Indie Gems: Winter Passing

Before they went all ska..

I love Zooey Deschanel. She's truely one of my favorite actresses, and going through her resume you're bound to find a lot of indie gems.

Reese (Deschanel) is an actress that's offered a deal to publish letters written by her novelist father (Ed Harris) to her now deceased mother. It's obvious Reese has been away from her family for a long time, not even making it to her mother's funeral. When she goes back to her snowy town in Michigan she's surprised to learn her father has taken in a few new roommates. A British college student, Shelly (Ameila Warner) and a shy, wannabe musician Corbit. (Will Ferrell) Her father's health is ailing, and he's chosen to live in his garage rather than in his own house. Reese has a hard time adjusting.

Winter Passing is quiet and delicate and feels like it almost floats by. Zooey and Harris put in great performances as always, but the one that surprised me the most was Will Ferrell. We're used to him being the funny guy, but he can do drama when it's called for. That's one of the things that makes me like Ferrell so much, I can count on him to make me laugh, and laugh, and laugh. I can also count on him to turn out a great dramatic performance. He's right up there with Jim Carrey, who's dramas I tend to like more than his comedies nowadays. When I first saw this in theaters I remember a lot of people making a huge deal over a case of animal abuse in the movie. Don't let that change your mind, it's not that big of a deal. Seriously.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "Why don't you go back to Narnia or wherever the fuck you came from."