Review of The Sweet Hereafter

I will admit that I haven't been too impressed with Atom Egoyan cinema in the past. I just cannot understand why he doesn't give us a story without too many frills or excessive symbolism. Here, he tells a compelling and deeply moving story about grief, parenthood, death, and learning to live after tragedy. "The Sweet Hereafter" reminded me a lot of "Fargo" with its "ice-cap" cinematography and its eerie realism. Egoyan's film, however, is much more serious and absent in comedic relief. Ian Holm gives a powerful performance as a lawyer who hopes to offer relief to residents of a small Canadian town after many of their children are killed in a tragic bus accident. He promises to ask for no money until the case is won and those who are responsible pay for their suffering. Sarah Polley, known here in Canada for her recurring role on "Road to Avonlea," plays one of the few survivors of the crash, wanting to forget what happened and is therefore not too excited about the lawsuit. Holm also has personal reasons for wanting to defend the families, since his daughter, Zoe, is a desperate drug addict on the run. I'm truly glad that Ian Holm has finally gotten the opportunity to have a leading role in a film such as this. His acting is incomparable, subtle but affecting. I love how Egoyan is able to give us so much emotion and power in his direction, but also does not give us a great deal of info without confusing us. The film's events do jump around a bit, but there is a reason for it, which I wouldn't dare reveal. The best thing about "The Sweet Hereafter" is it knows its an art film, but restrains itself in its symbolism. It gives us a hard-cutting point, and gives it to us without faltering. The power of visual and contextual material combine to form a fascinating and thought-provoking film. Egoyan has finally found his niche. Rating: Three stars and a half.