Winter Passing (AKA Happy Endings [UK Release])

Directed By: Adam Rapp
Written By: Adam Rapp
Starring:
Zooey Deschanel
Ed Harris
Will Ferrell
Amelia Warner

“The Woman treated me as a mild curiosity all my life” – Reese

Winter Passing is the first feature film from playwright Adam Rapp.

It follows the story of Reese Holden (Deschanel) a struggling actress living in New York who is approached by a literary agent who offers her a small fortune which she will get if she can obtain letters of correspondence from her famous famous novelist parents Don (Harris) and Mary Holden (Mary has recently passed away) from early in their relationship. Reese agrees to the deal and travel back home to Michigan to be with hear father and try to find the letters. While there Reese meets the people that her father has taken in since her mother’s passing, handy(ish) man Corbit (Ferrell) and former student Shelly (Warner).

This is a really nice film and is well made by Rapp.

Zooey Deschanel is superb, she plays her character of a young woman reduced to rubble by her parents extremely well. For the first twenty minutes or so she carries the movie on her shoulders. Ed Harris gives a stirring portrayal as the reclusive writer Don Holden. Will Ferrell and Amelia Warner are really good as the supporting characters.

There is going to be people who will consider the movie a bit slow, but it is a joy to watch. All the characters are well rounded and interesting to watch interact with each other.

The music that was chosen for the movie fits in nicely where they are placed. The music adds to the tone the movie is setting.

Deschanel’s performance really fully evokes on screen how Reese is feeling, cold and lonely.

I love the first twenty minutes of the film, before we find out much about her parents, we can see the psychological damage that they have inflicted upon her, She now does cocaine and has resorted to slamming her hand in a drawer just to feel something.

His is a wonderful and emotional film with great characters, a solid story and would be worth watching for Zooey Deschanel and Ed Harris’ performances alone.

7/10 – Cody
N/A – Michael

70%

Blue Jasmine

Directed By: Woody Allen

 

Written By: Woody Allen

 

Starring:

Cate Blanchett

Sally Hawkins

Alec Baldwin

Andrew Dice Clay

Bobby Cannavale

Louis C.K

Peter Sarsgaard

Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’s only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming – Jasmine

Blue Jasmine follows New York socialite Jasmine who after losing everything and suffering a mental breakdown, arrives in San Francisco to live with her estranged sister temporarily. As Jasmine struggles with memories of her privileged past, which are haunting her, she tries to recover in the present.

Blue Jasmine is a film of many strengths among them are that its wonderfully written and directed by Woody Allen

The acting is great in this film especially from Cate Blanchett who gives a brilliant and haunting portrayal of a woman struggling to cope

I think the flashback sequences are handled well and excellently done, the give us a glimpse of Jasmine’s past and the events which have led up to the present. They give a fantastic showcase and insight into Jasmine’s character.

This is a great movie, which has many funny moments, but is also touchingly poignant.

I firmly believe that Cate Blanchett deserves the Oscar for her performance, as she really blows her competition out of the water. This movie should be seen by any fan of Woody Allen or character studies.

8/10 – Cody

N/A – Michael

80%