Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Romantic telepic misses original's mark, but OK for teens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Figure skating star Alex Delgado's (Francia Raisa) career came to an abrupt halt when her partner (and boyfriend) left the sport and their relationship ended. With few options, she turned to teaching skating, but her passion for competing never faded. When an unexpected offer arises to team up with an unlikely partner -- James McKinsey (Brendan Fehr), the egotistical "bad boy" of speed skating, whose off-rink antics got him booted from the national team -- Alex agrees, tempted by the thought of another world title. But the more Alex and James get to know each other, the more their personalities clash, putting the success of this partnership in serious doubt.
Is It Any Good?
Like its two predecessors, FIRE & ICE falls slightly short of the magic fans of the first installment might hope for. (In case you're keeping count, this is the third sequel attempting to cash in on the popularity of the 1992 original, The Cutting Edge.) But it does have some positive points of its own. Raisa and Fehr make a believable pair onscreen, even if their characters' impossible overnight success story is far from believable itself. James's inner struggle between his lucrative speed-skating career and his newfound affection for figure skating (and allegiance to Alex) boasts messages about self-acceptance and dependability.
While most of the content is fine for teens, the developing relationship offers plenty of room for sexual content (innuendo and implied sex, for instance), so parents might want to be cautious in giving impressionable teens the go-ahead. Language is also a concern, with words like "damn" and "ass" common fare, as well as derogatory terms like "hoochie" and "skank."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the media portrays relationships. Is James and Alex's relationship believable? Why or why not? Does the media shape our impression of acceptable relationships, or is it a reflection of society's views of them?
Teens: To what degree are today's sports stars good role models for young fans? Who are some of the most upstanding celebrities you can think of? Who are some of the worst? What message does it send when a star athlete gets into trouble?
Teens: What are some of your life goals? In what disciplines would you like to succeed? What does success mean to you? If your success puts you in a position to be a role model, how will you handle it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 1, 2011
- Cast : Brendan Fehr , Francia Raisa
- Director : Stephen Herek
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : GAIAM
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
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