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Absolutely Fantastic

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I'm an Anthony LaPaglia fan, so I wanted to love Winter Solstice. I wanted to write a one sentence review: "It was a fantastic film." But that would have been a lie. The truth is, Winter Solstice is a mess.The characters do inappropriate things: Jim Winters (LaPaglia) is stood up by his sons, and as a result, ends up on an awkward first date. So he throws their beds on the front lawn. I can only guess that sleeping outside is their punishment. Odd, considering it wasn't set up earlier in the film. But I suppose a more forgiving reviewer would let that one go.Then there's the issue of missing information. At one point in the narrative, Jim and Molly (Jim's new neighbour, played by Allison Janney), sit in his truck at a local Dairy Queen. Just after she gets in, he gives her some sort of long, meaningful look. She then reveals that she was engaged once but has never been married. How could she possibly know what he was thinking? I apologise if my morning latte neglected to kick in and I missed something, but it was such a jarring jump in logic, it was hard to take the rest of the film seriously.Then there's the soundtrack, which consisted of a lone acoustic guitar. As soon as I heard the first note, I knew I was in trouble. It was so earnest it bordered on condescending. It said, "Something heartfelt is about to happen." It said, "Be sad and contemplate the woes of these broken people." I know the score's supposed to carry the emotional subtext of the film, but even a gin-soaked Art Garfunkel on Valium would have rolled his eyes.The actors try though: Janney is a welcome presence when she enters the story and her chemistry with LaPaglia is great. But there's only so much you can do when you're trapped in a sloppy film. And Winter Solstice really is a sloppy film. (Paramount Classics)

I avoided watching this film....the summary on my cable station didn't entice me....sounded trite. However, tonight it happened to get my attention. The cable description was way off. (What a surprise.) It is a lovely, bittersweet story. One of the comments mentioned that it portrayed male communication and the commenter mentioned that women might find it to be frustrating, but educational. I come from an 'all girls' family with a father who is horrible at communicating emotion...especially affection. I found these guys to be very loving and supportive of one another despite their lack of talking about everything. Yet, they were sensitive, masculine beings....just the type of guy you can love. I liked the film and will catch it again.

A family tragedy changed the lives of the Winters family. When we meet them, Jim, a landscape gardener, and his two children, Gabe and Pete, have not gotten over the death of the woman who held this family together. At this juncture of their lives, they appear resigned with what happened to them. The somewhat quiet family atmosphere is going to be suddenly changed.Jim, the father, who has not seen another woman since his wife's death, is suddenly awakened from his lethargy with the arrival of a well meaning woman who is house sitting for friends in the neighborhood. Molly is a fine listener; she hears what Jim has to tell her, as he opens to recount the anguish, he and his children, have been living.Gabe, the older son, is seeing Stacey, a lovely young woman who loves him in return. It comes as a shock when Gabe informs his father and brother he is moving to Tampa. Jim's immediate reaction is to ask "What about Stacey", to which he responds "I'm dealing with it". Gabe wants to leave the oppressive home atmosphere to re-start his life in a new area. His brother Peter, who was with his mother when the accident happened, can't express his feelings; he has kept his emotions bottled inside him. He is a bright young man, but does poorly in school, something one of his teachers, tries to get him to respond and participate in class.Josh Sternfeld created a sensitive and beautifully restrained film that shows that not all in life is rosy and that people suffer when tragedy strikes. The director, who also wrote the screen play, knows this family well. Not everything is gloom and doom because we realize, as we watch, things will improve, especially for Jim, who is attracted by a woman who clearly understands his situation.Anthony LaPaglia, who is also credited as one of the producers, shows he was the right actor to portray Jim Winters. This talented man doesn't make a false movement and stays true to his character all the time. Mr. LaPaglia, who worked with Allison Janney on Broadway in Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge", is again reunited with his co-star and they feel right for one another. Ms. Janney's Molly, although not a showy role, gives her an opportunity to shine.Aaron Stanford is seen as the older son, Gabe, and Mark Webber is Peter. Both actors do a credible job under the sure direction of Mr. Sternfeld. Ron Livingston is the kind teacher who sees possibilities in Peter and Michele Monaghan is perfect as Stacey, the girl that is dumped without much logic, by Gabe."Winter Solstice" was beautifully photographed by Harlan Bosmajian, who captures the world of suburbia in all its glory. The atmospheric music is by John Leventhal. Josh Sternfeld created an intimate portrait about pain and anguish, as this family

Quick physics analogy here. (although I hate the discipline!) Imagine a family consisting of three forces pulling in opposite directions. What's gonna happen? Whatever exists between them is gonna start to show cracks, right? Well, even if this little scientific postulation of mine turns out to be incorrect, it still handily applies to the meditation on grief that "Winter Solstice" offers. If they were united as a group, they would be much stronger, but with the huge space vacated by a missing figure, they become a ship without a rudder.Fans, like me, of Lapaglia, Stanford or David Gordon Green's "All the Real Girls" should definitely come away from this with some food for thought. There are echoes of "In the Bedroom", too. Admirers of any mentioned will be pleasantly acquainted with the pace this film moves at as this is not a work for those who like their cinema to run loud, obvious and at a mile a minute. If low-key indie musing is your thing though, then I would suggest you check it out. It's content not to milk its material for moments of angst, so there are few showy moments for the actors. Suppressed anger is the main vent for hidden depths, so it could have been more 'raw', but taken together it nevertheless builds to something that is genuinely affecting.