By: debbie lynn elias
Going through winter sports withdrawal thanks to the NHL strike and no Olympics? Yearning for the crisp sound of a well sharpened blade sliding through the ice? Need a little bit of glitz and glamour? Well, look no further than the big screen because Disney has the cure for those winter sports blues thanks to its newest release, “Ice Princess.”
Casey Carlyle is a physics whiz (aka nerd). With her nose deep in the books, she is a straight-A student destined for Harvard; that is until a physics project takes her straight to the local ice skating rink. Surrounded by her classmates, some of whom are competitive skaters in training for Nationals, Casey is suddenly and surprisingly opened up to the world of skating. Although interested in the sport and its technical execution, not until she dons her own pair of skates in a beginner’s class does she find that not only does she have an affinity for the sport, but like all champion skaters, ice running through her veins. Always considered the “ugly ducking”, gliding over the ice, Casey sees herself as beautiful, elegant and graceful – no longer a wallflower nobody. But despite Casey’s happiness and newfound love (not to mention extraordinary innate talent), her oh-so-strict mother fights Casey tooth and nail, deeming skating frivolous and demanding Casey’s attentio! ns be focused on her education and mom’s ultimate goal – Harvard. Adding more fuel to mom’s fire is the fact that Casey entered the skating world behind her back.
What makes this film more than just a cut and dried stereotypical “sports” movie (beyond the fact that skating movies are few and far between) is the attention paid by screenwriter Hadley Davis and director Tim Fywell to detail, character development, the internal strife and conflict of not only an athlete but the dynamic between an athlete, obsessive parent and coach, the authenticity of the actual skating. Real issues are addressed in not-so-cookie-cutter form with a refreshing honesty in the self-examination and expression of teenaged girls. Based on the story by Meg Cabot (also the author of “The Princess Diaries” series), a full compliment to the work of Davis and Fywell comes from the casting.
Michelle Trachtenberg is dynamic as Casey. Already an accomplished actress with a fan base that spans from Disney “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, Trachtenberg expands her appeal even further as the very likeable Casey. Able to run the emotional gamut from A to Z, her ability to convey Casey’s inner conflicts blended with her external emotions adds layers of believability and empathy to the character. Perhaps even more winning is Trachtenberg’s skating. Wanting to really impress upon the “hard work brings good results” message in the film, be it scholarly or skating, she trained for over three months in order to skate the majority of scenes herself. Self-described as being “very flexible”, it is indeed Trachtenberg out there on the ice performing technicals such as such eagles, spins and one-legged maneuvers which the layperson commonly associates with professional competitive skaters. Additionally, her dynamic with Joan Cusack as Casey’s overwrought, over demanding and ! educationally possessed mother is incomparable. This is one child actress making the teen transition with no problems at all.
As for the supporting cast, as with Trachtenberg, you couldn’t do any finer than Cusack in the role of Joan Carlyle. Emotionally gifted, she really “sells” the part and provides some joyous reactionary moments that are not only surprising, but gratifying. Likewise, Hayden Panettiere as classmate and skater Gen Harwood is delightful. As with the chemistry between Trachtenberg and Cusack, so is that between Panettiere and Kim Cattrall who serves not only as Gen’s mother, but her skating coach as well. And let’s not forget some class act cameos by Olympians Brian Boitano and Michelle Kwan.
Fywell’s direction is at its finest when paired with Janice Hampton’s editing of not only skating montages, but the “behind the scenes” activities of the skating world, not to mention some superb training sequences including actual spills on the ice. Evidence of the care put into this project is the knowledgeable portrayal of ice skating and an evenly balanced portrayal of the beauty of the sport and the hard work and natural ability necessary to succeed in the sport.
Similar in its charm to “The Princess Diaries”, “Ice Princess” is a delight. Both entertaining and enchanting, I’ve got to score this a Perfect 10.
Casey Carlyle: Michelle Trachtenberg Joan Carlyle: Joan Cusack Gen Harwood: Hayden Panettiere Tina Harwood: Kim Cattrall
Directed by Tim Fywell. Written by Hadley Davis based on a story by Meg Cabot. A Walt Disney Pictures release. Rated G. (92 minutes)
