FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
| FILM The Winter Guest Talented British actor Alan Rickman's directorial debut, The Winter Guest, is a showcase for his visual flair and, expectedly, a 110-minute lesson in film acting. Carving wonderful performances out of each of the film's eight protagonists, Rickman explores the intangible landscapes of human isolation, fear of the unknown and fear of death. Though he is undoubtedly intelligent and understands the subtle nuances of every action that occurs in this film, The Winter Guest suffers from a severe lack of narrative excitement. Rickman got the idea for the story from actress Lindsay Duncan's stories of her relationship with her mother, and became convinced that therein lay the foundation of a play. The play's producer, Ken Lipper, was convinced it had cinematic merit and invited actress Phyllida Law to co-star with daughter Emma Thompson in the pivotal mother/daughter role. Rickman's early work in graphic design brought the film the visual sensibility that augmented his talent to work with actors. However, the bottom line is The Winter Guest lumbers on and never reaches the type of dramatic revelations similar films like Babette's Feast have achieved. In the end, characters interact and reach catharsis in such understated ways the film could run backwards and you'd never notice the difference. As for the title, Rickman suggests that this unseen character in the film can represent something different to everybody. That may be correct, for The Winter Guest is a film which takes no bold steps forward to offer anything more than enigmatic bantering. However, if excellent acting and the stark, icy backdrop of a Scottish fishing village can do it for you, then check it out. |