Plot: What’s it about?
Ben Hood (Kevin Kline) is married with children, works at a good job, and lives in a nice suburban neighborhood. But his life isn’t serene as all that sounds, as beneath the surface, the tension is immense. His job has him under the gun, as one of his co-workers is pushing to take over his position, but Ben’s troubles don’t end at the office. His relationship with his wife Elena (Joan Allen) has turned platonic and loveless, though he turns to his neighbor Janey (Sigourney Weaver) for sexual release. Even then, he gets no real pleasure from the connection, leaving him with little to cherish in life. At the same time, his children have started to explore their own sexual escapades, so his household is in a state of chaos behind the scenes. Is there a chance for Ben to turn his life around, or is he doomed to a life colder than an ice storm?
The Ice Storm is a movie I could watch again and again, never bored even for a second. The story is deep and complex, but the real draw for me are the characters, as well as the performances behind them. I think there is so much depth within these characters, I seem to pick up on new elements each time I watch. The interaction is superb, thanks to sharp writing and of course, some terrific performances. Kevin Kline is great here, as are Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Christina Ricci, and the rest of this gifted ensemble cast. All of the pieces just click together so well, regardless of which characters are put together, the result is a memorable scene or situation. I was thrilled to see this released as part of The Criterion Collection, as the movie is just superb and deserves this kind of lavish presentation. I cannot recommend The Ice Storm enough and this deluxe two disc release, Criterion’s treatment is the one you’ll want to go with.
Video: How does it look?
The Ice Storm is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a new transfer and when stacked up against the previous disc, this version has a more refined visual presence. The difference might not be extreme, but you can tell this is a cleaner, slightly sharper effort. This is due in part to the digital restoration effort, which ensures the print has been shined up to a fine polish. The film has a 70s texture, so the image isn’t razor sharp, but detail is strong and the intended visual design is well replicated. So even on a film from the 90s, Criterion proves it can up the ante.
Audio: How does it sound?
The 2.0 stereo surround option is good, but somewhat held back by the material. Given that this is a dialogue driven drama, there is more presence than I expected, however. The tense atmosphere is bolstered by skillful sound design, especially in terms of the movie’s musical soundtrack. The dialogue is clear and crisp at all times, which is good since the movie is driven by the vocals and little else. So in the end, a better soundtrack than I anticipated.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The first houses the film’s theatrical trailer, as well as audio comments from director Ang Lee and producer/co-writer James Schamus. You can tell the two have a strong personal bond, as they’re candid and work off each other well. I found this to be a good overall session with some great insights. Not the best track I’ve heard, but a more than solid one and if you enjoyed the movie, make sure to give the track a spin. Lee and Schamus return on the second disc in an interview for New York’s Museum of the Moving Image, which runs around half an hour. The two cover Lee’s career as a whole, so there isn’t much time devoted to The Ice Storm, but its still a welcome inclusion. Weathering the Storm is a thirty-five minute retrospective look at The Ice Storm, with several prominent cast & crew members interviewed. Not as in depth as we might like, but still informative. This release also includes an interview with author Rick Moody, a trio of brief production featurettes, and a small selection of deleted scenes.
