An ice storm is the perfect metaphor for virtually all the characters in this movie, as each walks the Earth with a virtual glaze of frozen mist covering their eyes while attempting to navigate family and personal relationships. The country was well on it's way to losing it's moral anchor in the 1970's, the chronological setting of the film, and no wonder. Sexual experimentation led to an 'if it feels good, do it' mentality, while drugs and alcohol loosened any inhibitions one might have had on the way to a swinging lifestyle. For the most part, it only led to alienation and a dissolution of self respect. It might have been helpful if this story had even one redeeming character, but instead, each one operated in a moral vacuum, adults and teen children alike. But after all, aren't the kids just following their parents' example?
Ang Lee directs superbly in this ensemble study of defective middle class values and senses devoid of feeling. Aside from the effective character study, I'd have to question the judgment of someone like Jim Carver (Jamey Sheridan), suggesting that he and his neighbor Elena Hood (Joan Allen) go for a ride in the middle of one of the nastiest ice storms on record. Not only did they drop all pretense of acting like responsible adults with their wham-bam affair, but who in their right mind thinks you can navigate a vehicle on a roadway of sheer ice?
Ang Lee directs superbly in this ensemble study of defective middle class values and senses devoid of feeling. Aside from the effective character study, I'd have to question the judgment of someone like Jim Carver (Jamey Sheridan), suggesting that he and his neighbor Elena Hood (Joan Allen) go for a ride in the middle of one of the nastiest ice storms on record. Not only did they drop all pretense of acting like responsible adults with their wham-bam affair, but who in their right mind thinks you can navigate a vehicle on a roadway of sheer ice?