IMDb > Winter Passing (2005)
Winter Passing
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Winter Passing (2005) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 15 | slideshow) Videos (see all 6)
Winter Passing (2005) -- Open-ended Trailer from 20th Century Fox
Winter Passing (2005) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   3,959 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Adam Rapp
Writer:
Adam Rapp (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Winter Passing on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
8 September 2006 (Poland) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Tagline:
Sometimes you go looking for something you want. . . and find what you need.
Plot:
Actress Reese Holden has been offered a small fortune by a book editor if she can secure for publication the love letters that her father... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Will Ferrell Gets Dramatic For Everything Must Go
 (From Cinema Blend. 15 October 2009, 9:37 PM, PDT)
Obie Award Winner Adam Rapp To Release Graphic Novel 'Ball Peen Hammer' 10/1
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 13 August 2009, 3:43 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Inside the Box more (43 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Zooey Deschanel ... Reese Holden
Darrell Larson ... Director

John Bedford Lloyd ... Leontes
Deirdre O'Connell ... Deirdre

Mandy Siegfried ... Ruth

Amy Madigan ... Lori Lansky

Dallas Roberts ... Ray

Ivan Martin ... Bartender

Robert Beitzel ... Rob
Laurie Kennedy ... Nun

Will Ferrell ... Corbit

Ed Harris ... Don Holden
Mary Jo Deschanel ... Mary

Amelia Warner ... Shelly
Sam Bottoms ... Brian
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language, some drug use and sexuality.
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
USA:98 min | Argentina:98 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Certification:
Australia:MA | Finland:K-11 | Portugal:M/16 | USA:R (certificate #41000) | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:16
Filming Locations:
New York City, New York, USA more
Company:
Stratus Film Co. more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The person posing as Reese's mother in the pictures on the wall is Zooey Deschanel's real-life mother, Mary Jo Deschanel. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: In the scene in which Zooey is having missionary sex, the gaffer tape over her nipples can be seen. more
Quotes:
Reese Holden: I just can't believe this is the same man who told his six-year-old daughter that Christmas was a Republican capitalistic conspiracy created by the Hallmark Corporation and that, if Jesus were alive today he'd be down in Nicaragua rallying the Sandinistas. Grace Away. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Daily Show: (2006-02-16)" (2006) more
Soundtrack:
Bittersuite more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
24 out of 27 people found the following comment useful.
Inside the Box, 29 May 2006
8/10
Author: gradyharp from United States

Though the cover for the DVD of WINTER PASSING (a photo of the four main characters crowded into a box) may make many potential viewers pass over this little film, thinking that it must be silly slapstick, this is a fine film written and directed with finesse and style by Adam Rapp, a new face whose talents have been somewhat limited to working on episodes of the TV series 'The L Word'. Rapp gives notice of a fine writer and an equally fine director in this barely noticed little touching movie.

Reese Holdin (Zooey Deschanel) lives in New York, an actress relegated to small parts in off Broadway theater while spending her days as a bartender hooked on alcohol, drugs and casual sex. Her life seems dead-ended: she has become anesthetized by her manner of living. An agent (Amy Madigan) approaches her with an offer to pay her for the letters between her parents, both once famous authors. Her mother has just died, and Reese didn't attend her funeral, so distant does she feel is her relationship to her past. But the spark of money moves her to ride a bus back to her Michigan home to salvage the letters to sell for publication.

Arriving home she is greeted by the weird Corbit (Will Ferrell), a Christian electric guitar player and composer who ears black eyeliner etc, but does care for Reese's severely alcoholic father - the once famous writer Don Holdin (Ed Harris) who hasn't written a novel in years and lives in the garage of his home under the care of Corbit and an ex-student Shelley (Amelia Warner), a bright very young girl with demons of her own. Reese works at reconnecting with her father, struggles with her resentment for the 'caregivers', and ultimately finds the letters she came for, only to make discoveries about her dysfunctional family and her father's status that alters her view of his value as her parent.

The movie is rather stagy and most of the action is unspoken, and while that technique of telling this particular story seems exactly right to this viewer, there are some who will feel frustrated at the rather static pace of the film. Zooey Deschanel once again proves that she is one of our finest actresses on the screen and hopefully this role will bring her to the attention of casting agents and result in our seeing more of this gifted actress in the future. Ed Harris is superb as the wasted, quietly grieving has-been author, keeping his performance understated and in doing so creating a character that is indelible in our minds long after the movie is over. Amelia Warner is also a fine little actress and even galumphing Will Ferrell brings more than his usual tiring comedic talents to this touching role. In all this is a movie that deserves wide attention. There is more to quietly hear and understand about interpersonal relationships than we would expect from the cover! Grady Harp

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (43 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Winter Passing (2005)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Zooey underrated actress vivrant
websites, anything kkirk420
Drowning Kittens cascade_road
Shelly NIcpine
Play Zooey was performing hammersavage7
Message in the book smensertfc
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Starting Out in the Evening 8½ La buena vida La hija del caníbal The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.