Snapshots (I) (2002) User Reviews

Flotsam

[=G= · 5/10 · 6 August 2003]

"Snapshots" is a journeyman B-flick about a middle-aged bookseller in Amsterdam (Reynolds) who meets the daughter (Chaplin) of an old love (Christie), falls in like with her, and then confronts his feelings with a little help from his past. This corny and awkward little flick has too many deficits for this commentary. Suffice it to say that in the grand scheme of cinema, it's crap. However, as a no brainier sentimental watch for the zoning sofa spud, it squeaks by as nominal fluff. Recommended for fans of the players or anyone who can't find anything better among the channels. (C)

Note - the snapshots referred to by the title are really black and white nude studies of Chaplin...the most interesting, artistic, and professionally done thing in the film, IMHO.

The Past Is My Future

[mxracer157 · 6/10 · 31 January 2006]

For those that are long time Burt Reynolds fans, this movie is unique. For the first time in many years, Burt was forced to act instead of being a sexy model who could spew lines on cue. Sadly, Burt doesn't portray a aging hippie really well. It isn't the acting that is so bad. it is the writing. Scene changes at the very beginning of the movie confuses, then brush off. It takes until almost the middle of the movie to fully understand what is going on. The underlying story of a young girl finding herself works out eventually. But that too takes forever. All of the actors and actresses do a wonderful job in their parts. Horrible writing kills their acting jobs though. A touching story once you forget about the worthlessness of it all.

Clever, flawed, sentimental...very human traits

[JonWatches · 5/10 · 1 August 2006]

Snapshots is a New World meets Old World, young meets old, past meets present love story with a fine use of coincidence, a great flavor of Amsterdam, and some terrific moments by Reynolds and Chaplin.

The flashback scenes of younger love (apparently done by a second crew) are nearly unwatchable...editors might have saved them as quick, patchy dream-like sequences, but let them run in all of their silliness. Without a fast-forward button, they ruin the film. USA scenes are almost as bad with a corny TV flair and evidently no budget for cinema-like setups--the only good thing to say is that they show how much better an actress Chaplin is than the production around her.

Watch it for the Amsterdam parts, which are lovely, well-acted, and even funny.

Truth in quiet

[jess_lyne · 25 May 2003]

What a nice, quiet little movie. Rented it last night, on the quest for something non-blockbuster-ish. The atmosphere and subtly-felt performances were so nicely executed that it made up for the unlikeliness of the key plot points. Wonderful shots of Amsterdam, too.

Simultaneously sensitive and corny, clever and flawed

[fredrikgunerius · 6/10 · 7 August 2023]

Award-winning Dutch filmmaker Rudolf van den Berg almost manages to pull this unlikely romantic drama off, if not against all odds then at least against quite a few. First of all, Burt Reynolds plays an ageing hippie. Reynolds was probably further from the hippie culture than most Americans his age in the '60s and '70s. Second of all, Julie Christie plays a Moroccan woman. That's borderline preposterous. And on top of that, young Carmen Chaplin (Charlie's granddaughter), who was in her mid-20s here, turns into some sort of love interest for old Burt. Admittedly, he was still handsome and charming. So it's somewhat surprising that it's actually the scenes between these two characters, Larry and Aïsha, which carry the film and give the unlikely plot the necessary weight and warmth. Van den Berg's work is simultaneously sensitive and corny, clever and flawed. I cannot decide whether the film could have been so much better, or if it actually turned out as good as it possibly could. But as usual, Reynolds gets ample opportunity to demonstrate his wonderful comedic timing and line delivery.

fun twists and turns

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 15 May 2022]

Burt reynolds, julie christie, carmen chaplin (charlie chaplin's granddaughter). Larry runs a bookstore in amsterdam, but a businessman is very eager to buy up his shop, as well as the other shops on the street. When he meets a strong willed young lady from america, he reminisces about meeting another young girl here, years ago. Lots of flashbacks, but it's well done, and fortunately, it's easy to tell when we are in those flashsbacks, which not everyone can master. It's a fun tale. Nothing tricky or real new, but it's a pleasant journey. And who doesn't have fun in amsterdam? Directed by rudolf vandenBerg. Has won numerous film fest awards for his films.

