As Thanksgiving and an approaching ice storm loom over their Connecticut town, the Hood and Carver families are gathering for celebrations that seem potentially more perilous than being the main course. We initially encounter the Hoods, where dad Ben (Kevin Kline) seems to be merely going through the motions in his marriage with Elena (Joan Chen). Their affectionate teenage son Paul (Tobey Maguire) has arrived from college in New York, and daughter Wendy (Christina Ricci) is also present. This group appears just as troubled as Jim (Jamey Sheridan) and Janey (Sigourney Weaver), who have two children, Mikey (Elijah Wood) and Sandy (Adam Hann-Byrd), all exhibiting the typical familial problems common to small towns—or anywhere else. It becomes clear relatively quickly that Ben is involved in a long-term affair with Janey; Wendy is starting something with Mikey, much to Sandy’s displeasure. With tensions rising as rapidly as the temperatures are falling, things begin moving toward an anticipated climax. While some of the situations feel heightened, this stands out as one of the strongest explorations of character I've witnessed on screen, tackling mature themes like boredom, deception and tragedy alongside adolescence and self-discovery—and nearly all of it is handled with a notable lack of sentimentality. There’s sexuality, desire, and infatuation shown throughout, but does any genuine love or respect exist? Does age truly signify maturity or adulthood? Kline, Chen, and Weaver provide an impressive demonstration of how to portray characters lacking self-awareness and seemingly concerned only with themselves. Hypocrisy prevails within a “do as I say, not as I do” mindset, most clearly demonstrated by Ben’s relationship with the sexually liberated Wendy and by Elena as her tolerance finally starts to wane. Meanwhile, strong performances from the younger actors remind us of both the pleasures and challenges of puberty and the years following our own sexual development. The entire story is crafted with toxicity in mind, and with the unsettling weather outside their warm homes, a distinct feeling of confinement develops. One can only hope that most family dynamics aren’t like this…!?

Source on TMDB