The Snowman (2017)
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Screenwriter: Hossein Amini, Peter Straughan, Søren Sveistrup
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jonas Karlsson, J.K. Simmons, Val Kilmer, Toby Jones
What went wrong? That question nags after watching The Snowman. A film directed by Tomas Alfredson — the filmmaker behind acclaimed titles such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Let the Right One In — adapted from Jo Nesbø’s solid crime novel and headlined by Michael Fassbender surprisingly unravels into a film that feels scattershot and compromised. The finished product suggests significant production trouble: disjointed editing, continuity lapses, and scenes that promise more than they ever deliver.
The evidence of behind-the-scenes issues is visible on screen. There are moments of mismatched dubbing and odd vocal performances — most notably in a scene involving Val Kilmer — and strange continuity problems such as sudden differences in Fassbender’s hair between shots. The credits list two editors, which supports the impression that the film may have undergone last-minute re-edits or reshoots that disrupted the story’s cohesion. These sorts of production interruptions can turn a carefully plotted crime thriller into a patchwork that struggles to maintain clarity and momentum.
Set in Oslo, Norway, The Snowman centers on alcoholic detective Harry Hole. After an extended binge — the film opens with Hole waking in a children’s playground — the detective returns to duty to investigate a series of disappearances. The only recurring clue at each scene is a freshly built snowman. Hole pairs with the eager but relatively inexperienced Katrine Bratt (Rebecca Ferguson), and together they try to piece the case together. The film hints at broader stakes, with characters such as Arve Stop (played by J.K. Simmons) tied to civic ambitions like a bid to host a Winter Olympics, but these elements are never fully integrated.
On one level, the film does occasionally deliver. Alfredson’s talent for atmosphere is still present: the Norwegian winter is rendered vividly, and cinematographer Dion Beebe crafts a number of striking images. A memorable sequence sees a flock of birds scatter under gunfire to reveal a mutilated corpse beneath, evoking the kind of visceral, unsettling imagery that suits a tense noir thriller. When the editing permits a full, uninterrupted shot, the director’s eye for framing cold landscapes and shadowed interiors comes through.
Unfortunately, these high points are overwhelmed by structural and storytelling weaknesses. A crime thriller hinges on the logic of investigation and the development of relationships between characters; when those foundations are shaky, the whole film suffers. The classic trope of two mismatched investigators should produce friction that gradually gives way to mutual respect and cooperation (as seen in many successful buddy-cop or investigative pairings). In The Snowman, however, Harry Hole and Katrine Bratt conduct almost parallel investigations rather than a shared inquiry. Important discoveries and motivations are withheld from one another for no persuasive dramatic reason, which undercuts both character development and narrative tension.
Scenes and plot threads appear and then disappear without payoff. For example, the film shows a mysterious figure entering Hole’s apartment and swapping his medication for unknown pills — a setup that could have raised the stakes by affecting Hole’s judgment or behavior. But this detail is never meaningfully followed up, leaving the audience to wonder why it was included at all. Similarly, the screenplay includes awkward continuity moments that betray sloppy shot assembly: Hole removes headphones when his ex-wife arrives, then a cut follows, and in the next shot he is awkwardly positioned with the headphones back in. Little inconsistencies like this erode immersion.
Other technical choices compound the problem. In one scene involving Val Kilmer’s character, the camera repeatedly cuts to the back of his head when he speaks — an awkward device that reads like an attempt to mask re-recorded dialogue. Such tricks distract rather than heighten suspense, and they feed the impression of a troubled post-production. At the same time, strong performances are present: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Rebecca Ferguson and Chloë Sevigny each bring layers to their roles and deserve better material to work with.
Ultimately, The Snowman is a film of intermittent beauty and persistent frustration. Its visual composition and a few moments of true cinematic tension suggest what it might have been in steadier hands or with a more coherent edit. Instead, the film is hamstrung by missing connective tissue, inexplicable omissions, and basic continuity errors that prevent it from being the compelling adaptation Jo Nesbø’s story could have inspired. For viewers drawn to atmospheric Scandinavian crime dramas, there are glimmers worth seeing; for anyone hoping for a tightly plotted mystery with strong character dynamics, the film will likely disappoint.
Score: 5/24
Written by Stephen Porzio
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