I was already aware that Ang Lee can depict complicated relationships and affairs in his movies. After all, he did direct Brokeback Mountain. But what's presented in The Ice Storm isn't as conflicted as what's presented in Brokeback Mountain.
All of the performances are ace. I particularly liked the frigid nature of Sigourney Weaver's role, the perplexity within Tobey Maguire's and the abandonment in Joan Allen's. They don't feel forced; they feel authentic.
The Ice Storm is quite good, but it's a little frank on the subject of sex. (Well, technically so was Brokeback Mountain.) That aside, Lee churned out a very well-acted movie.
My Rating: ****
Sounds like something I want to watch, I think... Brokeback Mountain was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThough I haven't seen The Ice Storm (and I so badly want to, since I love Ang Lee), I'd say that Lust, Caution (which is one of my favourite films) is probably his most 'frank about sex' film. And without that in the film, it wouldn't have had the emotional impact as it did.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me I still need to see this, though!
I love this movie, it's always been one of my favorites. It's funny to me to see Tobey McGuire reading Spiderman comics in this movie when he went on to become Spiderman himself.
ReplyDeleteCherokee is right about Lust, Caution being frank about sex. That movie would've been nothing without it, unfortunately.
This movie is an underrated masterpiece, as expected from a director who's only had one misstep, or so I've heard.
ReplyDeleteAre your concerns about sex about warning other people who might be squeamish about it? Also, if you think this movie is frank about sex, read the book. I haven't finished it, but you'll never see Sigourney Weaver the same way again.