Synopsis
New York, 1961. Alexander Ivanov, a high-ranked Soviet bureaucrat, reluctantly defects to the West while is part of a diplomatic mission, feeling the grief of being unable to know the fate of his wife Katya, whom he has had to leave behind in Moscow. Only many years later, in 1991, he will finally find out the truth when his niece Lauren travels to Moscow to participate in a painting exhibition.
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Cast
- Rebecca FergusonKatya Grinkova / Lauren Grinkova
- Sam ReidYoung Alexander Ivanov
- Charles DanceOld Alexander Ivanov
- Antje TraueMarina Rinskaya
- Oliver Jackson-CohenYoung Misha Ardonov
- Anthony Stewart HeadOld Misha Ardonov
- Thure LindhardtDimtri
- Ben BattOleg
- Jelena GavrilovićSvetlana
- Amy NuttallMaya
Recommendations
- 60
Total Film
The 'dual roles' conceit doesn’t quite work, despite Ferguson's best efforts. But, while it struggles to find rhythm, you can't fault Sarif's ambitions. - 40
Empire
An old school romantic thriller that lacks the subtleties and sophistication of recent spy storytelling, be it on the big screen (Bridge Of Spies) or small (The Night Manager). - 40
The Guardian
It features laborious acting and directing, and a screenplay whose revelations are uninteresting, even were they not guessable long in advance. - 40
The Telegraph
So many shivery night-time clinches in Moscow fill Despite the Falling Snow’s modest runtime, you wonder what proportion of the budget went on that ever-whirring snow machine. - 40
Time Out London
Despite the Falling Snow is held back by stylistic choices. - 40
Los Angeles Times
Despite the Falling Snow is ostensibly a love story set against a Cold War thriller backdrop, but it features no heat and little tension. - 30
Village Voice
So tasteful it’s torturous, Despite the Falling Snow is a Cold War espionage thriller for those who like their period-piece action airless and derivative. - 30
Variety
When a film’s basic strategy is to cut between the past and the present, it should create ripples of anticipatory tension. But Despite the Falling Snow is one of those movies in which the cross-cutting keeps destroying all mood and momentum — it feels more like channel-surfing.
