RATING: B+

Vision Films presents a Winter State Entertainment production. Written and directed by Nicholas Hagen and Hamid Torabpour. Produced by Hamid Torabpour, Camille Torabpour, Christopher V. Nelson, and Nicholas Hagen. Cinematography by Jeff Hamm. Edited by Jeff Hamm and Benjamin Olsen.

Stars Molly Peyton, Tommy Self, Charles Hubbell, Nikki Leigh, Summer Stein, Sonia Satra, Luc Robitaille, Jim Nieuwendyk, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jim Fox, and Nancy Valen. 

A young woman’s pursuit of her dream is constantly hindered by those closest to her in this sports drama by Nicholas Hagen and Hamid Torabpour.

Nora is a young hockey player who, after her last junior season, hopes to be drafted by a professional women’s league and finally leave her hometown. However, her own mother, believes she will not get drafted and expects her to join her and her older sister, Carley, in pursuing a realtor job under the unscrupulous Ted, who more or less has pull in the town. However, Nora, who works at the local rink when not playing hockey, gets support from Carley, co-worker and friend Evan, and agent Molly.

As Nora anticipates the draft, she is at the rink where is constantly berated by Ted when he shows up with his daughter. Things come to a head when Nora learns Ted’s young daughter wants to play hockey and not be a figure skater as Ted wants. Nora also finds a teammate who mocks her and believes she is better, but hasn’t been drafted herself. When the draft finally comes on television, Nora is anxious to a whole new level in hopes to live her dream of hockey stardom. 

This is quite a film that feels like it could act as a documentary of sorts because it has the type of story where we see a young woman who has dreams of becoming a pro hockey player. However, she discovers that, in particular, her mother doesn’t believe in the dream. Instead of motivating Nora to pursue the dream, she thinks she’d be better off in the “family business” of real estate, like she and her sister. 

Molly Peyton is excellent in the role of Nora, who comes off at times as brash, but it’s understanding why she is that way. She is desperate to live her dream that she is undeterred and even tries to talk to Molly, her agent, into seeing what the scouts have said about her performance and if it lives up to what the want in the draft. Molly is very understanding and patient with Nora while being realistic. Unlike her mother, Molly is realistic but more optimistic in hopes that Nora has at least a 50/50 chance.

Molly isn’t the only optimist of the group. Tommy Self’s Evan is also one who supports Nora and roots for her to get drafted. The two hang out and work at the rink, where they talk about her hockey dreams and hockey in general. He is a genuine friend and even her own sister, Carley, played by Nikki Leigh, wants Nora to live her dreams instead of the “family business” as she admits that Ted, the boss, is an ego-driven maniac who acts like he’s the mayor of the town. This proves to be true when Ted goes off on Nora as he misconstrues the fact that his daughter has no interest in figure skating but like Nora, wants to be a hockey player. Even a classmate who thinks she is better than Nora and didn’t get drafted tries to convince her after a scrimmage that she will never get to leave town because she didn’t get to. This is the sad reality dreamers face, but Nora is determined and eager to get those hopes and dreams to come to life. 

Before the Ice Melts feels like a documentary at times, as it feels kind of real. And it is with Molly Peyton really giving it all as someone who, despite the negativity that surrounds her, is determined to live her dream. A very emotionally charged film about living your dream.