Ice Princess (2005)
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A brilliant student must decide between her academic ambitions and her burgeoning passion for competitive figure skating.
The story
In the city of Millbrook, Connecticut, Casey Carlyle, a highly intelligent science student, is pursuing a scholarship to Harvard University. While preparing a physics project, she discovers that her childhood passion for figure skating can be integrated into her studies. As she begins to excel in the sport, she finds herself torn between her academic goals and her growing love for skating. Casey must navigate the pressures of training, a part-time job, and a burgeoning relationship while facing opposition from her mother, who fears the skating will distract her from her education.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Casey Carlyle, a brilliant student in Millbrook, Connecticut, decides to use her passion for figure skating as a physics project to win a scholarship to Harvard. She quickly becomes proficient, even helping other skaters with her technical knowledge. However, her success creates tension with her mother, Joan, who wants her to focus solely on academics. The conflict intensifies when Casey's rival, Gen, is coached by a disgraced former skater named Tina. During a competition, Tina sabotages Casey with new skates, causing her to fall and lose her spot in the sectionals. After a period of frustration where Casey returns to her studies, Gen quits, allowing Casey to reclaim her spot. Casey eventually chooses to pursue skating over the Harvard scholarship, reconciling with both her mother and Tina. At the sectionals, after a fall, Casey is inspired by her mother's presence in the crowd and delivers a stellar performance. She wins silver, qualifies for Nationals, and reconciles with her mother, who ultimately accepts Casey's choice to pursue her dream.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 98
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tim Fywell
- Writers
- Hadley Davis · screenplay; Meg Cabot · story; Hadley Davis · story
- Cast and characters
- Joan Cusack; Kim Cattrall; Michelle Trachtenberg; Hayden Panettiere
- Genres
- teen sports comedy-drama; romance; comedy
- Themes
- passion vs. obligation; mother-daughter relationships; academic pressure
- Tone and mood
- inspirational; heartfelt
- Setting
- Millbrook, Connecticut
- Premise and plot tags
- sports; coming-of-age; academic struggle
- Content notes
- G
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, praised for its performances but criticized for its predictable plot. It gained a cult following following the deaths of its lead actresses.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 52% · review count: 108; Metacritic · score: 55 · scale: 100 · review count: 27
- Awards and nominations
- platinum award · Oppenheim Toy Portfolio · win
- Production trivia
- Hayden Panettiere performed much of her own skating.; The film was shot in several locations in Toronto.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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