The Ice Storm

An impressive ensemble cast populate Ang Lee’s riveting portrait of family life in 1970s America.

Ang Lee’s exceptional period drama recreates life for a pair of families caught up in the turbulence and wayward morality of 1970s America. Neighbours and friends in a sleepy Connecticut hamlet, the Hood and Carver families prepare for approaching Thanksgiving. As an ice storm stirs, the adults try to lose themselves in joyless hedonism while their children attempt to emulate their behaviour.

As the investigation into the Watergate scandal reaches its dramatic conclusion and the trickle-down impact of the previous decade’s change in attitude to sex and drugs makes its way into the country’s more conservative communities, Lee’s film presents a snapshot of a world conflicted by a radical change in values. James Schamus’ stunning adaptation of Rick Moody’s novel, featuring an outstanding ensemble cast, finds Ang Lee at the top of his game, creating a devastating portrait of family life that is all-too-relevant in our current climate.