First Snow (2006)

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

A traveling flooring-salesman, Jimmy Starks, which rather would sell nostalgia in a Wurlitzer jukebox, is stranded in a godforsaken place in this film by director Mark Fergus. First time director fop this writer. Well, when he waits for his car do be fixed, he goes to a fortune teller, just to kill time. The fortune teller gets a shock when he discovers something in his future. Starks wants to know more, but is forced to leave. Soon he understands the fortune teller wasn't a con man. A trip to the doctor tells that his hart has a problem.That's the start of this interesting film, which right off starts to creep under your skin. But the film doesn't all the way hold up the great tension and excitement is promises at the beginning. Fine acting by Guy Pearce (playing Starks), J.K. Simmons (the fortune teller), Piper Persbo (Deirdre) and William Fichtner (Ed Jacomoi) helps bringing this forward. A great cast, well directed. Pearce once again plays a fine role, and here maybe one of his best ever.The title is not telling very much in beforehand, except that it puts the film into a genre of these cold, bleak mysteries. But it has some significance, of course. The film has certain similarities with "The machinist" which has a similar ways of paranoia, and it also has a tad of a Hitchcocky feel. The bleak colors are also a similarity here, as is the the great acting.The film is slow and poetic, which the late autumn and early winter adds to, but the film still holds both some lingering excitement and the fear of the unexpected around next corner. Though at the same take the film makes you think of this an everyday story. As such a quality film, and still holding in to a deeper meaning for those who inhale it. For others it will be too slow, artful and even boring. A good film, though it didn't really touch into my heart, like I though from the opening.

never heard of Guy Pearce before I think he did a remarkable job given for someone I never heard of.. this movie has a very interesting premise. you go to a fortune teller to get you're future told to you, and then you get hit with the hammer over the head, you're only gonna be safe up until a certain time, then all bets are off. what would you do , and how would you go about trying to alter the course of what god has in store for you, this is what attracted me to the movie once I understood what was going on. I liked all of the plot twists and the scenery in the picture was also very nice. our main character tries to do several things to try an alter the almost certain outcome, and it's sorta like a psychological thriller in his journey to overcome what has been presented to him by the fortune teller. pretty darn good movie I will watch again soon.

If you've ever read the short story "August Heat" by William Fryer Harvey, you'll have a pretty good idea about the kind of chills this movie delivers. Guy Pearce delivers a top-notch performance as the smooth-talking, quick-witted, traveling salesman. Equally powerful acting by the talented William Fichtner. The story is almost completely absorbing, no matter how sleep deprived you might be, you will watch it to the end. In fact, less sleep equals more tension here! There were quite a few edge of your seat moments, many bumps along the road. If you were affected by 'The Gift' you'll definitely be affected here. My only criticism is a loosely woven ending, something that could have been improved with a few relevant flashbacks.Put your seat belt on and enjoy the great panoramic shots along the way!

***SPOILERS*** Strange and haunting psychological drama involving traveling salesman Jimmy Starks, Guy Pearce, who comes apart after, what at first seemed like, a harmless reading from a roadside fortuneteller.On his way home Jimmy stops off at this rest stop on the highway when his car suddenly conks out. Waiting for his car to be fixed and after a stake & eggs dinner Jimmy spots this trailer that advertises telling one's future. Seeing the proprietor Vacaro, J.K Simmions, Jimmy gets a life reading from him that will soon change not only his fortunes, that were at the time at rock bottom, but his life as well! As it later turns out most of what Vacaro told Jimmy amazingly came to pass but the biggest mystery in his forecast didn't. Jimmy was told that the road he's traveling on will come to an abrupt end the moment the first snows fall! Not being able to make heads or tails of Vacaro's strange prediction Jimmy assumes that he'll die, or be killed, by the time winter comes!Becoming super paranoid Jimmy starts to suspect everyone he, as a smart a** wise guy, screwed all his life. At first Jimmy suspects his fellow salesman whom he took under his wing, and later screwed out of his job, Andy Lopez played by Nick Gonzalez. Andy in fact did, by admitting, send Jimmy a threatening letter with no return address of course which had Jimmy not only slug him but also threatened to have him arrested! It was later after Andy apologized Jimmy got the news that his former best friend Vincent McClore, Shea Whigham, had just been released, after serving six years,from prison. It was Vincent whom Jimmy screwed, like almost everyone else in the movie, years ago in a drug money laundering scheme that he ended up taking the rap for! Being of unsound mind with a violent temper to boot it became evident to Jimmy that Vincent was the person who'd fulfill Vacaro's prediction of his own demise!Like in the practice Voodoo it was up to Jimmy, in believing it, to make Vacaro's prediction of his strange road to nowhere to come true. Instead of forgetting about it Jimmy went out of his way to see to it that his, in Jimmy's mind, soon to be death will inevitably happen. The fact that Vacaro was very unambiguous in what was going to happen to Jimmy-he'll run out of highway at the first snow-but Jimmy seemed to take it all the wrong, and worst, way!***SPOILER ALERT*** As it turned out Jimmy's past, as a stool pigeon and rat-fink, did catch up with him in what he did to his then best friend and partner in crime Vincent McClore. All this, together with Vacaro's mystifying prediction, put everything into motion for the films totally unsuspected and nail-biting climax!