2022 Film Inquiry. Coming Soon. Because although its not awful, its really not very good either. The main draw of Despite The Falling Snow is a dual performance by Rebecca Ferguson, who shot this in between her Emmy-nominated work on The White Queen and her memorable breakthrough role in. Synopsis Urged on by her fellow spy Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), himself Alexs best friend, Katya allows herself to be wooed by Alex despite his embrace of a government that persecuted her family. 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Sarif employs techniques such as slow motion parting gestures to provide us with cues to start caring. A lifeless love-meets-espionage yarn set in Cold War Russia. Ferguson, in a short blondish wig, plays the niece, too, a gambit that seems like it should mean something but doesnt. "Despite the Falling Snow contains all the ingredients of a good thriller: intrigue, suspense, and romance." The Boston Globe 'Quite literally, breathtaking' The Good Book Guide "Novel of the year" Stevie Davies, The Independent "Sarif's thrilling new novel makes me think of the 'The English Patient' and 'The French . Though the film is filled with Russian characters, everyone speaks with a British accent. review Read Next: Animation Directors Use Cutting-Edge Tech to Amplify Emotion. Their director proved them wrong. If nothing else, Despite The Falling Snow proves what we already knew about Ferguson from Rogue Nation shes a bona fide movie star. In 1950's Moscow Katya is a spy for the Americans and is encouraged to marry and steal secrets from the young politician Alex. The film is set in the post-Stalinist Soviet Union. Regal There he remains, and for some reason has ended up being the father figure to Katyas niece Lauren. Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Charles Dance, Anthony Head, Antje Traue, Thure Lindhardt Its obviousness is irritating, and I was amazed that a filmmaker would use such bad SFX in a contemporary film.source: Altitude Film Entertainment. Theres also this part of you that wonders ifLauren isntAlex and Katyas daughter, which keeps your interest going for a while, until you realise she certainly isnt. This can just add to our confusion. Theres great potential here, but the execution is far too clunky. Katya is young, beautiful and a spy for the Americans. Copyright Fandango. For the most part the production of the past in Despite The Falling Snow is okay, the settings and the costumes are good. Furthermore, bad production choices just make some of the film no better than a TV movie, and one from the 90s at that. Ferguson is an Ingrid Bergman-style actress. Dont worry, it wont take long. Although it's been 2 and a half years since I read this, I still remember it quite vividly and positively despite my . We believe in Truth & Movies. 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. 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. (Establishing shots ostensibly set in 1991 make no attempt to hide 21st-century skyscrapers.) Yet it certainly shows off what a versatile actress Ferguson is. 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. 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. despite the falling snow ending explained +10 What wintertime climate change has meant for South Jersey In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and . Coming Soon. In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. When she lands her biggest assignment, stealing secrets from rising government star Alexander, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. We know because she keeps saying it, but Sarif doesnt develop the relationship convincingly its like watching freeze-dried old movie passion that someone forgot to add water to. The music was composed by Rachel Portman and the cinematography was by David Johnson. The most successful part of Despite The Falling Snow takes place in the past. Get our L.A. The key to understanding the ending of "Fallen" recognizing that John Hobbes is not the narrator; Azazel is. and the Hanan Kattan and Lisa Tchengiuz served as the Executive producers. The novels journey back to the snowbound streets of post-Stalinist Moscow reveals a precarious, dangerous world of secrets and treachery. All Rights Reserved. Editor: Masahiro Hirakubo The film was directed by the author of the original book Shamim Sharif. Fortunately, he. Despite the Falling Snow is a phrasethat barely sticks in the mindfor the time it takes to read it; given that the movie wantsto be a Cold War romantic espionage thriller, you can imagine a hundred titles that would bemore alluring. By creating an account, you agree to the Russia, as a subject, has been coming up in the world of entertainment (it started with the launch of The Americans on FX four years ago), and one could now easily envision Russia becoming a vast new landscape of 21st-century dramatic interface. 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When she lands her biggest assignment, stealing secrets from rising government star Alexander, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. 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. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. 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. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Putin and Trump. You'll receive your first newsletter next Saturday. Sign up to get our cinematic goodness delivered to your inbox every weekend. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Following on from Rebecca Ferguson's last role as the sassy spy alongside Ethan Hunt, this should be mission possible Enjoyment. