First Snow (2007)

GOOD PERFORMANCES SAVE THIS FILM !

I am a fan of Guy Pearce and I loved 'Memento'! I was hoping for a little more out of this film. It's not bad and the actors involved give it their all, but it seems to takes too long to get where it's going. It does have some redeeming qualities and some good advice 'not to put off until tomorrow what can be done today'. Procrastinators....are you listening?
;-b June 9, 2008

Somewhat interesting but mostly disappointing

Although Guy Pearce is a great actor and really pulls through, I still expected more out of this movie. As usual, I tend to base movie on trailers, but I guess maybe I should not always go according to them. This is one of the movies with a really good trailer, but except for a few good scenes, it pretty much stops there. They could have done a lot more with this and it could have been presented differently. Many parts are slow and not enough content to keep it interesting. I kept looking at the time left into the movie and hoping for a good ending. All in all, it wasn't totally bad but too many dull long stretches and not enough to keep the momentum.
May 21, 2008

Sophomoric and very predictable

First Snow is a thoroughly sophomoric thriller hampered by a totally predictable ending. It's a shame too, for the film's mood and ambiance really work. The whole time I kept hoping that the film would turn out to be a little more than it seemed to be; that the ending would be a surprise and not the most obvious exit possible. Alas, I was disappointed. It would have been soooo much better if he was being conned; if his buddy set the whole thing up and the psychic was in on it. How? Well, he could have known about the Wurlitzer deal, and calling the game is a 50/50 thing. Oh well. As is, First Snow is a minor effort held somewhat together by a very effective mood (despite taking place in New Mexico, the film is drenched in blues and grays) and Pearce's so-so performance. January 20, 2008

The rise and fall

Ugh! We love Guy's work, and this one starts out for the first 30 minutes or so as a building thriller with a promising premise. Then it goes South, which is what he and we should have done. The material grows old quickly. The ending's a total dud, and the climax, typical Hollywood violence/language: "We're going to keep them guessing and really shock the audience!" Neither occurs. I kept wanting for it to move along. Which probably sums up the film as well. December 21, 2007

Unsettling premonition of the future

Unctuous salesman Jimmy Starks played by Guy Pearce finds himself with time to kill in a desolate New Mexico town in the Mark Fergus written and directed thriller, "First Snow". Due to unexpected car trouble he decides to get his fortune told by roadside psychic Vacaro played by J.K Simmons. Simmons makes a few predictions about the speed of the auto repair, results of a basketball game and a future windfall that Pearce should expect. The session concludes with a shocking, unhinging response by the seer, making Pearce skeptical of the foretelling.

Pearce begins to have second thoughts when things start occuring according to prediction. He begins to re-examine the self centered relationships he shares with his girlfriend Deirdre played by Piper Perabo and his work colleague Ed Jacomoi played by character actor William Fichtner. He decides to trek back and have Vacaro give him another reading.

Vacaro reluctantly tells the now concerned Pearce that his days are numbered and that he'll be safe until the first snow. This puts Pearce into a paranoic tizzy with every little thing signalling his demise. He suddenly realizes that the threat will most likely come from his ex-partner Vince played by Shea Whigham. Pearce rattted him out and allowed him to take the fall in a money laundering scheme that put him away for three years. He'd just been paroled and Pearce feared retribution. Deciding to face Vince, Pearce puts his life in order, paying his debts, making promises to his girlfriend and solidifying friendships.

The confrontation between the ex-partners results in a startling interaction in which Pearce's fate is ultimately decided.

The desolation of the New Mexican settings with an eye on the changeable weather conditions with threatening snowflakes, helps increase the intrigue in this low budget thriller which ultimately packs quite a wallop. Pearce in a role that has a similar feel to the part he played in the movie "Memento", shines as the oily salesman whose seemingly unfettered life is turned upside down by a prediction of the future. December 17, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...