture's advantage. I'm not sure whether it should be attributed to director Sarif, cinematographer David Johnson, producer Hanan Kattan, or some combination thereof, but most shots and scenes are visually pleasing in a way I can only describe as peculiarly warm and inviting. On the other hand, when it comes to guiding the cast's performances and the active orchestration of scenes, there's a certain brusqueness in Sarif's direction that's mildly off-putting, and sometimes I also wonder if Johnson's camerawork isn't a little too zealous. Overall I think the acting is commendable, with noteworthy nuance seen from Rebecca Ferguson, Antje Traue, Charles Dance, Sam Reid, and more; then again, though this may be a result of the direction or other factors, there's often a vague but detectable stilted quality to their portrayals that comports with neither the emotions the characters should reasonably feel, nor the control those same characters should presumably exercise over their emotions. I have no notes for editor Masahiro Hirakubo, whose work is quite fine all around, and in some cases extra sharp as the plot shifts between time periods. For that matter, in all regards the crew behind the scenes turned in reliably terrific contributions, including production design and art direction, hair, makeup, and costume design.
While it carves no new paths, I like the tale that Sarif spins - one of love, espionage, and conflicting loyalties; deception, destroying lives, and echoes of the past. Characters have complexities that are gradually show themselves more, and the dialogue neatly dovetails into that sensibility. The scene writing boasts some splendid detail that belies a more delicate hand, and the narrative is compelling, and solid, if less than exceptional. Yet here is where the biggest issue with 'Despite the falling snow' ultimately lies, for as enticing as the saga is on paper, in execution the realization of it falls a little flat. The vast majority of these ninety-some minutes pass with a subdued, bland tone that deprives the presentation of almost any sense of immediacy, urgency, or electricity. Even as secrets are revealed that are of major significance to characters, most of the plot development is no great revelation to the audience, and regardless the tableau is painted with such dull colors that the viewing experience feels less like historical fiction of life and death, and more like an episode of one of those TV shows where celebrities learn about their ancestry and feign shock as all the information is laid out directly in front of them. It's not until the very end - truly the last few minutes before credits start to roll - that the picture seems to have finally struck the perfect chord. The ending is sad, beautiful, and highly impactful, and without a doubt the best part of the whole film. I'm reminded of 2005's 'Brokeback Mountain,' in that whatever one thinks of the title in total, the final sequence is singularly powerful, and far outshines everything that came before it. If only the rest of these one and a half hours were approached with the same care, and mind for vibrancy, then my assessment would be very different.
If my words come off more critical than positive, I don't altogether intend it. To be clear, I do like this movie, and it's certainly better than not. It's just that if the strengths and weaknesses were weighed using a balance scale, in sum the feature is almost entirely even-keeled (incidentally matching its tone or lack thereof), and it's only the last few minutes that give it an edge. While I don't think all the choices herein serve the film well, I nonetheless salute all involved for the work they put in, and only wish that the production were one that really let us Feel the drama it's trying to communicate. For such deficiency, it seems difficult to give a specific recommendation for this, unless one is a huge fan of someone who worked on it. Still, if you're looking for a picture of such a thrust, this is decent enough if you happen to come across it. Don't go out of your way by any means, but so long as you're not looking for only the best of the best, 'Despite the falling snow' is modestly worthwhile.