SNOW DAY
A film review by Christopher Null
Copyright 2000 filmcritic.com
filmcritic.com
It's tough for a Texas boy to relate to the concept of a snow day. We had the occasional sleet day or hurricane day, sure, but snow? Whether you live in the tundra or not, I'm sure everyone can relate to the real story of SNOW DAY, the tale of a boy who pines for the school beauty, a girl far above his station with whom he never has a shot.
Maybe we can relate a little too well. This story has literally been done to death (it feels practically like a remake of 1995's ANGUS), but at least SNOW DAY is reasonably funny along the way. Thanks to the movie's "fresh new stars," SNOW DAY feels newer than it should. And thanks to leading kids Mark Webber (DRIVE ME CRAZY) and Schuyler Fisk (daughter of Sissy Spacek), the movie has a lot of charm and heart.
This is a kid movie, to be sure, and the little ones will have to contend with four plotlines, all held tenuously together by the notion that a sudden, freakish snowstorm shuts down their New York town and that "anything can happen." Center stage is Hal (Webber), who pines for who must be the tannest girl in New York state, a girl named Claire (Emmanuelle Chriqui), who comes off as cold and distant -- while the earnest Lane (Fisk) wears her heart on her sleeve. Hal's dad is hapless weatherman Chevy Chase, who fights with his rival on another station. And Hal's kid sister Trachtenberg wages war with Mr. Snowplow Man (Elliott) to fight for a second snow day.
The plot involving workaholic mother Jean Smart doesn't hold a candle to the rest of the film, and I found myself often hoping for a return to the core of the picture - Hal's hilarious pursuit of Claire. But I'm sure you'll find one thing more annoying than the saccharine Smart: the audience. Only I don't know which is worse: the kids or their trying-to-be-hip, mouth-breathing parents.
RATING: ***1/2
|------------------------------|
\ ***** Perfection \
\ **** Good, memorable film \
\ *** Average, hits and misses \
\ ** Sub-par on many levels \
\ * Unquestionably awful \
|------------------------------|
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Chris Koch Producer: Albie Hecht, Julia Pistor Writer: Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi Starring: Chris Elliott, Mark Webber, Jean Smart, Chevy Chase, Kyle Alisharan, J. Adam Brown, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Schuyler Fisk, Zena Grey, Pam Grier, David Paetkau, Josh Peck, Iggy Pop, John Schneider, Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jade Yorker
http://snowdaymovie.nick.com/
--- Christopher Null - null@filmcritic.com - http://www.filmcritic.com
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