Downhill

Score:  A-

Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
Starring Will Ferrell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Miranda Otto, Zach Woods
Running time: 86 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Downhill is a quiet little dramedy remake featuring two of the funniest actors in Hollywood in Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus.  Throw expectations out the window, though: this leans far more heavily toward the drama, and its humor, while good and plentiful, is much drier than you'd think (even compared to Veep).  Sadly, critics dismissed it and theater audiences ignored it, but give this one a chance:  it has the poignance of Marriage Story and sneaky humor.


Pete (Ferrell) and Billie (Dreyfus) need a break; with their two young sons in tow, they retreat far from their American lives to the bleak and beautiful Alps for a skiing vacation.  Despite the foreign languages and thick accents, they soon find that the dynamic of their relationship has not changed with the scenery; if anything, it has deepened.  As Pete rushes the family from one unique experience to the next, and tries to fit time in with work friend Zach, his wife and children find they have their own, very different needs and desires.

Downhill focuses primarily on its two comedy legends, but it also has an impressive supporting cast, too.  I'd say it's truly a shared lead in this film, so I'll just start with Will Ferrell's Pete.  Both he and Louis-Dreyfus are tested here in roles significantly different - i.e. much more dramatic, less comedic - than they're used to.  There's a good bit of humor, to be sure, but it's mostly pretty dry and subtle, a bigger challenge (seemingly) for Ferrell.  Having been in a slump the last few years, I was pleased to see Ferrell, one of my favorites, back in top form.  Pete is a highly flawed, difficult character; while Ferrell has been good at this in over-the-top form (see: most of his best roles), this is a far, far more restrained and realistic version - and because of that, a little uncomfortable yet exquisite to watch.  He's a man just barely holding together on the surface, struggling mightily to deal with a crucial pivot point in his life; Ferrell is great in everything from boring patriarch to petulant point-scorer (and some sympathetic bits in between).  Julia Louis-Dreyfus is every bit as good as Billie, in many of the same ways.  As Ferrell's Pete spirals downward, Billie finds her strength, or at least the courage of her convictions.  Louis-Dreyfus achieves such a fine balance in many ways; both assertive and reluctant, fighting both for her family's and her personal interests.  Billie is the true head of the family here, but it's a process getting there.  Two supporting players stand out in particular, Miranda Otto as the enthusiastic, over-sharing resort guide and Zach Woods as Pete's friend.  Otto provides much-needed shots of energy, bursting out of the family's strained politeness; Woods on the other hand is cowed by the family's drama, and largely an observer, yet still plays a crucial role.

Downhill is a rather odd dramedy, particularly considering that it's a remake; but, whatever its intentions, it's also pretty damn good.  Many people - myself included - who see Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus headlining a movie assume that it will be a laugh out loud comedy.  However, while there is certainly some humor, it leans much more toward the drama.  It's a brief snapshot of the life of a family - particularly the marriage - at a critical stage.  The script has a very realistic feel, with much of the (at times, mundane) everyday, in the action, dialogue, and even entire scenes.  The setting, at an Austrian ski resort, is one ripe for easy and/or stereotypical slapstick, but it indulges in this only selectively and appropriately (Otto's overt intimacy relayed in a thick accent; Ferrell wiping out in a boneheaded move).  No, the real focus is on Pete and Billie's relationship, so tense you could cut it with a knife.  Much revolves around a critical scene that is hilarious on paper but shot and acted with incredible dryness and sincerity - for it is also a practically small yet symbolically huge moment for the couple.  This leads to both the most outright funny scene in the movie (involving Game of Thrones' Tormund at his most intimidating), as well as - seriously - one of the most emotionally powerful and well-acted dramatic scenes I've witnessed in years.  Everything after that is kind of a come down - how could it not? - yet the film navigates the fallout deftly, and apart from a few predictable moments, quite subtly.  The final shot is great.  Now, I'll admit, I'm not certain it was all planned this way; I just get the feeling that they weren't quite sure what tone or style to go with, and just got really lucky.  Some scenes stick out as oddly placed, and it can be hard to get a read on it.  But in a way, even that is helpful, contributing to the sense of realism.  This movie was not at all what I was expecting - and I'm glad for it.

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Downhill is an interesting little treat, buried (appropriately) in the frozen depths of the film calendar.  It's kind of the 2020 version of last year's The Upside: both are American remakes of foreign films, released (dumped?) early in the year.  And while critics disliked them, I think both are quite good.  Downhill has a 39% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but closer examination reveals that most of the negative comes down to "it wasn't as good as the original".  Well, how many Americans have already seen 2014's Force Majeure?  I'm guessing not many.  Sadly, while The Upside found box office success despite the reviews, Downhill has a humiliating $8 million total so far.  I would urge you to give it a try, even if you wait for it on streaming (probably have to at this point).  Its particular style is something I've never seen anything quite like before, and impressive performances from Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus combine to make it very intriguing.  We need much more like this out of Hollywood!





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