The Ice Princess

Author(s): Hugo Manso
Location: Spain

"The Ice Princess"

Directed and Produced by ANTHONY PULLEN SHAW
Based on the novel “Isprinsessan” by CÄMILLA LACKBERG
Adapted by SCOTT FRANK
Music by GUSTAVO SATAOLALLA

Main Cast

Erica Falck ... LISA KUDROW
Patrik Hedström ... HARRY CONNICK JR.
Anders Nilsson ... GIOVANNI RIBISI

Other Cast

Henrik Wijkner ... HUGH JACKMAN
Carl-Eric Calgreen ... ELLIOT GOULD
Birgit Carlgreen ... DIANE KEATON
and
Vera Nilsson ... KATHY BATES

Tagline: "In a town where everyone knows everything is dangerous to know the truth"

Synopsis: After the sudden death of her parents, authoress Erica Falck (Kudrow) returns to her childhood home in the small west coast community of Fjällbacka (Sweden). When Alex Wijkner, one of Erica's childhood friends, is found murdered while she was pregnant, she is drawn into a web of deception, lies and hidden secrets.

Alex’s parents (Gould & Keaton) want Erica to do a memorial service honoring their daughter. Erica haven’t seen Alex for almost fifteen years so, she have to do a research of her live. When Erica knows that Alex was married she meets Henrik, Alex’s husband (Jackman). He didn’t know that Alex was pregnant, and apparently he can’t be the father.

It turns out something had happened twenty-five years earlier that still cast its shadow over Alex and the people around her. Anders (Ribisi) is an alcoholic failed artist, Alex’s old friend, and the father of the unborn child, who is the most likely to be the murderer. Alex and Anders had a lot in common, they were secret friends since they were twelve, twenty-five ago.

Vera (Bates), Anders mother, is a low class widow who knows everything and will do whatever it takes to clean her son’s reputation, and hers too...

Reluctantly at first but then with ever growing curiosity, Erica decides to find out who is willing to go to any lengths to prevent old truths from coming out. At the same time she has to deal with personal problems, a budding romance with chilhood friend Patrik (Connick Jr.) who is a Police Agent who investigate the murderer of Alex, and will try to help Erica, and the feeling that, at the age of thirty-five, she doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life.

What the Press would say:

Anthony Pullen Shaw directs his first movie, a breathtaking movie. The son of Angela Lansbury has directed his mother in three movies made for television (2000, 2001, 2003) of the hit Murder She Wrote, as well as 68 episodes of the same series. He finally got the chance to prove himself directing and producing this movies based on the novel written by Cämilla Lackberg, The Ice Princess. Scott Frank adapts the novel to make a perfect front-runner for this year awards season. Crime, mystery and romance mix perfectly. When you see the movie you turn into Erika, you are under her skin. Her eyes are your eyes. Lisa Kudrow gives an excellent performance, proving that she is by far the best performer of the ex-friends, she steals the show, makes you feel the way she feels, everything you need is in her eyes. Finally this year she will earn a so deserved Oscar nomination, robbed in 1999 for her brilliant performance in The Opposite of Sex. Harry Connick Jr. actually falls in love with Erika letting you know that they are ment to be together. Giovanni Ribisi portraits a pathetic character, anyone love him, except his mother and Alex, he’s a failed artist, who drinks to keep away his ghosts from the past. There’s a scene where you see Anders in his dirty house looking at his beautiful paints, the contrast between beauty and ugliness, and see that pathetic person loving the beauty and living in ugliness, leaves you almost crying. Hugh Jackman, Elliot Gould and Diane Keaton support the leading characters so well, but the best supporting performance is done by Kathy Bates, with her limited time screening, portraits a mother who can even kill for the love of his son, in the last minute of the film she turns out to be the assassin. Bates has what it takes to take home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. So we are looking at one of the most promising films for this year Acadamy Awards.

For Your Consideration :

Best Picture. (Drama)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Director – Anthony SHAW
Best Lead Actress – Lisa KUDROW
Best Lead Actor – Giovanni RIBISI
Best Lead Actor – Harry CONNINCK JR.
Best Supporting Actress – Kathy BATES
Best Supporting Actress – Diane KEATON
Best Original Score – Gustavo SANTAOLALLA