Why I took it off the list:
As I’m a big fan of Little Sister (2016), I decided to check out writer/director Zach Clark’s other work.
And as this film is set at Christmastime, I thought it would be a great time to check this film off the list.
So, let’s dig in!
Review of White Reindeer (2013)
White Reindeer centers on Suzanne, a real estate agent whose husband Jeff gets a job in Hawaii, meaning they are spending their last Christmas in Virginia. The action is presented as a countdown to Christmas, starting with 24 days before, as Suzanne prepares for the holidays.
However, a shocking spanner is thrown in the works when Suzanne returns home to find Jeff dead, the victim of a break-in. In the aftermath, she struggles to carry on with life, and seeks to cling on to any trace her husband left behind, including frequenting a cam girl site he left on his internet browsing history.
At the wake, one of her friends confesses that Jeff was having an affair with an exotic dancer named Autumn, and Suzanne tracks her down to the strip club where she works. She forms an improbable friendship with the woman, asking her to divulge details of her relationship with Jeff.
Sh ends up going out partying with Autumn and her stripper friends, who are doing copious amounts of cocaine, and eventually gives into peer pressure and does cocaine with them. She then goes onto participate in a shoplifting expedition and ends up in a party where they do more lines.
A Downbeat, Meandering Drama with Some Dark Laughs
If you thought my plot description of White Reindeer sounded vague and meandering, that’s because that’s pretty much the tone of the film. Mumblecore to a tee, not much of consequence happens, as the film is a portrait of the gradual unraveling of the main character, her slip into hedonism, and her finding her way out.
A somewhat depressing film, White Reindeer contrasts the materialism and joyful mood of the festive season with Suzanne’s numbing behavior, whether she’s doing drugs, going on a shopping binge, or gatecrashing her neighbors’ swingers party.
The message of the film ultimately proves to be elusive, as it’s not quite clear what we’re meant to take from Suzanne’s behavior. Still, there’s some solid acting from Anna Margaret Hollyman in the lead role, and some great music choices, which contrast traditional Christmas songs sung in Hawaiian with punk rock anthems as Suzanne embraces hedonism.
While a mostly serious film, there are also some sharp moments of dark comedy, such as a punter casually asking a stripper about christmas shopping during a pole dance, and the swinger’s party descending into a session of naked karaoke. At times, especially within its stripper sub-plot, it feels akin to a Sean Baker movie, which is a compliment.
Final score: 6/10
White Reindeer (2013): Worth Watching?
It depends, while it does have some moments of dark comedy, White Reindeer is more of a sobering drama than anything else, and as Christmas movies go it’s definitely more a downer than an upper. Still, it’s a decent drama if you don’t mind the somewhat depressing tone.