Pleasant Coming-of-Age story from Holland

[FANatic-10 · 8/10 · 15 June 2003]

"Snapshots" is an unsung combination coming-of-age tale and mature love story from Holland which was released directly to video. While it suffers from a certain lack of believability in its key plot points, as well as from not enough depth in character development to tell us how the main characters arrived at where they are, it benefits from an overall air of sweetness and charm that makes it a pleasant way to kill two hours. You could do worse with some of the garbage that did manage to get booked into your local multiplexes.

Burt Reynolds has what is for him quite an offbeat role, that of an aging hippie/hermit holed up in his bookstore in Amsterdam, railing at the failings of the modern world, as well as his own personal failings in life. I'm not a huge fan, but he gives one of his least obnoxious performances of late. Carmen Chaplin makes an auspicious impression as the young woman who enters his world, growing up and discovering life in the process. She is a lovely girl, the granddaughter of Charles Chaplin, with dark features, beautiful light eyes and a lithe body which features prominantly in the plot. Julie Christie, as others have pointed out here, is also cast in an offbeat role, that of Ms. Chaplin's mother, a Moroccan woman. Not the first person who springs to mind for such a part, but she is vibrant and charming here, and gives a nice spark to each scene she is in. I thought she pulled off her accent quite as nicely as Meryl Streep could have as well! The distinguished Indian actor, Saeed Jaffrey, for some reason, is not listed in the IMDB cast credits, but plays Chaplin's father and Christie's ex-husband in a few scenes.

The whole thing makes for a rather quaint and pleasant diversion with a nice flavor of both Amsterdam and Morocco, and leaves a smile on your face at the end.

Interesting....but

[jazz-15 · 1 May 2003]

Just caught this film on cable. It's always nice to see Julie Christie no matter how strange the casting. It is odd to see her playing a Moroccan woman but she can actually pull it off. Carmen Chaplin is delightful as the young artist but I felt that Burt was out his element. He's just not believable as an old hippie in Amsterdam-even smoking a joint. The story is a little too cliche--coming of age, reunited old loves, even flirting with "older man falls for sweet young thing who may be his daughter", but still something holds my interest.

The atmosphere is warm, the city of Amsterdam is very appealing, the shots on board the boat are great. A sweet, sentimental tale worth the time to view.

2 lady's, one man...

[jpschadde · 10/10 · 23 April 2003]

It's not only an interesting movie because it plays in Amsterdam, it's just a nice lovestory with a pretty good end. It's a bit strange that there is only 1 sentence in the whole movie which is Dutch, but as a Dutch-English co-production that is not very strange.

The daughter tries to find out who she is, in making pictures of herself. As she is a beautiful young lady, the pictures are beautiful as well. She's an artist, as well as the man who she works for. Burt Reynolds is this man, the owner of a bookstore.

Lovely film and I should advise you nothing but this; watch it!

Bittersweet love story--surprising work by Burt

[Popeye-8 · 10/10 · 7 April 2003]

A nice tale of redemption and love...Burt plays a hermit-like bookseller and former poet who still carries wounds from a past love affair. Oddly enough, his old flame's daughter (out 'discovering' her purpose in life, much like Burt's character did in flashbacks) stumbles onto his shop...and he falls in love again, not realizing his interest in her is because she reminds him of her mother...

Julie Christie is an odd casting as his old love, as you're left wondering what this very British lady is doing playing a Moroccan woman--but, then you look at Burt and can't help seeing "The Bandit" in his sixties, old, broken and alone...so it's a wash.

A beautiful, subtle little movie. Burt makes you think of how some of his past characters might have aged, and still creates a new character in this haunted old man who has retreated from life, yet is still full of life.

Charming!

[robynheavner · 8/10 · 11 April 2020]

A lost little gem, that I'm glad I found! Burt Reynolds and Julie Christie in a movie together, who knew? Romantic story! Set in Amsterdam! Charming, I recommend this one! I was smiling in the end! Bravo!