A fresh, intelligent and thoroughly involving psychological thriller.
First Snow (2007)
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Reviews Counted:19
Fresh:11
Rotten:8
Average Rating:6.1/10
Consensus: In First Snow, an interesting premise gives way to a slow and tedious noir that adds little to the genre.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language, some violence and sexuality
Runtime: 2 hrs 1 min
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Mar 23, 2007 Limited
Box Office: $100,519
Synopsis: Jimmy (Guy Pearce) is a smooth-talking salesman who finds himself making a detour after his car breaks down on a desert highway. To pass the time, he pays a visit to a local palm reader, Vacaro... Jimmy (Guy Pearce) is a smooth-talking salesman who finds himself making a detour after his car breaks down on a desert highway. To pass the time, he pays a visit to a local palm reader, Vacaro (J.K. Simmons). Vacaro makes a few positive predictions for him, but then appears deeply disturbed by a vision. Jimmy demands to know what he saw, but Vacaro refuses to tell him, and won't even accept payment for the reading. A few days later, Jimmy becomes uneasy when various predictions begin to come true. He returns to Vacaro and begs to know what is in store for him. Vacaro admits that, yes, Jimmy's days are numbered, and he is to meet his fate--whatever it may be-- upon the first snowfall. The news causes Jimmy to descend into paranoia and fear, and he begins to behave irrationally--endangering both his job and his relationship with his girlfriend (Piper Perabo).What tragedy is about to befall him? Should he worry about his heart murmur? The threats from a disgruntled ex-employee? Or his ex-best friend, a convicted felon, who has recently come back to town? He turns his life inside out, racing to alter his destiny before the first snow. Guy Pearce gives his usual electric performance, perfectly capturing Jimmy's slick egotism, and later, his wild-eyed fear. His puzzle-like quest for the truth combined with the film's noir-style is at times reminiscent of MEMENTO, though the pace is a bit slower, and the plot a bit clunkier. But the film does still manage to pose some intriguing questions about the idea of fate, and the notion of each life being on a pre-destined path. Like MEMENTO, FIRST SNOW will leave viewers scratching their heads in wonder, if not feeling more than a little spooked. [More]
Starring: Guy Pearce, Piper Perabo, William Fichtner, J.K. Simmons
Starring: Guy Pearce, Piper Perabo, William Fichtner, J.K. Simmons, Shea Whigham, Rick Gonzalez, Jackie Burroughs, Adam Scott
Director: Mark Fergus, Bob Yari
Director: Mark Fergus
Screenwriter: Hawk Ostby, Mark Fergus
Director: Bob Yari
Producer: Sean Furst, Bryan Furst, Tom Lassally, Robyn Meisinger
Composer: Cliff Martinez
Studio: Yari Film Group
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Reviews for First Snow
I was beguiled by both the eerie moods and the striking compositions, which incorporate large stretches of empty space.
The film has some of the bleak inevitability of Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, but without the compelling characters and oddball twists.
A haunting neo-noir about a man told by a palmist that his karma is about to run over his dogma.
This is first-rate work from a talented actor who is fated to become a star.
... this one foresees a bleak future for anyone fool enough to look into it.
Guy Pearce continues his quirky, risk-taking ways with another very strong performance here.
Through it all, Pearce reminds us how good he can be in these obsessive parts.
[The filmmakers] pay homage to the genre without bringing much new to it.
First Snow keeps audiences guessing - not necessarily about how the film will end but what path things will take to get there.
First Snow starts out with a compelling premise but melts all too quickly.
First Snow is essentially a short story with a metaphysical twist, but Pearce puts his fears more up front than any actor I can think of. He keeps you poked and prodded with anxiety.
First Snow is a very worthy first film, and one that lingers in the mind long after the final fade-out.
Covers very familiar indie territory, but debuting director Mark Fergus covers with style.
A pointed little thriller with metaphysical pretensions, First Snow is shrewd enough to approach basic philosophical questions in sneaky, offhand ways.
Is it written somewhere that every indie quasi-noir must include a dripping faucet, ceiling fans, shadows of slatted blinds, and a traveling shot of highway lines?
A moody psychological thriller about a salesman's paranoid attempts to circumvent his predicted demise, First Snow engages but underwhelms.
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