Drifting Snow – A Charming But Dull Indie Drama

When it comes to film, in these hectic times, sometimes we need to slow down but that isn’t always for everybody which isn’t necessarily a bad thing and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Drifting Snow is arguably another example of one of these films. It may not be overly long, clocking in at a mere 75 minutes, but for what it lacks in substance not related to its short running time, this slice-of-life Canadian indie drama somewhat makes up for in beautiful scenery featuring the Eastern Ontario countryside and some quality performances from its two leads, Sonja Smits and Jonas Bonnetta. For many viewers that will be enough but the slow pace may be a turn off and some may be left wanting more. However, that short running time alleviates those issues to the point that they are barely noticeable as the film will be done well before then.

Drifting Snow tells the story of two strangers named Joanne (Smits) and Chris (Bonnetta) who happen to find each other over the course of a brutal Eastern Ontario winter. Little did they know, these two strangers perhaps had more in common then they may have realized as they quickly bonded over the course of the film as they drove each other around and shared stories of their lives and their circumstances. They essentially found themselves at different stages in their lives. After losing her husband John (Mochrie), Joanne was relegated to the trials and tribulations of living secluded rural life on her own in her old age. Meanwhile, Chris, with his failing eyesight, was forced to deal with the death of his mother and was saddled with the responsibility of handling her affairs, including her own home in that same secluded rural countryside.

For the most part, Joanne and Chris and their backstories were somewhat compelling to watch but there were very little highs and lows which is sure to leave some people feeling bored as they fail to truly go anywhere which is sure to leave some wondering what the point of it all was. The ambiguous and abrupt ending was merely the icing on top in that it only exemplified its issues narratively because in the end, not many will care or even remember what they watched soon after the credits roll. Nevertheless, Smits and Bonnetta as Joanne and Chris were easily the best part of Drifting Snow as they and their chemistry do their best to make it all work as believable and seemingly lonely strangers bonding over their experiences and love and hate relationship with their collective environment. Mochrie made a decent impact in a very minor role as John.

At the end of the day, Drifting Snow will certainly not be for everyone but fans of Canadian film and/or those looking for something to decompress won’t go wrong though it won’t have any staying power.

still courtesy of Game Theory Films

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.