Review - Ice Princess (2005)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. In memory of actress Michelle Trachtenberg, who tragically passed away at the age of 39, this is my review of the 2005 teen sports movie Ice Princess. 

        The movie focuses on Casey Carlyle, a brilliant teenager who is knowledgeable in physics, but also has a passion for ice skating. Combining her two passions, Casey decides to make a summer project that will go towards her scholarship to Harvard focus on the applications of physics and mathematical angles to figure skating. 

       However, as she gets more personally involved in the world of figure skating, her priorities begin to shift. Casey winds up growing close to several others including Gennifer "Gen" Harwood and her brother Teddy, as well as Gen's fellow skaters Tiffany and Nikki. Gen and Teddy's mother, Tina, winds up coaching Casey to compete in figure skating competitions, but tension soon grows between Tina and Casey's mother Joan, who would prefer Casey to focus on education and getting into Harvard. 

        During a competition, Tina sees Casey as a possible threat to Gen advancing, and provides Casey with new skates as a seemingly kind gesture, but not pointing out the danger of competing in skates yet to be broken in. Casey is angry at Tina, blames Gen and Teddy as conspiring with their mother, and basically is done with skating. But, Gen drops out, which allows Casey to advance, and the two girls reconcile their newfound friendship. 

       Unfortunately, Joan is still unwilling to support Casey's skating, and doesn't show up to watch Casey in sectionals. This lack of support from her mother acts as a bit of a distraction, and Casey fumbles early on. But, once Joan does arrive to support her daughter, Casey doesn't much better, and even ranks with a silver medal, qualifying her to compete in National's, and potentially the Winter Olympics. Again, though, there's a bit of back and forth between Tina and Joan between Casey's priorities of both competition and college, in addition to things like sponsors, and the growing romance between Casey and Teddy. 

        I will admit that I am not in the target demographic for a movie like this. But, I wanted to honor the memory of a phenomenal performer taken too soon. And, for the most part, Ice Princess is a fairly decent movie. Michelle Trachtenberg as Casey is absent fantastic, and both Hayden Panettiere and Trevor Blumas as Gen and Teddy were thoroughly enjoyable. And, both Kim Cattrall as Tina and Joan Cusack as Joan added a much needed gravitas to this movie. 

         But, as I said, I'm not really in this film's target demographic. I'm a guy, and don't really care all too much about figure skating. But, I will say that this is definitely a movie worth giving a watch to. So, next time you log in to Disney+, maybe check out Ice Princess. It's certainly decent enough. 

         Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I will be back tomorrow with Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. RIP Michelle Trachtenberg (1985-2025). Gone too soon, but never forgotten.