The Breaking Ice, directed by Anthony Chen, demonstrates the piercing realities of getting older. Each character must face the painful reality of life. The protagonist, played by Liu Haoran, worked hard his entire life to become successful until he realized that success was meaningless to him. Nana, played by Zhou Dongyu, dreamed of being an Olympian until she was injured. Xiao, played by Qu Chuxiao, spends his life messing around until he realizes that he may never live a meaningful life. Once unsatisfied, injured, and unhappy, the three characters find warmth in each other by spending lots of time with one another.
Although the three often confuse each other with occasional intimacy, it remains clear that they need each other platonically. The film demonstrates the importance of friendship by following the three as they journey around their city while mourning the lives they expected for themselves. The film is intricately directed, daring viewers to contemplate the imagery behind each shot; we are forced to wonder how each moment in the film connects. Chen takes his time with each frame in the movie, therefore viewers cannot help but ache for each character as they face disappointment. The Breaking Ice visually captures human dissatisfaction and how people can easily cling to others for support, when unhappy. It calls for us to “break the ice” and reach out to others for warmth when we are in crisis.