"An Ice Palace Romance (2023)" skates just above thin ice, managing to deliver a lukewarm blend of predictability and charm. The film follows the well-trodden path of a big-city journalist, Emma, who returns to her quaint hometown only to face her childhood fears and, of course, a dormant love for ice skating. The plot, as cozy and predictable as a pair of old mittens, offers few surprises. It's the cinematic equivalent of a comfort food dish - not particularly exciting, but satisfying in its own right.

The saving grace of the film lies in its heartwarming dynamics between Lori, the rink owner Mark, and his precociously adorable daughter, Zoe. Their chemistry is as smooth as a freshly Zambonied ice surface. Mark, with his rugged charm and dad jokes, brings a lightness to the story, while Zoe's earnest enthusiasm for skating and matchmaking adds a sparkle of joy. However, the film's reliance on clichés feels as rehearsed as a figure skating routine.

In conclusion, "An Ice Palace Romance" is the kind of film you watch while wrapped in a blanket, sipping hot chocolate, and not expecting any cinematic revolutions. It's a feel-good movie that skates by on its charm and the sheer predictability of its plot. It doesn't aim for a triple axel of storytelling and settles for a steady glide. It's a three-star film - not because it's exceptional, but because it's comfortably okay, like a familiar pair of skates that have seen better days but still fit just right.

Celeste Desjardins ruins this entire movie with the constant fake smiling and botox face all the way through the film accompanied by the fake voice. She can barely move any of her face.......

At 27 why does she need botox or is she really 37 or 47 and faking her age too? Just don't get it...... such a pretty talented girl does not need all this fakery.........

Shannon McDonough was fun and real as the local photographer sussing out all the false motives for a new money-making plan.

Julia Dyan as the sister had potential. The stereotypical gay best-friend was just plain annoying.

Please just bring us some lovely skating instead of this fiasco!

It's set at Christmastime in Michigan. But, really, the story could just as easily have happened during the summer in Arizona. It's about an indoor ice rink.

I liked the two leads. But the antagonist was an arrogant jerk in a movie that didn't even need a villain. It would have been more interesting if he was a kindhearted developer who simply had a different viewpoint than the rink owner.

Come to think of it, I would like to have seen more ice-skating, less drama outside the rink. The movie should have really focused on the protagonist overcoming her past, finding new purpose in the ice, and saving the rink.