126. Downhill; movie review

DOWNHILL
Cert 15
86 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex references

Could an American remake be as good as a Scandinavian comedy-drama?
Nah, of course not. In much the same way as the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo didn't have the same bite as the original, Downhill falls short of Force Majeure.
That is not to say that Nat Faxon and Jim Rash's is bad - indeed, it had us engaged and provoked much thought.
It also proved that Will Ferrell can play it straight - indeed, I preferred this to many of his banal comedies.
Ferrell plays a dad who is trying to give his family a good time by taking them skiing to a plush Austrian resort.
However, the focus moves swiftly away from fun when a controlled avalanche of snow appears to be heading straight for them and other diners outside an Alpine restaurant.
As the snow descends on top of them, it is clear that Ferrell's character, Pete, runs, leaving his wife (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and sons (Julian Gray and Ammon Jacob Ford) to the elements.
His cowardly behaviour casts a shadow over the holiday as well as over the already awkward marital relationship.
Downhill poses all sorts of relationship conundrums beginning with the age-old question of whether parents would really place our lives on the line for our families.
Of course, we all think we would but, until we are tested, those are just words, aren't they?
Meanwhile, how would we express disappointment if such courage wasn't shown?
There are plenty of other questions including a really good one - should a family holiday be for the children or should the adults be allowed to have fun too?
And, finally, if you were flattered by someone who was incredibly attractive, how would you react?
Downhill doesn't shout these dilemmas loudly but gives them time to breathe and its audience time to think.
However, it could have been better, as the Swedes proved.

Reasons to watch: Will Ferrell playing it straight
Reasons to avoid: Not one for action fans

Laughs: Two
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Will Ferrell's father Roy Lee Ferrell Jr., was a keyboardist and saxophonist for The Righteous Brothers.

The final word. Julia Louis-Dreyfus: "I really like stories where there’s this one way of looking at something, and an event happens, and reality shifts.” Vulture

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