By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Malgorzata Szumowska
Starring: Agata Kulesza | Alec Utgoff | Katarzyna Figura | Krzysztof Czeczot | Lukasz Simlat | Maja Ostaszewska | Weronika Rosati
Original language title: Sniegu juz nigdy nie bedzie
Country: germany, poland
Year: 2021
Running time: 113
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9526784/reference
Michael says: “Polish director Szumowska has been a regular on the festival circuit with such films as ELLES (starring Juliette Binoche) and THE OTHER LAMB, released in the U.S. this year, but hasn’t quite broken through to the art-house circuit. That may change with NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN, which has been selected as Poland’s Oscar contender for 2020.The film, in my eyes, is a post-modern superhero story that also addresses climate change, and the socioeconomic challenges faced by Poland (and indeed, most of the Western World). With imagery that alternates between stark realism and gauzily fantastic, expertly handled by cinematographer and co-writer Michal Englert, and powerfully effective lead actor in Alec Utgoff (Stranger Things) NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN has a haunting resonance that skirts the edge of cheesy and comes down squarely on, if not poetic, then powerful.
“We first see Zenia (Utgoff) in the darkened forests bordering Ukraine and Poland. He’s moving furtively through the night, a massage table under his arm. Presenting himself at the Warsaw Immigration office, he informs the official that he will be living and working in Poland. When the official balks, he gently takes the mans head between his powerful hands and provides an experience that sends him swooning into unconsciousness. Zenia stamps and signs his documents and is on his way. What may seem sinister is contradicted by the gentleness and openness Zenia presents himself. We next see him visiting a bizarre gated community in the Warsaw suburbs, filled with overdone McMansions filled with dissatisfied families all in great need of Zenia’s special touch. Zenia makes his rounds from home to home, providing therapeutic bliss both emotional and physical by providing massages to everyone from a wine-swilling housewives, dismissed by her family, to a man struggling with most-likely terminal cancer. Zenia is beloved by them all, held in a fascinated gaze that is both reverential and erotic, yet also a bit dismissive. He is after all an immigrant, something that his clients frequently disparage, followed quickly by, but not you, of course. And while Zenia’s massages are physically satisfying, he also posses a strange ability to transport them to a place where they can relive and work through their biggest regrets, or longings. Zenia takes the time that they are in this place to wander around their homes, looking at photos and other knick-knacks, or performing impromptu ballet routines up and down their grand staircases.
“While Zenia remains a mystery to his clients, we get to see into his head form time to time, or at least his memories. Alone in his tiny, one-room flat in the City, Zenia often thinks back to his childhood in Chernobyl, alone with his mother. Born seven years after the power plant disaster, and losing his mother to radiation poisoning, it seems that Zenia posses super powers that involve telepathy and telekinesis. In some ways, i see this film as about a man with super powers who doesn’t fight crime, which seems like a juvenile fabrication for comics, but rather goes around and tries to help people. At the same time, the exploration of Zenia’s clients reveals the selfishness, isolation, prejudices and desires of the middle-class in a way that comments on western society. In the end, Zenia may not be a messiah but has certainly changed, and possibly bettered the lives of some of the people he worked with. His departure is abrupt and mysterious, but leaves behind some hope.
“Alec Utgoff is perfect as Zenia; his imposing physicality, and his open, innocence allows him to present himself as a mystic confidante, or a potential threat at any moment. The camera captures him longingly the way his clients do, and DP Englert does she great camerawork with both the people, and the settings. The only recognizable actor for me was one of Zenia’s clients: a bitter, drug-taking environmentalist played nearly unrecognizably by Agata Kulesza (IDA, COLD WAR) but all the actors do a fine job. Szumowska certainly has a unique eye, and with NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN, she has certainly intrigued me about her other films. 4 1/2 cats”
Chris says: “‘If David Lynch wanted to make a Polish Wes Anderson film’ but both weirder and more palatable than that. 4 cats”
Julie says: “I loved NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN so much I decided I had to watch it twice. I will nominate for many categories I’m sure, best use of music really sticks out, also production design, cinematography, best ensemble cast perhaps. Although weird and mystical and Lynchian for sure there was so much great black humor and extreme emotional sadness that was palpable. I felt it had it all and in the end so much was believable. I feel there was a real story there, beginning to end, all can be explained, for the most part, sometimes symbolically so. There is oddly a lights scene that reminds me so much of 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST movie Beth Caldwell loved. I loved that light scene in this movie as well. Quite effective.”
Thom responds: “I adore your contribution hear, and agree with everything you said. The film really is a modern classic.”
Jeff says: “Oh my God, such a wonderful movie! I was entranced all the way through. Noms for actors and photography. And I want that giant bird sculpture!”