Ice Princess (2005) Movie Information:

Ice Princess (2005) Directed by: Tim Fywell Ice Princess (2005) Written by: Hadley Davis, Leslie Dixon, Meg Cabot Ice Princess (2005) Cast: Joan Cusack, Kim Cattrall, Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden Panettiere, Trevor Blumas, Connie Ray, Kirsten Olson, Juliana Cannarozzo, Jocelyn Lai, Michelle Kwan

Ice Princess (2005) U.S. Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures Ice Princess (2005) U.K. Distributor: Buena Vista

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Ice Princess (2005) Synopsis:

Brainy Casey Carlyle has never quite fit in. Caught between her fantasy of becoming a championship figure skater and her strong-willed mother, who has her on the fast track to Harvard, she can only hope to be like Nikki, Tiffany and Gen -- three elite skating prodigies who are ruthlessly competing on the U.S. National circuit (and have attitudes to match). But, when Casey gets the chance to train with Gen and her coach, a disgraced former skating champion who also happens to be Gen's mother, she must dash her own mother's hopes in order to pursue her dream. Now, with only the support of Gen's teenage brother, a hunky Zamboni driver, Casey takes on the challenge of her life when she finds herself competing against the best to make it into the championship circuit and become a real "ice princess."

Ice Princess (2005) Movie Review:

Gliding across the ice, leaping into the air, landing with grace and beauty – these are the things a teenage girl dreams of in “Ice Princess.” Unfortunately, her mother has other plans. She’s obsessed about getting her daughter into Harvard to study physics, not figure skating.

As an avid skating fan, I’m always impressed with the artistry, musicality and athletic skill of such rink stars as Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Todd Eldridge and Johnny Weir, and I’m pleased that "Ice Princess" highlights the hard work it takes to become a successful figure skater. Casey (Michelle Trachtenberg from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), a science geek, starts out rather shaky on the ice but ends up as graceful as a swan, thanks to rigorous training and practice, practice, practice – plus help from her knowledge of aerodynamics. “I knew I was going to have to train a lot,” says Trachtenberg. “But I had no idea that it was going to be months and months of the most intense training sessions, as well as intense ballet classes and hours and hours of being on the ice.”

Trachtenberg is a revelation both on and off the ice. She’s matured into a lovely young actress whose soulful eyes draw us into her character’s world and make us want everything to come out right for her. Like the wonderful Scarlett Johansson, Trachtenberg boasts a well-modulated speaking voice that adds to her appeal. And she’s extremely photogenic.

Another rising star, Hayden Panettiere (“Raising Helen”) also delivers an impressive performance here. Driven by her mother, the owner of an ice skating rink, to devote most of her life to figure skating, her character finally rebels. I love the way the friendship between these two misunderstood girls develops as they discover how much they’re alike, despite their different backgrounds. And keep your eye on Trevor Blumas (PAX TV’s “Little Men”), who portrays Casey’s love interest. His charismatic presence and sensitive acting should lead to bigger roles in the future.

Perhaps the mother-daughter clash receives too much emphasis in “Ice Princess.” Still, it doesn’t hurt to remind moms (and dads) to let their children live out their own dreams and not the dreams of the parent. Oscar-winner Joan Cusack (“In and Out”) and TV’s Kim Cattrall (“Sex and the City”) show their courage by portraying these two generally unsympathetic mothers. Because both actresses have such great comic flair, I suffered a bit of a shock seeing them in these mostly dramatic roles. Nevertheless, they are quite convincing – and evoke some chuckles in their final scene together.

Although I wanted more ice skating scenes, I appreciated the up-close-and-personal filming of those sequences in “Ice Princess.” Under the direction of Tim Fywell (“I Capture the Castle”), cinematographer David Hennings (“Blue Crush”) forged a special skating camera rig that followed the skaters’ every move. “Nobody’s created a vehicle like this before,” Hennings explains. “It allowed us to photograph the skaters at high speed and close proximity.”

I also think it was a great idea to cast real ice skaters in various “Ice Princess” roles. Michelle Kwan and Brian Boitano appear briefly as TV commentators; Kirsten Olson sparkles as the “shrimp” dynamo; Juliana Cannarozzo shows off her exciting punk style; and Jocelyn Lai floats across the rink in an aura of elegance.

Will the film’s target group like “Ice Princess”? To find out, I cornered two preteen girls as they left the theater. “Did you enjoy this movie”” I asked. Both nodded their heads and replied enthusiastically, “Yes!” Naturally, I then wanted to know why. They answered in unison, “I love ice skating.”

My husband has his own theory about why “Ice Princess” will win over preteen girls. “All you have to do is put ‘Princess’ in the title and you’ve got that demographic,” he says. He cites “The Princess Diaries” as evidence. Maybe Meg Cabot knows that secret. She’s the storyteller behind both these films.

Because the 2005 World Figure Skating competition takes place this week in Moscow, “Ice Princess” is certainly a timely movie. And yet, its follow-your-dream message is a timeless one. Although I’m not a preteen girl, I loved “Ice Princess” – and, believe it or not, so did my husband.

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Ice Princess (2005) review written by: Betty Jo Tucker