Winter Passing

Right now you can watch Winter Passing in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 130 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Zooey Deschanel's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Winter Passing earns its spot. Winter Passing gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Actress Reese Holden has been offered a small fortune by a book editor if she can secure for publication the love letters that her father, a reclusive novelist, wrote to her mother, who has since passed away. Returning to Michigan, Reese finds that an ex-grad student and a would-be musician have moved in with her father, who cares more about his new friends than he does about his own health and well-being. Between them, Zooey Deschanel and Will Ferrell carry the comedy without ever forcing it. Winter Passing came out in 2006. What keeps Winter Passing from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Winter Passing. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Zooey Deschanel sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.

Winter Passing was released in 2006, directed by Adam Rapp. The full 98-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.