Will Ferrell and Watch FriendsJulia Louis-Dreyfus' Downhillisn't based on a true story — it's an English-language remake of the 2014 Swedish dramedy Force Majeure.
If you've spent any time at all browsing subreddits like r/relationships and Am I the Asshole?, though, you may feel like it might as well be. The film plays out like a cinematic adaptation of one of those posts, bringing a marital conflict under the microscope and inviting everyone around them, us included, to cast judgment on who went wrong where.
In a final, meta joke, cooked up by its marketing team, Downhill hits theaters this Valentine's Day.
Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus play Pete and Billie, an American couple on an Austrian ski vacation with their two adolescent sons. From the opening moments, it's possible to see the hairline cracks in this picture-perfect family portrait. Irritations flare up around the language barrier, a hectic hotel welcome, or Pete's iPhone addiction.
But then disaster strikes, and those fissures become gaps, and then chasms as one half of the couple digs deeper and deeper into denial. The family is spared serious tragedy, but Mom and Dad are left with a more nebulous uneasiness that threatens every assumption they'd had about themselves, each other, and the relationship they've built together over many years.
Downhillis faithful enough to its source material that fans of the original may find it somewhat superfluous. It comes across as a lesser version of Force Majeurefor American audiences who simply cannot get over that one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles — down to a very entertaining turn by Kristofer Hivju, this time as an indifferent resort manager.
Ferrell, though the movie's biggest commercial draw, turns out to be one of its weaker elements. He's either miscast or misdirected in a role that requires more emotional complexity than he delivers here. He's part and parcel with the film's tonal inconsistency, which veers from broad comedy (Miranda Otto as an overbearing hostess is very funny, but seems like she belongs in a different movie) to bittersweet catharsis.
On the whole, though, "not quite as good as Force Majeure" turns out to still be pretty good. Louis-Dreyfus is unsurprisingly tremendous, navigating the film's ups and downs more adeptly than her co-star does, and directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (who also wrote the screenplay with Jesse Armstrong) treat both Billie and Pete with clear-eyed empathy.
Then, just as the premise threatens to go stale, a younger couple, played by Zach Woods and Zoë Chao, enters the picture to play audience surrogates. If Downhillis a feature-length AITA post, Zach and Rosie are the commenters, arguing over who's in the right and who's in the wrong and revealing as much about themselves in the process. Like in the best AITA posts, there's the verdict that looks right at a first glance, and the one that emerges once a clearer picture emerges.
Marriage Storythis isn't; Downhillhas a pretty clear stance on who screwed up in this situation. But the fun — if you can call squirming with discomfort fun — lies in seeing how far this domestic dispute can deteriorate, and the satisfaction — if you can call tearing up with vicarious frustration satisfying — in seeing the wronged party get validation and maybe a tiny bit of revenge.
The cleverness of Downhill's conceit is how very ordinary the catastrophe is that shakes this couple to the core. It's an examination of heterosexual marriage that finds nothing very positive about it, and warns even those in seemingly happy couplings that a moment of weakness could destroy all that. In a final, meta joke, cooked up by its marketing team, Downhillhits theaters this Valentine's Day.
NYT Connections hints and answers for February 1: Tips to solve 'Connections' #601.
No, Joe Biden's climate plan doesn't limit eating red meat
The Morning News Roundup for February 5, 2014
One Human Family by Sadie Stein
Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online
I Hung Out at William Burroughs’s House When I Was Nineteen
Porsche's EV charging lounge has snacks and a smart mirror for workouts
Our Subscription Deal with McSweeney's Is Worth Bragging About
Meta says some AGI systems are too risky to release
How the pandemic made our personal lives feel like one daunting to
Elon Musk told Donald Trump what to do about the Paris Climate Agreement
This Month’s Most Expensive eBooks
Recapping Dante: Canto 16, or the Pilgrim’s Progress by Alexander Aciman
'Barbie's 25 most WTF — and hilarious — quotes
SpaceX is so close to turning its rocket headquarters into an actual city
'Barbie's 25 most WTF — and hilarious — quotes
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Fold 4: Specs, price, cameras
X threatens brands with lost verification if they don't cough up $1,000 a month
Greenpeace activists charged after unfurling 'Resist' banner at Trump Tower in Chicago
Bumble for Friends app launches
SpaceX's Starship shows resilience through brutally hot reentry to EarthThe internet can't decide whether these legs have white paint or oil on themThe internet can't decide whether these legs have white paint or oil on themMicrosoft just relaunched Paint, and it's exactly what you think it isKesha recorded 22 songs she would absolutely love to unleash on the worldWatch Microsoft's 'Imagine what you'll do' event right hereFacebook's experimental app uses AI to turn live video into fine art'This is Us' reveals why Jack and Rebecca aren't together anymoreMiss Iceland drops mic after being told she's 'too fat' for beauty pageantMichael Massee, veteran character actor from 'The Crow' and 'Seven,' diesKyle Schwarber hit a double seconds after broadcasters said he would strike out 3 timesThese illustrated affirmations will brighten any of your bad daysUber wants people to make apps for its driversA high schooler in 1993 predicted the Cubs 2016 World Series appearanceMicrosoft announces a super sleek and powerful allDraftKings and FanDuel close out final chapter of yearUber wants people to make apps for its driversMicrosoft beefs up Surface Book with sheer performance and battery lifeMichael Massee, veteran character actor from 'The Crow' and 'Seven,' diesHillary Clinton is holding her election party under a literal glass ceiling Thor apologizes to Native Americans in Instagram post See the erstwhile Lady Gaga unleash Joanne on an L.A. dive bar Portland woman accidentally steals Subaru, returns it with apology note The technology that saved Mike Pence's plane from disaster Can you solve this math joke hidden in Google's earnings? LG's UltraFine monitors are tailor Brits are not happy about the price jump for Apple's new MacBook Pro Bob Dylan finally acknowledges that he's won a Nobel Prize Teen dressed as a water bottle for Halloween is flipping amazing Bow down to Japanese rock legend Hyde's incredible Harley Quinn costume Rest in peace, Vine. Sports fandom will never be the same :( Dissecting this season's 'Survivor' drama with the latest castaway No facepaint required: 9 insanely easy makeup A very serious analysis of the Drake and Taylor Swift dating rumors Historic deal establishes world's largest marine protected area in Antarctica Indian diamond tycoon gives away hundreds of cars, apartments to employees as Diwali gift The MacBook dilemma: Pay more, or get an old machine Luke Bryan fans' dreams laid bare in 'I Do All My Dreamin' There' lyric video 9 Vines that pretty much sum up what life is like in Australia With the new MacBook Pro, dongle hell became so much worse
1.4842s , 8227.734375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Watch Friends】,Co-creation Information Network