Lee directed a Hollywood movie: The Ice Storm in 1997, a drama set in 1970s suburban America. In the late 1990s and 2000s, The Ice Storm has had high VHS and DVD sales and rentals and repeated screenings on cable television, which has increased the film's popularity among audiences.
1997年李安执导的好莱坞电影《冰风暴》。《冰风暴》剧情以20世纪70年代的美国郊区为背景。在1990年代末和2000年代，《冰风暴》已具有较佳的VHS和DVD销售及出租数量，有线电视反复的放映也增加电影的知名度。詹姆士•夏姆斯也以《冰风暴》获得戛纳电影节最佳剧本奖。

The film begins at a dinner party at the Carvers' house as the adults discuss pop culture references that defined the 1970s: the Watergate scandal, swinging parties for married couples, and the pornographic film Deep Throat. The Hood family includes Ben, Elena, and their children, 16-year-old Paul and 14-year-old Wendy. Their neighbors, the Carvers, include Jim, Janey, and their children: Mikey and Sandy. Ben, dissatisfied in his marriage and with the futility of his career, is having an affair with Janey. Elena is bored with her life and is looking to expand her thinking but is unsure of how to do so. Wendy enjoys sexual games with her school peers. Paul, an occasional drug user, is trying to bed his schoolmate Libbets Casey. Jim's sons are lonely and confused: Mikey plays along with Wendy's sexual games, while Sandy is obsessed with violence.
故事发生在1973年，美国康涅狄格州的一个普通家庭。这是水门事件的年代，总统的形象、社会的权威，都受到严重挑战。而普通的人们，更是备受那个时代混乱的文化观念、性观念的困扰，家庭濒临破裂的边缘。1973年美国康涅狄格州，感恩节快要到来，一场冰风暴也即将到来。平凡乏味的家庭生活使中年夫妻厌倦，丈夫本?胡德一直在引诱邻居珍妮特?哈珀，而妻子对丈夫的谎言也早已不耐烦了。儿子保罗迷恋着学校里最有人缘的那位女生。女儿温迪兴趣于电视里的水门事件听证会。冰风暴的夜晚，夫妻两个去朋友家参加一个鸡尾酒会，鸡尾酒会的一个重要内容是进行换房间钥匙的游戏。在酒会结束后，每个妻子都可以和别家男人结成新欢。而他们儿子则赶去面对一场诱惑与考验，女儿正陶醉在同邻家男孩子的性游戏中。