LET IT SNOW
US, 2019, 92 minutes, Colour.
Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Odeya Rush, Liv Hewson, Mitchell Hope, Kiernan Shipka, Matthew Noszka, Jacob Batalon, Miles Robbins, Joan Cusack.
Directed by Luke Snellin.
Let it Snow is based on a young adult novel and the film is geared to that kind of audience, something for young girls, something for young boys.
It is Christmas time in middle America, people travelling, snow and storms.
There are several contributions to the plot, the principal one being about Julie (Isabella Merced, who played Dora in the live-action film) and popular singer, Stuart (Shameik Moore) who are travelling on a train, clash, stopped by the snow, Julie deciding to walk home, stopping at a popular diner, Waffle Town, and then taking him to meet her mother who is terminally ill and her grandfather who has a thing for the Rolling Stone’s. Julie has a scholarship to Columbia but is hesitant to tell her mother because of the mother’s illness. Actually, it looks as though everything is going to work out well…
Other characters include diary (Australian Liv Hewson) who has a crush on another student, a popular cheerleader, but she has not come out and excludes Dory publicly. And that will work out…
There is Keon (Jacob Batalon, music enthusiasts, who works with Dory and his wanting to host a party with the famous singer coming – that doesn’t quite work out but there is a happy party…
Then there is Addie, nervously self-preoccupied (Odeya Rush) who gets a whole lot of good advice from friends and also from a tow truck lady, an eccentric woman who wears a tinfoil hat (no explanations given), played by Joan Cusack. There is also Tobin, rather reticent (Mitchell Hope) who is always liked The Duke Kiernan Shipka) who likes him – but, eventually they sorted out and go to the party.
So, a young romantic comedy for young adults.
1. Christmas story, based on a young adult novel? Target audience?
2. The Middle America setting, winter, the town, homes, the waffle diner, the interiors? The musical score? The Christmas setting?
3. The interactions of the couples? Young adults?
4. The story of Julie and Stuart, his reputation, the recording, his publicist, his private lifestyle, alone, his tours? In the train, Julie and his misjudging her, the phone? The snow, Julie walking home, Bill and the Waffle Town, his accompanying her, her mother and her illness, her grandfather and his love of the Rolling Stone is, everyone dancing? Discussions, the meals? Julie able to go to Columbia, not telling her mother, her mother urging her to go? The publicist collecting him, later meeting, the party, the kiss, his leaving, the future?
5. Key on, his enthusiasm, music, the party, working at the diner, preparing the party, the musician coming the disappointments, the happy ending?
6. Billy, his work in the diner, with Dorie?
7. Dorie, her crush on the girl, the girls coming to the diner, ignoring Dorie, the later meetings, admitting the truth, not coming out?
8. Tobin, reticent, his liking for the Duke, her liking for him, the ups and downs, the misjudgments, the cake, the crashing of the car, waiting for the tow truck to arrive? Finally admitting the truth?
9. Angie, upset, her boyfriend and his Callow attitudes? Paranoid about him, talking with Dorie? The suggestions for her her soul-searching? The reconciliation? Confidence in herself?
10. The tow truck lady, the tinfoil hat, her way of talking, giving advice, helping out, her narration?
11. The final W for the sign? The party, not as hoped, the happy atmosphere, Stuart arriving?
