Winter Solstice

"Winter Solstice" is a quiet, almost all-male counterpart to "Imaginary Heroes," dealing with the same theme of family grief, and was even filmed in the same town of Glen Ridge, NJ.

Debut writer/director Josh Sternfeld perfectly captures the inarticulatelessness of working class guys, particularly in father/son and brother/brother interactions.

Anthony LaPaglia as the landscaper dad and Aaron Stanford as his restless older son add to the minimal script with on screen charisma. It's sweetly charming how absolutely clueless they are in their lack of communication with the women who are attracted to them, but Allison Janney and Michelle Monaghan are overly understanding minor characters in their intersections with the dad and older son, respectively. I presume this is to emphasize the hole in their lives caused by the absence of the mother.

The problem is that without either more intervention by the women or the alcoholic violence of Sam Shephard's male family explorations, authentic looking and sounding guys hanging out together don't do very much or resolve issues. Pretty much the only plot point is the older son's gradual decision to leave --though I was surprised he has LPs to pack up--and how the other characters react to that.

It was nice to see Brendan Sexton again, more filled out, but he looked distractingly like the younger son played by Mark Webber so that I was confused at first that he was the best friend not the brother.

John Leventhal's intricate guitar playing on his original score is almost distractingly good. The song selections are beautiful sounding, though not particularly illustrative.

This is a very low-key film in which the action is inaction. LaPaglia's character, Jim Winters, in particular lives in the silences between the sounds. The film is redolent with the ghosts of unsaid words therefore as the viewer one must approach this film with the knowledge and appreciation that this is intended as a thought-provoking piece of cinema and so has no really big bursts of emotion. All the cast act beautifully, but as one has come to expect of Anthony LaPaglia he is outstanding. He plays a widower who after five years has still not come to terms with his bereavement, and as a result, though seemingly living an ordered day to day existence, in reality he finds it increasingly difficult relating to life in general and specifically to his two teenage sons. LaPaglia's portrayal is subdued and masterful; I don't think I know of any other actor who can so eloquently inhabit a role by apparently doing so little - definitely this is a case of art concealing art. This is a sensitive and rewarding film. And for all those guys out there who want this film to have some male endorsement, my husband liked the film very much when I asked him to watch it over Christmas, so it must be good.

In Winter Solstice Josh Sternfeld's debate as a director is a true original. This is a movie that shows exactly how men communicate. Men tend to avoid emotional conversations. Some women may look at this negatively because of their frustration with this fact. Women would love to see their men discuss their inner most feelings and share in their pain and happiness.

This movie shows the truth behind men's issues with showing emotion. Many people would consider it an ego thing. I think it is more of pride in oneself. Men were brought up to stand on their own two feet, and to make it on their own steam. This is exactly what Jim Winters(played by Anthony Lapaglia) deals with in raising his two sons on his own.

Jim and his two sons have to make it on their own after the loss of Jim's wife. The three communicate in a truly male way. Not saying much, but saying a lot in how they act and react.

I could relate to this movie so well because all of the conversations I had with my father were very much the same as in this movie. If you are a man who wants to see men portrayed in the light they deserve go see this movie. If you are a woman frustrated with not being able to talk to your man, take some time to watch this movie and try to leave any prejudice at the door.

Winter Solstice is not an exciting movie by any stretch of the imagination. Its about everyday life and how men deal with their lives. Go see it, but don't expect some major complicated plot. Its as uncomplicated as most men are.

I went to see Winter Solstice in the Vancouver Film Festival this evening and was very surprised at the subtlety and restraint used by the director to ensure the film was emotional with over acting. It is a very peaceful film that explores the parents view of children leaving home as opposed to the child's view. A tremendous cast and great performances from Anthony LaPaglia and Mark Webber. Also a brief appearance from Ron Livingston in which he always has a way stealing scenes as the most likable guy in a room.

Very impressive little film with beautiful scenery of New Jersey, tremendous cast and an appealing change to cinema that is more than overwhelmed with actors who love to hear themselves speak.

Saw the film at Tribeca, and was very taken with it. So few films show normal, non-violent life to be as dramatic and as sweet and as hurtful as it really can be. This film does. The acting is terrific. The direction stays out of the way of the actors and the story. A young man has a hearing impairment, for example, but this is never called attention to or made maudlin use of--it's just there as part of the family's reality. Same with the missing mother. That's part of the back story, and no one is going to spend minutes explaining it to the audience, you just enter into the family's life as it goes on. Every moment is entirely believable, and usually, touching as well. I am afraid it may not reach many viewers, since it has not sex or violence to speak of, just the truth of family life.