Synopsis
After an unexpected tragedy, Suzanne searches for the true meaning of Christmas during one sad, strange December in suburban Virginia.
White Reindeer
2013 Directed by Zach Clark
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It's very possible that by not watching this one on or around Christmas, it lessened its impact on me. White Reindeer follows a newly widowed woman as she struggles to cope with her new reality while also meeting new people and doing a bit of cocaine. This all takes place leading up to Christmas, with it's usual overabundance of cheer.
I guess there's nothing wrong with this film, it just kind of felt a bit flat to me. The characters really weren't all that interesting or enjoyable to watch in my opinion, so I never really felt fully invested in their struggles. It felt almost as if this film was in this sort of gray area in which it was…
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The world of Christmas movies is overpopulated with the same ho-hum, "I'm late for the family gathering!" story-lines and redundant plot developments. When it comes to darkly comedic yuletide films, however, there aren't many effective ones to speak of. Terry Zwigoff's Bad Santa was a nice breath of nasty air, but it's already been ten years since that was released. As I am writing this, I really can't think of any Christmastime films that focus on going for twisted laughs and succeed. Now we have one to welcome with open arms, and it's called White Reindeer.
Writer/director Zach Clark has made a few independent films over the last several years, but this is the first work of his I've seen.…
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a remarkably uneven film. from the incurably feeble soundtrack/mix/composing to multiple random music-video-like segues throughout, the whole thing feels very attached by scotch tape and slapped together wrecklessly in the editing booth. not quite the Xmas b-side i hoped for
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on first go-around i'm mostly struck by how brilliantly the film handles its tone, the tone itself being so foregrounded that it – more than any of the characters – becomes the main point of interest (not a knock). such a deceptively casual thing that Zach Clark literally gets away with murder. but if the thought of Joe Swanberg using a sex-swing sends you running for the hills... this may not be the anti-holiday classic for you.
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I think it's totally acceptable to watch this outside of the Christmas season given it's, "anti" nature. So, still not completely done over the spirit, I broke down and watched this film that I've wanted to see since October.
This movie really plays up the fact that it's "dark". Comparing this to other Christmas films, yes I would agree with that label. It's got a lot of cocaine, vomiting, strippers, and more petty crimes than you can shake a stick at.
It begins with a man and his wife moving to Hawaii. At least, that's what it's supposed to begin with. Instead that guy gets shot in the head. And Suzanne is left to cope with her husband's death as…
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I thought I might like this film, but I ended up loving it!!!
While it is not perfect, White Reindeer is a great film about loss, change, and self-discovery. Anna Margaret Hollyman is superb and I don't know why she isn't in more movies. The themes are so well tackled and Hollyman adds so much depth to it with her acting, that you can't help falling in love with this touching story. The morbid humor adds even more to it, making this impactful drama very funny at times, which is very welcome!
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Don’t know why I made a point to watch a bunch of Christmas movies this month and didn’t even think until now to watch the one that’s in my watchlist. I was even thinking about how I wanted to watch some less traditional indie Christmas movies but forgot about this.
Zach Clark is three for three for me I’ve really liked all his movies. I think there’s a really unique tone and approach to Christmas on display here: to Suzanne Christmas isn’t really about any of these festivities or Santa or Jesus or anything but for her there’s a security and comfort in the consistency of Christmas. If there’s Christmas there’s love and warmth. And as we learn Suzanne more…
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If there's one thing I take away from Kickstarter-funded White Reindeer it's how damned ironic everything is. It's clear director Zack Clark really wants to communicate that to his audience. I picked it up after the first ten minutes, but unfortunately from that point there is still sixty more of the exact same thing to go.
Anna Margaret Hollyman plays Suzanne, a realtor who spends her days showing houses to couples far more happy than she is, and her nights having awkward sex with her husband in the kitchen while she talks about her "wet pussy" in monotone. One day a few weeks from Christmas, she comes home to find the house broken into, and her husband dead on the…
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Estate agent Suzanne (Anna Margaret Hollyman) and Jeff are a happy, middle class couple looking forward to Christmas and celebrating Jeff's recent success in landing a new job in Hawaii. With this likely to be their last Christmas in Washington, things couldn't be any better as the excitement builds toward the 25th and the pending move in January.
She returns home from shopping with ready to put up their Christmas tree only to find Jeff murdered on their living room floor. Needless to say that is the end of any plans together and it brings Suzanne crashing back to earth with an almighty bump. It opens up a can of worms about her husband's secret life and sends her through…
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Highly recommend this bleak Christmas mumblecore. Has one of the best characters in any Christmas movie, a woman who just lost her husband. Darkly funny too. My god I felt like I laughed 100 times, even when maybe I wasn't supposed to.
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White Reindeer is somehow the 500th movie I've seen in the first six and a half months of 2013. I just felt that landmark should have been announced somewhere. I'm so grateful that it was a very good movie indeed, worthy of a milestone such as this one. Over indulgence is a Christmas tradition right?
I sat in on a Q&A with the writer/director today and Zach Clark is a very funny person, so it's no surprise to me that between Modern Love is Automatic and White Reindeer he has made two very funny movies from subject matter that you wouldn't ordinarily associate with comedy. White Reindeer deals with Christmas tragedy and loss and avoids every known cliche through either…