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Downhill film review: icy reception

Lucy RutherfordWestern Suburbs Weekly

AT this year’s Golden Globes, director Bong Joon Ho encouraged people to “overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles” and this American remake of 2014 Swedish film Force Majeure only strengthens that argument.

Billie (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Pete (Will Ferrell) and their two sons are on a European skiing holiday when a terrifying encounter with an avalanche causes a rift between the couple.

Among the opulence of the luxury resort and gleaming white picturesque slopes, their marriage, much like the avalanche, starts to slide in a distinctly downward trajectory.

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Downhill is billed as a dark comedy and with two renowned comedic performers as the leads, the laughs would seem guaranteed.

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Yet the jokes that do land seem inappropriate within the seriousness of the story playing out, namely Pete gaslighting Billie about the avalanche incident, framing her traumatising experience as a minor glitch in their holiday.

Louis-Dreyfus carries the film both comedically and dramatically, giving some depth of character of Billie, whereas Ferrell downplays his usual exuberance to the point of blandness.

Every other character feels like they are in a different film, from Miranda Otto’s pantomime performance as sex positive chalet owner Charlotte to the sitcom humour of hashtag-obsessed loved-up couple Zach (Zach Woods) and Rosie (Zoe Chao).

Accomplishing neither comedy nor drama, Downhill is stuck somewhere uncomfortably in-between.

Downhill (M)

Director: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell, Miranda Otto

Two and half stars

Now showing

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