Snow Cake

Snow Cake is one of those hokey dramas in which a disabled person reveals life lessons to the nondisabled, said Stephen Holden in The New York Times. Alan Rickman plays Alex, an Englishman who befriends Linda (Sigourney Weaver), a functioning autistic woman whose tics and obsessions give the actress a reason to flex her acting muscles. The plot is light and the lessons commonplace, but this independent film 'œpartly camouflages the banality of its concept with its meticulous performances.' Weaver's extensive research for the role results in a highly accomplished portrayal of autism, said Stephanie Zacharek in Salon.com. 'œYet the performance feels like a stunt, not a true marvel'”a case of an actor playing a condition, not a character.' It's understandable that Weaver would want to stretch her image a bit. But when the powerful, sensual actress we loved in Alien and Working Girl plays a weaker woman, it feels like a real loss. A movie like Snow Cake bears no resemblance to real life, said Stephen Whitty in the Newark, N.J., Star-Ledger. It does, however, have a lot in common with all the other bland indie films in which characters 'œair their messy problems in loud, tearful monologues.' Don't people make low-budget art films to escape clichés like these?

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