THE ICE STORM

The Ice Storm (1997) was included in my 2023 film journey for two reasons. The first one is the film’s outstanding ensemble cast and the second reason is because it was directed by the superb Ang Lee. Lee is an incredibly innovative and gifted storyteller, and he is at the top of his game with this movie.

The story takes place in 1973, a period when our country is experiencing the dismay of the Watergate scandal, the malaise of dealing with the Vietnam War, and the transition of individuals who fought for sexual liberation now grappling with being parents. Lee’s attention to detail in this period is perfection. Two upper-class families who live near each other, and who socialize together, prepare for a Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Hood family consists of Ben (Kevin Kline) and Elena (Joan Allen), and their children Paul (Toby McGuire) and Wendy (Christina Ricci). The Carver family includes Janey (Sigourney Weaver) and Jim (Jamey Sheridan) and their children Mikey (Elijah Wood) and Sandy (Adam Hann-Byrd).

As an oncoming ice storm brews in the background we get to see the dynamics of these two families unfold. They are people who all seem trapped in lives that bring little satisfaction or truth. They seek escapism through sex, alcohol, bike rides, shoplifting, marijuana, and other forms of fleeting fulfillment. Both couples are incapable of having real communication between husband and wife, or with their children. Their existences are superficial facades, with the children almost more aware of what is going on with the adults than vice versa. Conversations are left without resolution and there is an abundance of silence. No one wants to crack the delicate balance of existence by attempting to actually connect through truth and the discomfort that might accompany those truths.

The entire movie is filmed in muted tones. There is no brightness to be found. Lee’s abundant usage of clever establishment shots is phenomenal. As the ice begins freezing outside, we zoom in on an old metal ice cube tray being used by Ben. The noise of the cracking ice just adds to the tensions that are running below the surface between him and his wife. Another scene taking place in the Hood kitchen focuses on the dull white rice while no one seems able to engage in any meaningful conversation. Another scene at a train station shows a gathering of men, all dressed in similarly bland coats, waiting to be picked up to go off and presumably spend 8 bland hours completing their bland jobs.

The movie plays out in three arcs, the final one beginning as the Hoods arrive for a post-Thanksgiving party at the home of Dot Halford (Allison Janney). As it turns out, the event is a “key party”, where couples swap sexual partners at the end of the evening. Women select a set of keys from a bowl and are expected to then spend the night with whichever man the keys belong to. The tension that has been building along with the storm increases even more as the wavering moral compasses, yearnings, and failings of our central characters all collide. The characters are driven by circumstances they never intended, and they now seem forced to follow a course they never wanted, simply because they don’t know how to communicate or change that course.

This movie is superb in almost every aspect. The acting is magnificent all the way around, with Joan Allen’s staid portrayal of Elena as a possible stand-out. The story is a concentrated character study that delves deep into discomfort, complacency, poor decision-making, and frayed family dynamics. While The Ice Storm will not leave you uplifted, its layered and well-crafted execution will most certainly leave you thinking.