Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story (1994)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Excellent but underrated film

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

I remember when this event actually occurred. The same 2 storms that had them stranded, had kept my new wife and I from crossing over the mountains from California, enroute to Minnesota. I followed it on the news.I was impressed by the strength of the parents, how they battled to survive, for themselves and their son.Many reviewers have dissed Mr. Stropa for getting into trouble in the first place. I am glad that so many people have their own lives so together, and are so far removed from any of life's foibles that they are in a position to be so critical. However, for we mere humans, his error in judgment does not lessen his courage and strength.It is sad that this type of life experience could not help to keep the Stropas together. They were obviously intended for each other.

I remember watching at least some of the movie, but I was so astounded by how stupid and unthoughtful the parents were, I had to shut it off. No movie, for TV or theater, should have been made about adults who put their children in harm's way due to restricted intelligence. For shame, Jim and Jennifer. For shame. In fact, during the year this movie was released, I held a Stolpa party and one of my good friends came dressed as Jennifer. She had on ragged clothes and used a suit bag in which she put one of her daughter's dolls with a diaper smeared with chunky Skippy peanut butter mixed with frozen peas. She won the award for Most Stupid. Just my thoughts and remembrances.

I love survival stories!!! I forgot about this above average TV movie for a long time and then it was on Lifetime the other day and I still really enjoy this one!!! A young California couple, Jim and Jennifer Stolpa, played by Neil Patrick Harris and Kelli Williams attempt to pay their respects to a grandmother who passed away in Idaho. They try to go up I 80 (the same route the famous Donner Party traveled!!!) but the highway is closed because of heavy snow. Their reluctance to wait (they want so badly to get to the funeral and lend moral support to Jim's mother)is a potentially fatal decision. They drive up to Redding and take highway 299 east to Cedarville and into desolate Northern Nevada. They find out too late that the snow is worse up there and they end up getting trapped in the snow miles from any civilization. Scary!!! To make matters worse they have a 5 month old infant and they both feel terrible for getting him into a deadly situation. They try to wait it out in their pickup, but when not one other car drives down the road they're on, they make another desperate decision: to walk 20 miles east to a highway they saw on their map. If they can just reach that highway, they can get help.They take a wrong turn on a forked road and end up worse off than ever, and the cold is killing them and the baby. Kelli Williams was awesome when she was crying over Jim having to leave her and the baby behind in the cave!!! It just broke my heart!!! Neil Patrick Harris was great too. His character Jim had to walk some 20 miles back to the truck and then another 50 to Cedarville!!! When it's do or die, human beings are capable of incredible things!!! Like I said, I love survival movies and books, especially when the characters face harsh weather and LONG WALKS!!! FOLLOW THE RIVER and LEAVE NO TRACE are among some of my favorite stories, so SNOWBOUND is right up my alley!!! For a TV movie, it's very well done and I could watch it for many years to come!!!

I have just seen this movie on Danish national television (prime time) for the second time. The story of the Stolpas is really worth watching. I still can´t understand that they really went through all that... but I will not tell any details if some of you haven´t seen the film yet. The actors were just great, especially Kelli Williams. Check out the movie next time it´s showing on your television or rent or bye it to day.