Common Sense Media Review
Schmaltzy classic skating movie for romantics.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Ice Castles
What's the Story?
Sixteen year old Alexis Winston (Lynn-Holly Johnson) has talent -- she's the best natural ice skater that her coach Beulah (Colleen Dewhurst) has ever seen, "and that includes those girls in the Olympics." With the help of Beulah and her boyfriend Nick (Robby Benson), Lexie convinces her overprotective father (Tom Skerritt) to let her enter a regional competition. Soon, she's off training with a professional and competing in the 1980 Olympics, a camera crew follows her every move, and she's on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It's a dream come true and, soon she discovers, a trap all its own. When a fall on an ice rink leaves her nearly blind, she must decide whether figure skating is really what she wants to do, and if so, how will she achieve her goal?
Is It Any Good?
With a plot that will engage romantics young and old, this Academy Award-nominated film is an excellent illustration of what happens to a girl when she becomes successful too soon. She's isolated from everyone, and her relationships suffer. The other girls gossip about her, sponsors treat her like a piece of meat, and her coach pressures her to be perfect. A girl could be excused for a drink of wine at a party -- or even a more destructive act. It's an intriguing, and more benign, cautionary tale than those being played out by the successful and self-destructive starlets of today.
For those raised on MTV, prepare yourself for some slow moments here. The pacing does a good job of conveying the sadness and sense of loss in the movie -- the theme song does, too -- but it's overdone; Director Donald Wrye and his actors seem to be from the slow-equals-dramatic school of acting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about success and celebrity. How does Lexie handle it? Why does she act out? What other celebs and celeb-athletes act the same way today? Is it easier to understand their behavior after watching this movie? How would you handle fame early in life? Do you think it's all it's cracked up to be?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 31, 1978
- On DVD or streaming : May 1, 2001
- Cast : Colleen Dewhurst , Lynn-Holly Johnson , Robby Benson , Tom Skerritt
- Director : Donald Wrye
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 108 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : February 5, 2026
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