THE ICE STORM (1997)

Directed By: Ang Lee
Written By: James Schamus
Based on the book By: Rick Moody
Cinematography By: Frederick Elmes
Editor: Tim Squyres

Cast: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Jamey Sheridan, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, Henry Czerny, Adam Hann-Byrd, David Krumholtz, Katie Holmes, Kate Burton, Allison Janney, Colleen Camp, Courtney Peldon


In the weekend after thanksgiving 1973 the Hoods are skidding out of control. Benjamin Hood reels from drink to drink, trying not to think about his trouble at the office. His wife, Elena, is reading self help books and losing patience with her husband's lies. Their son, Paul, home for the holidays, escapes to the city to pursue an alluring rich girl from his prep school. And young, budding nymphomaniac, Wendy Hood roams the neighborhood, innocently exploring liquor cabinets and lingerie drawers of her friends' parents, looking for something new. Then an ice storm hits, the worst in a century. Things get bad...

I know it almost sounds like a action film, or a disaster film. which it is to a point.

I read the book so when this film was being made to when it came out I was obsessed. I was disappointed when Natalie Portman dropped out but just from the cast alone I was excited seeing Christina Ricci and Elijah Wood in more adult roles. The cast listing was spectacular even Katie Holmes in her first performance in a film before Dawson’s creek.

I saw the film the first weekend it was out and found the film to be haunting and affecting. There was a small tinge of disappointment as the film lives up to it’s title it is emotional yet the characters and mood leaves you cold. There feels like there is no passion in the whole film from the situations to the characters. There is a surprising scene of tenderness. That cuts through everything.

The film plays like a dark comedy that feels more dramatic then anything else. Putting in little themes of the 70’s that feels nostalgic to the point of all the bad things about the time period. Yet still manages to be a beautiful look at a family and marriage slowly falling aprt by indifference and miscommunication. Of course I miss some of the small details from the book that didn’t make it into the film. Over all the film is good.

This is one of the few times I have seen Kevin Kline as entirely dramatic. Here he doesn’t have the flair he usually does. Absent is his humor and charisma that he usually brings into most of his roles. He is still good but his performance while dramatic like the rest of the film feels empty. The rest of the performances are on par as the rest of the film Joan Allen is the only one who seems to bring heart to her performance and character and the film. As a woman Clearly out of touch with the changing times, But willing to go with anything to support her family. Christina Ricci totally is controlled in her performance . After this film she would continue to play roles like this for almost a decade challenging but hinting at a certain kinkiness that seem like a fetish for her. Tobey Maguire seems to play his charming nerd character that seems like practice for his eventual role as spiderman.

I saw this film three times in theaters not only to introduce the film to friends. Also to try to make up my mind how I felt about the film. Truth be told also to listen to a Song by David Bowie when he was with his side project Tin Machine. The song titled “I can’t read”.

I liked it but always felt it could have been better. I will admit I am not a fan of Ang Lee’s direction, but I must give him credit as this is one of the better films he has made. I find it interesting that this is a look at the 70’s nuclear family presented by a foreigner who get’s it mostly right.

The film is worth discovering it’s not a classic, but it is a film that deserves a better reputation then it has. Considering it has a big name cast, but isn’t a very popular film. I warn you that it is a very dour film. I think it is worth watching.

Just remember I could be wrong as the book’s writer Rick Moody. Liked it so much he sobbed through the ending.

Grade: B