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2016 British Cold War espionage film directed by Shamim Sarif, adapted from her novel of the same name. When she begins spying on Alexander, an idealistic Communist politician, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. Ultimately, we are never empathise for these characters and importantly are never scared for Katya. Be the first to contribute! How about over dinner? On the plus side, Charles Dance provides a praiseworthy turn as the older Alexandre, who features more prominently towards the final act. Theres also a massive cognitive disconnect between the older and younger incarnations of characters. The main draw of Despite The Falling Snow is a dual performance by Rebecca Ferguson, who shot this in between her Emmy-nominated work on The White Queen and her memorable breakthrough role in last years Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation. Cinemark 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. Critical reception for the novel was mostly positive, with The Bulletin praising it as a "mature romance". Executive producers: Ben White, Lisa Tchenguiz, Katherine Priestley In facthisdisengagement from the past ends up seeming like a complete disinterest in Katya altogether. Promotion for this film has been almost invisible to even the most seasoned cinema goer, and most of what I discovered about it I had to search for on the internet. Despite the rain, we enjoyed the festival. Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here, Nat Geo WILDs Critter Fixers Dispel Myths About Country Vets, Doctor Sleep: Rebecca Ferguson on Becoming the New Shining Villain, Heat, Empire Records, and the Best Movies Free on Plex in January, The Best Jeff Beck Side Project Tracks and Deep Cuts, Every Marvel Movie and TV Show Coming in 2023. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. [2] The Boston Globe also praised the novel, citing the character of Katya as a highlight.[3]. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Which is okay when everyone is Russian or everyone is American but when Lauren goes to Moscow in the beginning of the film I didnt notice. Director-screenwriter: Shamim Sarif Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more. [1] It was first published on May 4, 2004 through Headline Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods. Katya is played by Rebecca Ferguson and played very well, her chemistry with Alex (played by Sam Reid) has potential, but you never really understand how she feels about him or what his reasons are for wanting her. Katya has been assigned by Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), the swarthy leader of her cell, to get romantically involved withSasha. Overall, the 90s is not very good. Katyas mission, however, becomes muddled when would you believe she falls in love with him. Weirdly, despite her great performance as Katya, Rebecca Ferguson falls short as Lauren. Yet heres one case where the tone deaf-ness is far from incidental. Become a Member and support film journalism. Again, theres great potential here but its never really explored. Hes supposed to be the films romantic hero, but he is, in fact, a Soviet bureaucrat of such mealy sweet ineffectuality that his title is senior assistant to the third deputy minister of foreign affairs. (He would probably think that Despite the Falling Snow is a good title.). 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. Author Sidney Sheldon writes about heroines attempting to navigate their way through a mans world, confronting the dangers and desires of the heart. Casting directors: Kelly Valentine Hendry, Victor Jenkins, Lina Todd, Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Hanan Kattan and Lisa Tchengiuz served as the Executive producers. boral roof tiles bunnings; joe eastenders actor catchphrase; where the locals eat in savannah; brian marshall montgomery, al; camps for rent on lake catherine louisiana In fact, you never really feel any emotions about anything. Marina clearly has her own agenda but youre not really sure what it is, and when you do find out its as cold and boring as the rest of her story. After penning the book and directing the film, Sarif could have benefited from a fresh eye. Despite the Falling Snow is ostensibly a love story set against a Cold War thriller backdrop, but it features no heat and little tension. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, Golden Tomato Awards: Best Movies & TV of 2022, 10 WTF Horror Movies to Watch if You Loved M3GAN. . Do you plan on seeing Despite The Falling Snow? Despite the Falling Snow is an absorbing tale of family, the Cold War, and mostly true love. The film was directed by the author of the original book - Shamim Sharif. She comes across as cold, kind of blank, and with an accent that jumps around quite a bit. Shamim has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. This is all very confusing. In 1950s Moscow, communist Katya secretly spies for the Americans in the Cold War arms race. Found this on Netflix, primarily watched it because of Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance. Director Shamim Sarif's "Despite the Falling Snow" begins with promise, featuring the titular precipitation with an almost jaw-dropping beauty. 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. Alexander Ivanov, a high-ranked Soviet bureaucrat, reluctantly defects to the West while is part of a diplomatic mission, feeling the grief of being unable to know the fate of his wife Katya, whom he has had to leave behind in Moscow. Meanwhilein 1990s New York Katyas niece Lauren, an artist, is making plans to discover what happened to her aunt. Moscow, 1959. Lauren: Sorry, are you going to interview me about my work, or my family? Mystery & thriller. 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. I hate to be harsh, because I feel like there was potential in this film. Its heady and fertile terrain for journalistic docudrama, for spy-vs.-cyber-spy suspense. Hammy histrionics Sam Reid and Rebecca Ferguson in Despite the Falling Snow. It opens in theaters March 31, 2017 and on demand. In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. But Despite the Falling Snow is one of those movies in which the cross-cutting keeps destroying all mood and momentum it feels more like channel-surfing. legacy piii gateway llc. If the movie had been called Casablanca or Notorious, its still doubtful that a lot ofpeople would want to see it. 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