The Ice Storm (1997)

Star Rating: 3
Length of Film: 112 minutes
Director: Ang Lee
Cast: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Henry Czerny, Adam Hann-Byrd, David Krumholtz, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Jamey Sheridan, Elijah Wood, Sigourney Weaver, Katie Holmes, Kate Burton, William Cain, Michael Cumpsty, Maia Danziger, & Michael Egerman.
Cannes Film Festival: James Schaumus (Screenplay), & Ang Lee (Golden Palm nomination)

This movie about 2 dysfunctional families that lives connect together on a daily basis. The movie is set in 1973 in suburban Connecticut.

             The Hood Family              The Carver Family
             Ben- Kevin Kline               Jim- Jayme Sheridan 
             Elena- Joan Allen             Janey- Sigourney Weaver
               Paul-  Tobey Maguire        Mikey- Elijah Wood
             Wendy- Christina Ricci     Sandy- Adam Hann-Byrd

Ben and Janey are having an affair together, because they're both unhappy with their spouses. Jim is always working, and Elena has a stick up her ass. Paul (16 years old) is off at school rooming with Francis Davenport (David Krumholtz), a pot smoking, ladies man who always gets the girl that Paul has a crush on. Paul's current crush is Libbets (Katie Holmes). Wendy is very sexually curious. While hanging out with Mikey, she excused herself to go to the bathroom, and corners Sandy in the bathroom, asking him "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Janey catches them before it goes too far.

Elena meets a preacher, George Clair (Henry Czerny) and he makes her feel alive. She wants to feel the freedom of riding a bike, like she felt as a child. Elena went to the drug store and stole makeup. (hmm...someone needs to feel alive!) 

Ben and Janey decided to have an afternoon redevoux at the Carvers house Ben started undressing, and Janey excused herself, and drove off in her stationwagon. Ben, being a guy still thinking he was going to get laid, stayed around the house.Thanksgiving break started, and Wendy and Mikey were sitting on the couch watching tv, at the Carver's house. Wendy found a Richard Nixon mask, and decided to put it on, then the two teens decided to fool around, and rub their genitals up against each other. Guess who busted them? Oh yes...daddy Ben.

For Thanksgiving, Paul rides the train to New York to visit roommate Francis and crush, Libbets. They hang out in Libbets parents house, getting into their liquor cabinet. Paul, always being second best to his roommate, decides to give Francis a sleeping pill, saying it's a narcotic. Then FINALLY, he could put the moves on Libbets. Libbet sees Paul giving Francis narcotics, and wants to join in on the fun. She swallows before he could stop her. Francis passes out, and RIGHT before Libbets passes out, she tells Paul, "You've always been like a brother to me". (oh...stab in the heart)

Parents decide to go out to a party, leaving Wendy, Mikey, and Sandy alone at home, in their separate houses. Mikey calls Wendy and asks her if she'll meet him at their regular spot. (At this time in the movie, the ice storm starts). Wendy ignores Mikey's initial plan, and heads directly to the Carver's house.

Without realizing it, Ben and Elena attend a key party (you'll have to watch the movie to see what a key party is, and it's worth watching the movie to see what it is).

Back at the Carvers house, Wendy and Mikey's little brother, Sandy experiment. Yikes!

If you look at the photos below, where does that leave Mikey? Oh yes...he's wandering out in the ice storm waiting for Wendy, and where's Wendy? In bed with the younger brother.