It was first published on May 4, 2004 through Headline Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Now that I ' ve read Shamim Sarif's Despite the Falling Snow, I ' m looking more forward than ever to the film. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2004 book by Shamim Sarif. Furthermore the costume and setting in the 90sis just poor. 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Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast Do you plan on seeing Despite The Falling Snow? Even at 93 minutes, Despite The Falling Snow feels less like an adaptation than a mood reel for the source material, giving a prcis of the story rather than a whole experience. When she begins spying on Alexander, an idealistic Communist politician, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. Hammy histrionics Sam Reid and Rebecca Ferguson in Despite the Falling Snow. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2016 British Cold War espionage film directed by Shamim Sarif, adapted from her novel of the same name. Sasha (Sam Reid). Watch Despite The Falling Snow (UK Trailer). After an early career amongst the political elite of Cold War Russia, Alexander Ivanov has lived in America for forty years and has managed to bury the tragic memories surrounding his charismatic late wife, Katya or so he believes. Overall, the 90s is not very good. 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. 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. Mark Harrison | 10)", "A tale of intrigue haunts with its sorrow", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Despite_the_Falling_Snow&oldid=1106244885, This page was last edited on 23 August 2022, at 20:22. Thecharacters have a depth and a warmth to them which although isnt completely engaging does at least make you interested in their ultimate fates. Its heady and fertile terrain for journalistic docudrama, for spy-vs.-cyber-spy suspense. Her films have won 47 awards internationally. 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 story of this movie is the book "Before Snow Falls" written by Leyla in "I Can't Think Straight". It is like Jeffrey Archer with a twist. A lifeless love-meets-espionage yarn set in Cold War Russia. Its a confusing development which really could have been avoided. 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. Marina: Why not both? Cinemark This laboriously acted and directed spy tale-cum-love story is like a Jeffrey Archer airport novel with uninteresting, guessable revelations. Weirdly, despite her great performance as Katya, Rebecca Ferguson falls short as Lauren. 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. Youll be playing the guessing game on where its going, and who is who. In 1950s Moscow, communist Katya secretly spies for the Americans in the Cold War arms race. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Snow Despite the sombre ending, though, he smiles, as his future is still bright. If this film were produced back in her day, Bergman would have been the obvious choice. Also, her parents died but we dont know how or when, or how exactly she ended up in Alexs care. Known for earlier films and novels that focus on lesbian relationships, Sarif squeezes a brief one in here: a present-day fling between Lauren and Marina (Antje Traue), a journalist who pretends to be a fan of Laurens art but actually shares an interest in Alex and Katyas story. Sarif employs techniques such as slow motion parting gestures to provide us with cues to start caring. The film was directed by the author of the original book Shamim Sharif. In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. Antje Traue Romance, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Review: Missing turns up more terrors in tech and true crime, Indie film is at a crossroads. 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.). As the present moves to Moscow journalist Marina does nothing to help matters. Edward Snowden and Pussy Riot. [1] It was first published on May 4, 2004 through Headline Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Katya is young, beautiful and a spy for the Americans. Moscow, 1959. Coming Soon. Warner Bros. 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. Composer: Rachel Portman 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. 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What did you think of it? . with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. As Lauren, shes perky and liberated and slightly bratty, especially when she comes on to a high-ranking Russian journalist (Antje Traue). the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Have you read the book? She comes across as cold, kind of blank, and with an accent that jumps around quite a bit. And Sundance is full of canaries in the coal mine, John Larroquette confirms he was paid in weed to narrate Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Prosecutors to reveal if Alec Baldwin will be charged in Rust shooting tomorrow, Want to solve climate change? The film was directed by the author of the original book - Shamim Sharif. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Viewers first encounter Denzel Washington's character as he's scrambling . Critical reception for the novel was mostly positive, with The Bulletin praising it as a "mature romance". Fast-forward to New York in 1991, and an older Alexander (Charles Dance) laments his wifes disappearance 30 years earlier, while Lauren tries to discover what happened to her aunt. Copyright Fandango. Their director proved them wrong. You're almost there! You could argue that this deepens the central mystery, wondering how the characters changed so much over the years, except that this mystery is maddeningly obvious from quite early on, thanks to the deceptively convoluted structure. All Rights Reserved. You never feel any strong emotions between them. But she makesKatya agravely sensual figure, with shades of Genevive Bujold or Emily Watson,lost in the dream-killing melancholy of the old Soviet Union. Furthermore, bad production choices just make some of the film no better than a TV movie, and one from the 90s at that. These days even the most amateur of filmmakers can make a small production budget work. The old Cold War meets the new Cold War. 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Its obviousness is irritating, and I was amazed that a filmmaker would use such bad SFX in a contemporary film.source: Altitude Film Entertainment. 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. There he remains, and for some reason has ended up being the father figure to Katyas niece Lauren. You'll receive your first newsletter next Saturday. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. For the most part the production of the past in Despite The Falling Snow is okay, the settings and the costumes are good. During the Cold War, a female spy steals secrets from a politician after falling in love with him. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Drama Mystery Romance In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. 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. 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. Author Sidney Sheldon writes about heroines attempting to navigate their way through a mans world, confronting the dangers and desires of the heart. Up to three inches of snow could fall in less than four hours. "Despite the Falling Snow contains all the ingredients of a good thriller: intrigue, suspense, and romance." 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