Movie Review: “Downhill” has moments but lacks the poignancy of the film that inspired it

Movie Review: “Downhill” (R)

It can be difficult writing a review of an Americanized remake of a foreign film. Especially when that foreign film is substantially stronger than that remake. Such is the case with “Downhill,” a comically broader and considerably less poignant take on Ruben Östlund’s exceptional dark comedy/drama “Force Majeure.” This isn’t to say that “Downhill” isn’t without its moments. It certainly is. But in the end, it just isn’t as effective.

“Downhill” finds Billie (Julia-Louis Dreyfus) and Pete (Will Ferrell) on an epic ski trip with their kids in the breathtaking Alps. At the surface, everything appears fine with this happy family unit. But when Pete abruptly runs out on the wife and kids in the name of what appears to be self preservation during an avalanche at the resort where they’re staying, the incident sets off a chain reaction of strong emotions, causing both Billie and Pete to reevaluate their relationship with each other and their children.

“Downhill” was directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the plucky duo behind the the charming, funny, and somewhat underrated 2013 comedy “The Way, Way Back.” They’re also the team responsible for penning “The Descendants” alongside Alexander Payne. Clearly, Faxon and Rash were inspired by “Force Majeure” as the spirit of that film is very much a part of this one, but “Downhill” is far more timid and dumbed down. Rather than taking the frightening incident  that causes the main source of contention in this story and exploring it in a deeply rooted and unexpected way, “Downhill” often plays up the comedy by way of broad strokes. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.

At the heart of the film are stars Dreyfus and Ferrell, two veteran comic performers whose expert sense of comic timing allow them to bounce off of one another like the seasoned pros they are. On an individual basis, Dreyfus shines brightest bringing spunk, tenacity, and pain in equal measure. After the avalanche incident (which is almost a shot-for-shot recreation of the avalanche as presented in the original film), Billie tries her best to put on a brave face. But the frustration and shock of the situation really begins to take its toll, and ultimately, Dreyfus displays a flurry of emotions in pretty effective fashion.

Ferrell (whose “Anchorman” remains the funniest comedy of the last 20 years), on the other hand, feels a little miscast. Clearly, this comic heavyweight is much more than his customary man-child shtick would have you believe. Look no further than his wonderful work in departures like “Stranger Than Fiction” and “Everything Must Go” for proof of that. Still, there’s just something too overtly funny about him in this picture, and this fact often offsets moments that should come across as more shocking. Case in point, when Ferrell runs out on his family during that avalanche, we’re compelled to laugh rather than gasp in horror, and that sort of messes with the tone of the movie.

Speaking of tone, Faxon and Rash tend to have to a slightly difficult time juggling the comedy and drama here. The balance isn’t always on point. Highlights include a blowup session between Billie and Pete in the presence of another couple, a sad and awkward scene in which an embarrassed and defeated Pete comes to the realization that a flirtatious skier has mistaken him for a better-looking tourist, and a dramatic moment in which Billie attempts to build Pete up for the sake of his relationship with their shaken children. On the flip side is a silly sitcom-fodder moment in which Billie attempts to pleasure herself in a bathroom stall following a steamy encounter with a hunky ski instructor and nearly every scene featuring an over-the-top, abrasive, and altogether sex-craved concierge played by Miranda Otto.

“Downhill” isn’t a bad movie. But when stacked up against a more mature and thoughtful “Force Majeure,” it does feel like a slight and unnecessary one. That said, anyone going into “Downhill” without any sort of knowledge of that picture may enjoy it. At the very least, it’s worth a watch for Dreyfus’s work alone.

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