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WHAT IF THERE WERE NO TOMORROW FOR YOU?


Byline: Rob Lowman

Entertainment Editor

An unnerving un·nerve  
tr.v. un·nerved, un·nerv·ing, un·nerves
1. To deprive of fortitude, strength, or firmness of purpose.

2. To make nervous or upset.
, absorbing psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the wide-ranging thriller genre. However, this genre often incorporates elements from the mystery genre in addition to the typical traits of the thriller genre. , "First Snow" asks the question, "What if you knew you had no future?"

Guy Pearce Guy Edward Pearce (born October 5, 1967) is an English-born Australian actor. Biography
Early life
Guy Pearce was born in Ely, England. His father was a New Zealand pilot who died when Pearce was 9, and his mother was an English schoolteacher.
 plays Jimmy Starks, a smooth-talking Albuquerque flooring salesman working the wide-open spaces of New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). . But there's something odd about Jimmy, a not particularly likable sort, something unsalesman-like about him.

A hustler, yes, but not your typical hustler. Maybe it's his long hair, giving him a slightly rebellious look, or the way his suit doesn't really suit him, or the fact he dreams of making a killing selling vintage Wurlitzer jukeboxes.

One day, Jimmy's car breaks down in the high desert of New Mexico, which is really nowheresville Nowheresville is a single from Mark Oliver Everett, a.k.a. E of Eels, released in March, 1992 on CD from Polydor Records. Track listing
  1. Nowheresville 3:21
  2. Strawberry Blonde 3:23
. After amusing himself by trying to sell a jukebox to a local barkeep, he spots the trailer of a fortuneteller named Vacaro (J.K. Simmons). Nothing to lose, he reasons. After all, psychics are just "performers" like him. But after Vacaro makes a couple of predictions, he suddenly pulls away, telling Jimmy the session is over.

Back in Albuquerque, Jimmy, who was skeptical of prophecies, suddenly finds them coming true. When his doctor calls him in and tells him that tests have shown he has a "lazy" heart valve that, while not life-threatening, is worrisome, Jimmy frets that the psychic may know something he isn't telling.

Shirking Shirking

The tendency to do less work when the return is smaller. Owners may have more incentive to shirk if they issue equity as opposed to debt, because they retain less ownership interest in the company and therefore may receive a smaller return.
 work and lying to his girlfriend (Piper Perabo), he returns to see Vacaro, demanding another reading. The fortuneteller is reluctant but gives in. He tells Jimmy that he sees no roads ahead for him, but that he'll be all right until the first snow.

Should Jimmy believe him? Can he prevent it, forestall it? Suddenly, Jimmy's past sins The novel Past Sins, by Don Ecker, combines vampire horror and military adventure. Plot
At the height of the “cold war” waged between the Soviet Union and the United States, it is a well known fact that American Intelligence Agencies waged war using the
 come into focus, and everything from wrong numbers to wisps of snow become ominous. When an old acquaintance, Vincent (Shea Whigham), who has a beef with him, turns up, Jimmy is sure doom is near.

"First Snow," from first-time director Mark Fergus and his writing partner, Hawk Ostby -- two of the scriptwriters on "Children of Men" and the upcoming comic-book-inspired "Iron Man" -- is a craftily told story that is constantly upping the ante on Jimmy. Eric Edwards' atmospheric cinematography cinematography: see motion picture photography.
cinematography

Art and technology of motion-picture photography. It involves the composition of a scene, lighting of the set and actors, choice of cameras, camera angle, and integration of special
 and Cliff Martinez's spare score add to the edginess.

The film, however, turns on Pearce's strong, subtle performance. A lot of the time, Jimmy is left alone questioning his sanity. And while Pearce -- who has made his mark with his striking performances in "L.A. Confidential" and "Memento" -- never tries to make his flooring salesman more likable, he gives him a soul, which you see in the uncertainty in Jimmy's eyes.

"First Snow" is a small film with Hitchcock-ian overtones, but it's got a strong pulse and keeps you wondering beyond its end.

Rob Lowman (818) 713-3687

robert.lowman@dailynews.com

FIRST SNOW - Three and one half stars

(R: language, some violence, sexuality)

Starring: Guy Pearce, Piper Perabo, William Fichtner William Edward "Bill" Fichtner (born November 27, 1956 in East Meadow, New York) is an American actor. He is often credited as William Fichtner and occasionally as Bill Fichtner. , J.K. Simmons.

Director: Mark Fergus.

Running time: 1 hr. 42 min.

Playing: Laemmle's Sunset 5 in West Hollywood and Landmark's NuWilshire in Santa Monica.

In a nutshell: Pearce's strong performance anchors this well-crafted psychological thriller.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

A psychic's ominous reading sends a man into a tailspin tail·spin  
n.
1. The rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep, spiral spin.

2. Informal A loss of emotional control sometimes resulting in emotional collapse.
 in "First Snow," starring Piper Perabo and Guy Pearce.
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No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2007, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Mar 23, 2007
Words:536
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