MovieChat Forums > The Ice Storm (1997) Discussion > NOTHING like American Beauty

NOTHING like American Beauty

posted 17 years ago by FallenOnDays17
49 replies | jump to latest

American Beauty is a masterpiece compared to this steaming pile of crap. I'm gonna describe why i dislked this film and would please SOMEONE tell me why this film is worth more than 4/10 in my eye.

The only reason i rented this films was because of the cast (elijah wood and tobey maguire being my favorite younger stars) and I read the plot summary on this website (which at the time seemed very interesting)

1.) Acting: The only noteworthy performance during the whole movie would have to come from Elijah Wood. He has such a calm and innocence to his acting that really makes it real. Christini Ricci is a joke and Kevin Kline was mediocre at best. Sigourney Weaver looks like an alien (pun intended)

2.) Characters: The characters seemed very undeveloped and boring. None of them were built upon or given enough time in the movie to really understand what they were about.

3.) Storyline: The premise of the plot was a good concept (i mean look what american beauty did with it) and this taking place in the 70's could of made it a sweet movie. However, Ang Lee just didn't go to far into depth with any of the characters or storylines. It was as if he wanted to cram as much as possible into this movie and ended up failing. The end result was a boring movie where nothing really happens besides child nudidity. ALOT of the scenes didn't really have to be there and could of been taken out.

please SOMEONE tell me why i am wrong.

oh, and this is an insult to have in the same SENTENCE as American Beauty.

Even in my dreams I'm an idiot who knows he's about to wake up to reality.

[–] jimmiescoffee 16 years ago

this film is excellent. an obvious inspiration for american beauty. i think this movie is more realistic. however, i also have great affection for american beauty.

[–] beensfield 16 years ago

Wow. To say Kevin Kline wasn't good in this movie absolutely blows my mind. It also makes me think you have NO CLUE what good acting is.

Also, I liked both this and American Beauty. The only thing tying them together, however, is the dysfunctional family aspect. I don't understand why people constantly try to compare movies that are completely different in plot.

[–] rsheppard-1 16 years ago

People always have and always will compare movies that are completely different in plot because plot is only one aspect of film. The themes, narrative techniques, music, cinematography, etc., of a movie are also important. Some of the greatest films even made have very little plot, or else the plot is of minimal importance. The themes of American Beauty and The Ice Storm are very similar, and if you ignore that similarity, then you ignore one of the most important aspects of each movie (as neither of these is particularly plot-driven). Plot is not written arbitrarily. In each film, the plot was carefully constructed to illustrate certain themes that the writer was working with.

there's no place you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.

[–] shroomn 16 years ago

All of your points are totally off OP. That is all.

Acting: The only noteworthy performance during the whole movie would have to come from Elijah Wood. He has such a calm and innocence to his acting that really makes it real. Christini Ricci is a joke and Kevin Kline was mediocre at best. Sigourney Weaver looks like an alien (pun intended)

Elijah Wood barely did anything. Kevin Kline is amazing in this. Sigourney Weaver is great in this too. American Beauty had generalized portrayals of family life. Its a good film but it didn't touch upon the same subject matters at Ice Storm in the same way. Ice Storm is probably understood best by people who are at least over 22. At LEAST. The subtle humor and situations are mailny reserved for people who have been in long term relationships. You probably haven't.

The characters seemed very undeveloped and boring. None of them were built upon or given enough time in the movie to really understand what they were about.

Did you even watch this movie? Compared to American Beauty, the character development and dichotomy is the most prominent feature of this film.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] thbryn 16 years ago

Just one clarifying point. The Academy aren't "film buffs." They are peers of the actors,writers,directors et al, of those in "American Beauty," and for that matter "Ice storm, Magnolia."

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] TwistingReality 16 years ago

"dipped in sugar", "romanticized", "crowdpleasing"?

are you drunk? are you sure you watched american beauty?

oh and by the way, if you want to judge the quality of a persons movie taste, by their comparision of TWO movies, you are a tremendous idiot.

cheers

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] TwistingReality 16 years ago

and if you indeed have been watching american beauty, you might have realized that the satirical approach was chosen deliberately from the beginning. the ice storm has a completely different approach. but go ahead and use your litmus test if it makes you happy...

actually, we don't because I never stated which movie I like better...

[–] Dreams_Inc 16 years ago

I agree it's nothing like American Beauty - it's much better. Some of the differences are that the Ice Storm actually has complex and interesting characters rather than stereotypes and that unlike AB it doesn't have an unrealistic gratuitous ending.

[–] Viv70 16 years ago

I mostly agree with your assessment of this film.

It is a decent film but, VERY over-rated, IMO (I can still remember how Siskel and Ebert practically went into orgasmic raptures in their reviews of this film) and, I agree that "American Beauty" tackles the theme of dysfunctional suburbia far more powerfully.

However, I think the best performance of the entire film was Joan Allen's - she is the ONLY character that I felt even the slightest twinge of empathy or compassion for. She almost single-handedly makes the film worth watching.

[–] slipcat555 15 years ago

Yes... you really feel her pain and awkwardness. She's like a raw nerve squirming in the middle of all the social changes happening. She is completely unprepared and unsuited for the hippie hangover revolution that has finally arrived in her safe little suburb.

A less talented actress would have made the character simply come across as a prude. Thanks for giving Joan Allen her due. She's great in every scene.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] blondepittbull 15 years ago

I came away from this not liking it yet knowing it was excellent which I know may not make sense. But I agree with you on some things. Under developed characters yes. There seemed to be a cramming in of scenes without enough depth, that was the main reason I couldn't get into it.

However I disagree about the acting-I thought that area was fine and the moodiness and atmosphere were great. Not to mention how gripping it became toward the end but I can't say I "LIKED" it just because I got into it toward the end.

It isn't nearly as good as American Beauty but the themes ARE definetly similiar and if someone asked for recomendations for movies about human relationships that are on the dark side I'd now include this. I knew very little about it going in but agree with some of the negatives you listed, in particular the overabundance of scenes(there was a jumping around quality to it that I didn't care for.)

But it became very powerful toward the end and I could see someone comparing it to American Beauty because of the subject matter.

[–] lubin-freddy 15 years ago

Yes, and all the better for it.

"Sometimes you have to take the bull by the tail, and face the truth" - G. Marx

[–] 15 years ago

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