Ice Rink, The
6/18/2001
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMEDY
Color, NR (mature themes, sexual situations, nudity, language), 80 min., VHS rental, DVD $29.99, French with
English subtitles
Street: July 24, Prebook: June 19
First Run: L, Feb. 2000, <$1 mil.
Cast: Tom Novembre (An American Werewolf in Paris), Dolores Chaplin (Loose Screws), Bruce Campbell (The Evil
Dead), Marie-France Pisier (The Bronte Sisters), Jean-Pierre Cassel (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise)
Director: Jean-Phillippe Toussaint
KINO 800.562.3330
Story Line: Before the film Dolores, about a romance between an ice skater and a rugged hockey player, is completed, the cast and crew must overcome a number of problems. Among them is the heated romance between its leads (Chaplin, Campbell), the pretensions of its director (Novembre) and the film's harried producer (Pisier), who wants the project completed in time for a film festival.
Bottom Line: This strange hybrid of behind-the-scenes filmmaking farce, a la Francois Truffaut's Day for Night, and Slapshot-styled hockey antics makes for a delightful, keenly observed and surprisingly understated farce. Making these elements work is a fine cast that includes Chaplin (Charlie's granddaughter), horror cult fave Campbell (in a role originally designed for Jean-Claude Van Damme) and Pisier as the conniving ringmaster. Favorable response from film festivals and word-of-mouth with fans of foreign films and ice hockey will help the rental potential. --Irv Slifkin
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