WINTER SOLSTICE

A father and his two sons cope with the loss of their mother in the drama WINTER SOLSTICE. Anthony Lapaglia is the father, Jim Winters, a man struggling to keep his family together. Gabe, the eldest son, is handling the loss the best, but still longs for something more than their small town can provide. Pete, the youngest, is failing to stay focused at school.

Our winter solstice occurs every December 21st, providing us with our shortest day and hence our longest night. The title is appropriate for this family drama, since the characters lives have become dim with sorrow, but with each passing day their grief will become less and their lives will hopefully become brighter. Just like the gradual transformation from shorter days to shorter nights, writer-director Josh Sternfeld tackles his characters with the same gentle touch. Their emotional rehab is not something that is going to occur over night, but will take time, patience and understanding by each family member and those around them. The performances are appropriately low-key, and extremely effective in displaying the day-to-day struggles in overcoming the loss of a loved one. Lapaglia is becoming one of our most under-appreciated actors. He often says so much about Jim, without every muttering a word. WINTER SOLSTICE is a patient and rewarding family drama which enriches with its subtlety.

Grade: B