Guilt-ridden after a young woman hitching a ride with him dies in his car, a Brit visits and ends up befriending the woman's autistic mother in this Canadian drama starring Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver. The film gets off to a quirky start with great repartee between Rickman and Emily Hampshire (the girl who dies). The subsequent film never quite recaptures this quirkiness, but it is compelling all the same with both leads in good form. Rickman is saddled an especially interesting character as we learn that he was recently released for prison, apparently for murder. As the film progresses, we gradually learn more about him and come to really get under his skin. The same cannot really be said for Weaver's character though, who brings a slate of unanswered questions. Her pregnancy and how she (and her parents) raised her daughter are particularly shied over, but more perplexing is how little she seems to have been taught about how to fit in with neurotypical people. Many of her idiosyncrasies ring true of autistic persons, but given that we see that she has been taught to offer a beverage, it never quite seems right how she has not been taught other things. Whatever the case, this is a minor quibble in what is generally a touching story. The film is more about Rickman's character anyway, and it resonates well as a tale of coping with grief and putting one's life in perspective.

a good film. that is the first word. a nice one. that could be the second but far to be enough or precise. high acting, nice photographs. and flavor of a story who has, in same measure, force and sensibility. in fact, story of meetings, example of remarkable performance - Alan Rickman does a splendid role -, full of ambiguities who makes , in few scenes, not really credible the story but with charming life love spirit who can saves many. and that is fundamental thing. a film about poetry of every day events . romantic - in special manner - , seductive - for its snow taste - , interesting for the acting. not very different by films from same genre. but useful as small basic things of life.

"Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man', look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump'? Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Peter Sellers, "Being There". Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam". Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed." - Kirk Lazarus"Snow Cake" stars Sigourney Weaver as an autistic woman living in small town Canada. She's visited by Alex Hughes, played by Alan Rickman, who informs her that he is indirectly responsible for her daughter dying in a car accident. Hughes, we learn, has also recently lost his son.After a strong opening act, the film mostly becomes contrived and poorly acted, a kind of low-rent "Truly Madly Deeply" (also with Rickman) or "The Sweet Hereafter". Weaver in particular never convinces as an autistic woman and Rickman overdoes his "miserable Brit" shtick. Still, the film offers some scenic snow-swept locations and director Marc Evens gives his tale an interesting structure. Weaver's autistic character, who is shockingly cold and blunt, is incapable of feeling grief, seems as frozen as the landscape outside, whilst Rickman can't let go of his various guilts and grievances. A third character, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, is as cold as Weaver, refusing to get close to human beings. By the film's end, of course, our characters change. Rickman stops grieving, learns to toughen up, whilst Moss and Weaver show emotional cracks.7.5/10 – Worth one viewing.

I very rarely watch offbeat independent Films, due to the fact that so many seem to be overly worthy,PC & pretentious, 'Snow Cake' seemed to fit into all three categories - but decided I would watch purely on it starring Alan Rickman & Sigourney Weaver.....I'm very glad I did, it's a very well written & acted film, which seemed to have been criminally overlooked.Alex Hughes (Alan Rickman) is a man recently released from Prison after killing a man, and finds himself sitting next to a pretty young girl Vivienne Freeman (Emily Hampshire)at a truck stop Cafe, after much persuasion Vivienne manages to get Alex to give her a lift back home, Tragedy strikes en route as a lorry crashes into Alex's Car, Alex himself is luckily left without a scratch, Vivienne is sadly killed instantly. Alex feels immense guilt over the girl's death and goes to see her Mother Linda (Sigourney Weaver) to offer his condolences, at his arrival he notices that Linda is Mentally handicapped and suffers from severe Autism, and she manages to get Alex to stay with her to sort out the girl's funeral & put out the bins as she 'dosen't do garbage'This does sound very depressing, but It's actually funny & sad in equal measure, Weaver gives a career best performance as the Autistic Mother and is greatly believable, Rickman is very understated but also gives a wonderful performance as the driver who seeks some sort of redemption - despite the car accident not being his fault.Co-starring Carrie-anne Moss (The Matrix) as Maggie, Linda's oversexed neighbour who Alex begins a sexual relationship & Directed by Welshman Marc Evans, who includes songs by Welsh bands in the picture - this is a truly wonderful film that's well worth watching and nowhere near as depressing or PC as it sounds**** out of *****