Ice Princess -- 2005

Ice Princess
(2005)

Rated G
My Rating: 4 Stars


Michelle Trachtenberg
Joan Cusack
Amy Stewart
Steve Ross
Hayden Panettiere
Kim Cattrall
Trevor Blumas
Kirsten Olson

“How do you know if you have a calling?”
“When you're brilliant teacher tells you so.”

Summary:
When Casey's math teacher told her she had a gift in physics and that she should work on a project with a personal touch to prove it, she had no idea what to do. Then, one night, fate stretched out it's hand as  she was watching figure skating with her best friend, Ann. Physics is in everything. So why not use something she enjoyed watching?

Off to the Harwood Skating Club she went. At first, it was just for her project... then she realized how dry and impersonal her project was sounding. Mr. Bast had been specific: the project had to be personal. So, Casey decided to try her formulas on herself. It didn't take long before she realized that she not only enjoyed watching figure skating, she loved it.

But there was a problem: lessons take money, something Casey and her mom didn't have a lot of. That was fixable... Casey simply spent a lot of time working a job. There was another problem: Casey's mom had her heart set on college, Harvard to be specific, and college doesn't exactly include a career in figure skating.

In spite of these obstacles, Casey's gift is apparent to anyone who watches her. She manages to enter in the Regional Championships. It's there that she finds out the other side to skating. It's not all glitter. Now, Casey must step back and take a look at her priorities... and her heart. Does she have the guts it takes for skating? Or for that matter, anything besides being a physics geek?

What I Liked:
1: I could really relate to this story. I have said the same things as the characters did and had to make some of same kinds of difficult decisions.
2: No language.
3: The story was well acted, directed and flowed so smoothly.
4: Some of the score is just lovely. They had some solo/duet instruments... guitar, violin. Nice.
5: The humor. I liked that white flour pancakes comment. Lol! For those of you not raised in a health food home, you might not understand. But believe me, that line is right on.
6: How they show that life isn't worth much if you're unhappy... and sometimes, you have to climb mountains to follow your heart.
7: The romance. It was sweet.

What I Didn't Like:
1: On occasion, Michelle Tratchenberg didn't quite pull off the physics geek. (But at the scene of the party, she did and it was great after that. :-))
2: There were some very unrealistic things about the movie. How quickly the children progressed through the levels of figure skating, etc.

Things to Know:
1: Figure skating costumes aren't the most modest in the world. But keep in mind that it's fake skin. ;-)
2: Some rock 'n roll.
3: Casey and Gen both stand up to their mothers and pursue their dreams.
4: A kiss at the end...
5: Men in general are either generalized or not so nice.

Yes, I did like this film. And girls will probably like it. But guys won't. And your moms might not either. :-)