Snow in Paradise

First off, this movie is not going to be for everyone and probably not most people. I am big fan of British indie crime dramas so obviously I was excited to watch this film. The script is focused on a young criminal and drug addict named Dave who was born into a life of crime. A series of events leads him to rethink his life and the people he chooses to call family.

The acting, directing and cinematography saved this movie, because the script could have been stronger... although not totally disappointing. All the actors played their roles well with an exceptionally strong performance from the film's lead. The setting of the movie in dreary London added to film's character and appeal. The cinematography was difficult to watch at times due it's drug induced scenes and flashbacks conveying Dave's mind on drugs. This type of cinematography/editing will be tough for most to watch who cannot appreciate the art behind it; somewhat reminiscent of a Requiem for a Dream. At times, I could really feel the whirlwind inside the mind of Dave.

This is not an enjoyable feel good movie by any means, but does give you a glimpse into a life of person who feels his life is at the end of the road at such a young age. Is there a way for this young man to find peace after all? Overall, a solid indie flick that will appeal to those who enjoy the darker side of filmmaking.

Non, no, no, that's not a thriller but a crime, noir movie, a film noir in the UK manner, if you prefer. But quite different from the usual British stuff you find since one decade now, directed by the likes of Paul Tanter and starring guys like Bill Murray - not the American actor but the one, from UK...Corny and awkward movies for most of them, some in the Tarantino ( Reservoir Dogs) fashion. This movie I am talking now is closer to HYENA than the rest of the UK noir production, and far better too, darker, bleak and depressing too. Characters are powerful, and editing breathless. No thriller here, no hero vs bad guys. The lead is a born looser seeking for pardon or a sort of redemption, as the hero of another noir movie from France called : J'IRAI AU PARADIS CAR L'ENFER EST ICI. Very close to this one in the overall scheme, if not the story itself and the atmosphere, but only the message.

Dave is a London gangster who works for his uncle Jimmy . After his friend Tariq goes missing Dave's troubles are only just beginning as he becomes more and more reliant on cocaine and alcohol and finds he can no longer trust anyone

An unknown British independent film featuring a backdrop of gangland crime and instinctively I only watched it due to misguided jingoistic reasons of watching a Brit flick , In other words I knew in advance I wasn't going to enjoy it and considering it had no big names and a look of a student film it was going to be a waste of almost two hours

After seeing SNOW IN PARADISE one instinct that was confirmed is that it's not an "enjoyable" film . However that doesn't mean it's a bad film , in fact all things considered that most of the production team are inexperienced as are the cast this is a very well made film indeed . It's just that the tone is extremely bleak and nihilistic and while it's a film that shows the power of redemption we have to endure a lot of bad things happening in a depressing manner . In it's favour it is very compelling and much of this is down to the performance of Frederick Schimdt as Dave , an actor I'd never heard of prior to this film but look forward to seeing more of in the future . Perhaps due to Schimdt's obscurity I was never aware of an actor playing a role and was able to buy in to a gangster heading towards self inflicted total destruction

This is director Andrew Hulme's debut after spending several years working as an editor . Most of his work in SNOW IN PARADISE is surprisingly effective and achieves this via composer Kevin Pollard's constant and brooding musical score which adds a lot of heavy mood to scenes but unfortunately also tends to drown out the dialogue in some scenes due to a poor sound mix . Apart from that everyone involved in the film can feel some pride in making a hard hitting drama on a low budget

Dave has aspirations to be a player in the London gangland scene. He brings his mate Tariq along on his first big job, partly to help Tariq out, possibly to massage his own narcissistic ego. The decision to involve Tariq has deadly consequences. Despite the attempt to present Islam in a positive light, and the psychotic nods to Requiem For A Dream, this film is basically just more cockneys on crack waving guns. The Curzon Film World DVD minimalist functions (e.g no extras) further destroys the experience by having no subtitles. The Mockney 'nahfink dahn ma san' dialogue could certainly benefit from them, especially when the soundtrack starts up in tandem with dialogue. One key exchange, when Dave confronts his Uncle Jimmy while carrying a concealed knife, is impossible to hear. Dave seems to want to be a player but makes an elementary, idiotic mistake on his first job. He ridicules Islam but converts a nanosecond later. The last shot too deliberately opts for non-resolution. It feels like Guy Ritchie directing an extended episode of Minder. That is not a compliment.

Excellent film - wish there was more in this crime thriller featuring such awesome characters in the mix. Good to see Dan Burman in this flick! Good camera work and lighting as well.