In 1973 suburbia, several middle-class families experimenting with substance abuse and the swinging lifestyle find their lives spinning beyond their control.In 1973 suburbia, several middle-class families experimenting with substance abuse and the swinging lifestyle find their lives spinning beyond their control.In 1973 suburbia, several middle-class families experimenting with substance abuse and the swinging lifestyle find their lives spinning beyond their control.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 8 wins & 33 nominations total
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRick Moody, the author of the novel was so pleased with the film he sobbed through the end credits.
- GoofsThere is a yellow plastic Comet container visible near the sink of the Hood home. In 1973 these containers would have been a green cardboard tube with metal top/bottom. Plastic Comet containers did not exist until later.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Train Conductor: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. This train, originating from New York's Grand Central Station, is back in service. Next stop will be New Canaan, Connecticut. New Canaan, Connecticut next stop.
Paul Hood: [narration] In issue 141 of the Fantastic Four, published in November, 1973, Reed Richards had to use his anti-matter weapon on his own son, who Aannihilus has turn into the Human Atom Bomb. It was a typical predicament for the Fantastic Four, because they weren't like other superheroes. They were more like a family. And the more power they had, the more harm they could do to each other without even knowing it. That was the meaning of the Fantastic Four: that a family is like your own personal anti-matter. Your family is the void you emerge from, and the place you return to when you die. And that's the paradox - the closer you're drawn back in, the deeper into the void you go.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Dave Gorman Collection (2001)
- SoundtracksDirty Love
Written by Frank Zappa
Used by permission of Munchkin Music
Performed by Frank Zappa
Courtesy of Rykodisc
The movie is based on Rick Moody's 1994 novel about the life of two suburban families in New Canaan, Connecticut during the time of the Watergate scandal: A time of sexual liberation and of disintegration of existing social norms and of the nuclear family. The characters may stand as symbols of the kind of people that are created out of a society with decreasing social norms. They are ordinary people who live in material welfare, bored, unhappy, confused, scared of conflicts, and constantly seeking something else than they already have.
Instead of being examples to their children, the parents are constantly trying to run away from their own emotional confusion for instance by seeking casual sex and thereby hurting each other. In the meantime the children are left to their own upbringing, watching bad TV shows, emptying their parents' drinks, blowing up toys on the balcony, shoplifting, experimenting with sex and drugs. The communication between parents and children is terrible, or should I say non-existing. They all live in their separate worlds, all the time more disconnected, until a tragedy caused by a natural disaster finally calls them back to life and, hopefully, makes them look beyond themselves and see how valuable and fragile life is. May this provoke back the belief in what the family as a unit can do for each other if they stand together?
The movie is both uncomfortable and at the same time enormously satisfying to watch perhaps because the theme is presented in such a human and recognizable manner. The dialogue is great and there are even very funny scenes at times. These people seem so real and so fragile, like you and me. It is as if we can see right through their souls and their pain.
The cast is brilliant (except for that irritating Katie Holmes with her cheap Hollywood teenage series look). I have never seen a movie plenty of child actors acted out as professionally and convincing as this one. Christina Ricci is the best and Elijah Wood is also excellent (much more enjoyable than in LOTR), making me wish they were young again so they could have more roles in movies like this.
The atmosphere caused by the weather gives a kind of somber mood stressed by the dimmed colors and the mystical music score.
- goldilocks_78
- Aug 3, 2004
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- La tormenta de hielo
- Filming locations
- New Canaan, Connecticut, USA(houses belonging to Ben and Elena Hood and Janey Carver)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $18,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $8,038,061
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $75,183
- Sep 28, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $8,038,061
- Runtime1 hour 52 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1