Downhill (2020)
With the popularity in foreign films growing, the drive to take foreign films and remake them in English also has been on the rise. One of the many issues with these remakes is that they simply fail to live up to the original film most of the time. Even with those that are generally liked such as Gloria Bell from last year, they normally feel like a big step down. Despite this negative track record, Downhill seemed like it had potential. Despite the fact that Force Majeure is a very well crafted and engaging film, Downhill builds a strong cast & crew with the highly underrated dramatic actor Will Ferell & Julia Louis-Dreyfus in front of the camera also acting as Julia Louis-Dreyfus's return to the big screen after a 7-year hiatus. Behind the camera, the film is both written and directed by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash who proved their talent with their screenplay for The Descendants which won them the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Where the film itself might not live up to that of Force Majeure especially when put into direct comparison, the film on its own actually isn't that bad.
Easily the thing most exciting about the film at least on paper was the acting which also ended up being the biggest highlight for the film. Where some comedic actors like Steve Carell, Melissa McCarthy, & Adam Sandler have been able to find new respect in the industry with impressive dramatic performances in recent years, Will Ferrell sadly hasn't been able to find the same acclaim despite putting in really impressive work in projects such as in the 2006 film Stranger than Fiction. Downhill once again serves as a good reminder of the depth Ferrell can give to a performance. Where his character Pete definitely is goofy, he is also someone who is suffering from grief, embarrassment, & regret all of which Ferrell does a great job portraying. The only thing that holds back the conversation around Will Ferrell in this film is the performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus who has to be the MVP of the film. The passion & emotion she is able to find in her performance is truly impressive and works so well against the performance Ferrell is giving. Whereat best these two performances match what their Force Majeure counterparts Johannes Bah Kuhnke & Lisa Loven Kongsli give, the kids in Downhill actually go above and beyond those from Force Majeure. Being completely honest, it might be a bit unfair considering Julian Grey & Ammon Jacob Ford are given a bit more to chew on in multiple scenes but that doesn't affect the end result. Where the kids in Force Majeure felt competent, the kids in Downhill felt impressive.
Carrying over from Force Majeure, Downhill also is an absolutely beautiful film with more breathtaking cinematography (this time from Danny Cohen) that again brings the bright white slopes of the Alps to life. Where the overall design of the ski resort might be less memorable, there still are some smart set-pieces throughout and the film's visuals are overall impressive. If there was one major part of the film that felt like a step down in comparison to Force Majeure it would have to be the script. Where there are some nice new ideas and well-built scenes, every scene of depth & emotion fails to create the same level of intrigue & actual impact of the same scenes in Force Majeure with 1 exception in which the more quiet approach in Downhill felt like a better choice than the over the top acting in the equivalent scene from Force Majeure. The bigger conversation in Downhill, while present, feels much more basic & unimportant than the one on Force Majeure. Though to be fair, this is coming from the perspective of someone who has seen Force Majeure. Audiences who haven't seen the original probably won't be as affected by this as they will have little to compare it to.
Where Downhill does continue the tradition of English remakes of foreign films being a step down from the original, when taken out of the context of being a remake Downhill really isn't that bad. This is a film with great acting & a strong overall visual style. Where the conversation in the film never feels overly impactful, the blend of humor & emotion does create something of substance even if lesser than what is built in the original film. Where Force Majeure might be a better version of this film in nearly every way, it is just wrong to call Downhill a lazy remake and it is far from being an avalanche of disappointment.
Where Downhill does continue the tradition of English remakes of foreign films being a step down from the original, when taken out of the context of being a remake Downhill really isn't that bad. This is a film with great acting & a strong overall visual style. Where the conversation in the film never feels overly impactful, the blend of humor & emotion does create something of substance even if lesser than what is built in the original film. Where Force Majeure might be a better version of this film in nearly every way, it is just wrong to call Downhill a lazy remake and it is far from being an avalanche of disappointment.