Winter Passing introduces a few great characters inside of an interesting family reconciliation plot, but fails to deliver with the results. Deschanel does a great job anchoring the film's emotional context as the very multidimensional, seemingly jaded Reese and the always dependable Ed Harris does more with one eye then many actors can emote during an impassioned speech. Will Ferrell however, despite being the go-to comedic relief in a very somber film, simply cannot disappear outside of himself enough as an actor to ever truly play a character other then his endless Saturday night live variations, and to me his awareness almost condescends the film's emotional impact. Nevertheless, the film will have you engaged in the offbeat family situation we are thrust into, only to have it become tied up way too neatly and quickly at the end. This lack of a thought out finale will make the emotional attachments made throughout the film with the main characters not as hard hitting as the movie perhaps intended, but still delivers a pretty solid, if a little unfulfilled, drama.

Often a very brooding film with characters who appear lifeless and just reciting their lines.

Basically, it's the story of a writer who finds inspiration to continue his work after a visit from his daughter. Of course, she has a motive for visiting-collecting money if she can secure the love letters her dad wrote to her now deceased mother.

The films just feels depressing and to me all the characters were stilted including Will Ferrell, who for a change acts in a dramatic role.d

Ed Harris is completely unrecognizable as the father. He looks like a flower child out of the 1960s with that long-white hair.

Just like the winter, you will be glad when this wintry film passes.

Reese Holden (Zooey Deschanel) is a struggling NY actress with many personal problems. She's offered $100k by Lori Lansky to get her reclusive writer father (Ed Harris)'s love letters with her mother. Her mother had recently died but she didn't go to her funeral. She goes home to find her father living with his former student Shelly (Amelia Warner) and weird musician Corbit (Will Ferrell). Her father is withdrawn and she's haunted by her troubled childhood.

Writer/director Adam Rapp is doing a somewhat mixed indie. Zooey Deschanel is losing her quirkiness for a real sad character. I wish she had more substantial conversations with Ed Harris but he ends up catatonic in most of the movie. Then there is Will Ferrell who seems intent to be quirky and it's ill-fitting. It's interesting to see Zooey take a slight turn and this indie has a few interesting moments.