Snow Angels

In general, Snow Angels is a solid film. Impeccable acting and a heart wrenching story. I would actually like to read the novel it’s based off of and see if the adaptation was worthy enough.

The dynamic of the main family in this movie is pretty heartbreaking. Started a family too young and ended up completely broken. I feel bad for the little girl – stuck between two parents that hate each other, one more than the other, but is too young to really understand what is going on. I’m definitely not an advocate for staying together for the kids, but I wish people could just learn to be civil. Apparently that’s too hard for some people.


In this story the mother, played by Kate Beckinsale, is supposed to be the responsible one and has custody over her daughter. The dad is the crazy one that tried to commit suicide, then found God, but still has a dark side and a horrible temper. The mother, however, is completely irresponsible and has an affair with her friend’s husband and falls asleep one day while her daughter wanders outside and falls in a lake and gets trapped under the ice. I’d go with the conclusion that they’re both actually crazy and couldn’t get past their own issues to give their daughter a proper environment. If the father weren’t a total maniac the tired mother that had a cold could have asked him to watch their daughter. But they’re both crazy and she’s stubborn, so that didn’t happen.


Another little storyline in the movie is about a high school boy that works with the previously mentioned mother at a restaurant. She was his babysitter when he was a kid and he had a huge crush on her. But honestly, who wouldn’t have a crush on Kate Beckinsale? As he’s coming of age and dating the somewhat odd, new girl in school, he still finds himself connected to the mother since he’s known her practically his whole life. He’s the one that actually finds her daughter. I can’t imagine finding a 4-year-old girl floating beneath the iced-over lake. I also couldn’t imagine losing your child, especially your only child. That, in my opinion, would be the most devastating thing that could ever happen in life.


In the end, the crazy father stays his crazy self and kills his ex-wife then commits suicide. So much for finding God. The one thing I did like about the crazy guy was that before he killed himself while sitting in his truck, he let his dog out and run free so he wasn’t left in the cab with his dead owner.


Overall I think the film is done beautifully and is very well acted. Definitely worth a watch.