Smilla’s Sense of Snow is one of those films whose unfortunate name choice cost it dearly at the box-office and probably derailed the cult classic status it should have received. In short, this is a exceptional film, especially for those of you who are bored with mainstream Hollywood’s Crapomatic Factory. On every level this film is outstanding: it is a unusual script, the acting is excellent, the cinematography is often wonderful and if you go into the film not knowing where it is all headed you will be surprised by the twists and turns, especially at the end. Many may be thrown off by the fact that the movie masterfully switches gears on the audience as it nearly transforms itself from one film to another. Some may find this to be a little much to handle, but I think it is well worth the ride.
I will be vague on facts and simply encourage you to take a chance, especially if you have Netflix or Blockbuster Online. The story follows Smilla who is investigating a child’s death in Copenhagen but the film goes in some truly unexpected directions and Smilla is thrown into a shocking conspiracy. Smilla’s Sense of Snow, does a great job of setting up smart asses who know the ending to most movies they see and can usually out maneuver the talentless hacks thrown at them by Hollywood’s cookie cutter script factory.
It is truly a shame that more people haven’t seen this flick, for Gabriel Byrne and Julie Ormond each give amongst the very best performances of their respective careers. Overall, the acting in the film is outstanding and adds greatly to the impact of the films.
Based on the book by Danish author Peter Hoeg, Smilla’s Sense of Snow was a box-office disappointed and was unfortunately one of those rare films that might of actually lost a modest amount of cash. While hard and fast numbers are a little hard to discern, the film’s US box office was almost non-existent and its global take somewhere around $10-$20 million. The budget was approximately $30-$40 million, which for what is ultimately on the screen, was a little too high as, while the film is often beautiful and very well done, this relatively large budget is not reflected in the final product. I regret saying anything negative about the film, but there is little doubt that the budget could have been used more efficiently. In short, what you see on the screen, while excellent, could have been achieved with a lower budget. Thus, director Bille August’s only true failure came on the budget end.
Smilla’s Sense of Snow is simply a undiscovered gem. One of those films that may someday be discovered and appreciated greatly by a wide audience, or perhaps remade with, god only knows, what outcome. This is a must see for fans who truly appreciate movies, the pacing and acting are both top notch as is the script. Smilla is unconventional but the producers and studio deserve credit for putting a film out there that is not run of the mill, not conventional and not some sort of movie-ccino with a extra shot of high-fat butter flavoring.
Story A
Acting A
Visuals A
Originality/Innovation A
Enjoyability Grade A
Home Theater/HD Factor A (There are many rich scenes that will look awesome in high-definition and next-generation DVD.)
Overall Grade A
