Snow Day

Most of us can personally remember looking forward to snow days while in school. My sons love them and sometimes include a “snow day” in their prayers.

Paramount Picture’s “Snow Day” brings back such memories. While it is not a great film, it is fairly safe in the family genre, and one worth seeing if you are determined to cast your vote for an okay family film.

The setting is Syracuse, New York. The city is hit with an unexpected snowstorm. Life in upstate New York is very busy and this storm has inconvenienced the adult population. “Snow Day” introduces several simultaneous stories. There is Hal Brandston and his romantic dreams toward Claire Bonner, whom he hopes he can win the heart of during this particular snow storm. A favorite part of the story surrounds the goofy local TV weatherman (Chevy Chase), employed by a station desperate for positive ratings. Chevy naturally shines in this role. Let us not forget Natalie Brandston, a woman with a mission to stop the Snowplow Man. (We can all remember the “Snow Days” that almost happened, but were stopped by the efficiency of these tireless workers). And finally, we meet a working mom who rediscovers during the storm what it really means to be a mother.

Some of the negative elements include a child being strapped to the snowplow blade, some violent retellings of Evil Snowplowmen stories, several crude expressions, and various assorted toilet language. There is some disrespect encouraged toward people in authority.

While “Snow Day” is not a perfect film, it is a decent way to spend time with your kids. I recommend the film with the above reservations and a warning that some of the humor comes across as certainly mean-spirited.