selkieschild64

Very well-done TV movie. I've always been a fan of Jobeth Williams, and she didn't disappoint here. I really didn't know whodunit until I was supposed to, which is rare in this genre of story. Darin McGavin was perfect, as was Tom Skerrit. This was also, I believe, the first major role for 9-year-old Elijah Wood, and it's a foreshadowing of the kind of talent that he is. Even at this age, he shows his moxy. I'd recommend this to anyone.

I must say that I sat for several minutes after the end of this film, slack-jawed, repeating "wow". This is a lovely film--I think the directing could have been a little better, but the cast more than makes up for it. Jeanine Garofalo is a favorite of mine, and I love her role as a caring physician in this. I'd also like to see more of Joseph Perrino, he was excellent. This film, however, belongs to Elijah Wood, one of the most underrated young actors around, IMO. Elijah can say more with his facial expressions than some can say in volumes, which is a skill that actors far older still struggle with. His Barney is understated, subtle, and charming. I hope he gets more roles like this. The same goes for Rachel Leigh Cook...wonderful chemistry between her Cassie, Elijah's Barney and Joseph Perrino, who plays Cassie's brother Mazzo. I won't go into details about the plot. See it for yourself. I'd have to give this film 4 stars out of 5, though, because I think that it could have been directed better, and the emotions brought out a tad more. No fault of the cast, though, and it doesn't take away from the beauty of the thing. Truly a gem.

Wow. After watching this I felt like I had just eavesdropped into someone's private conversation. I felt embarrased to be there by the end, but not because the movie was bad. Quite the opposite. Under Ang Lee's direction and an incredible cast (Kevin Kline can do no wrong, I think), the viewer is drawn in deeper and deeper into the lives of these two families. One wants to turn one's face away from the screen, it's so intimate. The cinematography was disturbingly beautiful, from the brown-and-orange interiors to the chillingly lovely shots of ice hanging from trees and buildings. The climax of the movie *is* the ice storm, where emotions are finally whipped up, and a myriad of incredible, beautiful, ugly, senseless events force the two families to look at themselves, and each other, more closely. Christina Ricci is fantastic in this (I've liked her since Now and Then, she holds her own right up there with Kevin Kline. This is only the second film I've seen with Tobey Maguire, but I plan on seeing more. Sigourney Weaver and Elijah Wood are vastly underused, which is my only complaint in this. Even in the credits you don't realize they're there because the cast list is in alphabetical order. Both are perfect for their roles, I think. I bought this film on sale at a video store, and I'm glad I did, because I'll go back to it again.