The Cutting Edge (film series)

The Cutting Edge
Official home video release,
boxset collection artwork
Based onThe Cutting Edge
by Tony Gilroy
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
1992–2010
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget>$3,000,000 (Total of 1 film)[a]

The Cutting Edge film series consists of American sports-romance films,[1][2][3][4] including one theatrical film and three made-for-television movies which were later released straight-to-home video media. Based on characters and an original story written by Tony Gilroy, the plot centers around the unlikely pairing of differing ice sports athletes, for Olympic title pairs figure skating. Beginning as nothing more than argumentative team collaborations, the featured couples become romantically involved.

The first film, characterized as a romantic comedy in genre, was met with mixed critical reception. The acting was praised, though some identified the mashup of genres as jarring while stating, "There is essentially not an original moment in the entire film, and yet it's skillfully made and well-acted."[5] Sweeney and Kelly agreed during the making of the first installment to only appear in sequels together, though both actors declined the continued attempts by the studios to feature the actors in the sequels which followed.[6][7]

The three made-for-television sequels, which are categorically romantic dramas, were met with varying degrees of mixed critical reception with a common critique being that they are derivatives of the original film. Going for the Gold was criticized for being "geared toward teens", while being praised for the leads;[8][9] Chasing the Dream was praised for being "actually kind of fun", with positive reception for Francia Raisa's acting and the film's direction, choreography, and cinematography;[10][11] while the final installment, Fire and Ice, was met with mixed reception: criticism pointed at being perceived as a cash-grab, while praise was received for believable on-screen chemistry between the leads and for a "touching story".[12][13]

Over the decades which followed their initial release, the series has accumulated a fanbase; while modern analyses rank the first two installments among the greatest Olympic Games movies,[14][15][16][17][18][19] and romantic comedies of all-time.[20]


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ Lewis, Hilary (March 17, 2017). "How Well Do You Know 'The Cutting Edge'?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  2. ^ Bierly, Mandi (March 8, 2010). "'The Cutting Edge 4': Brendan Fehr is 'the Bad Boy of Speed Skating'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Dillman, Constantia (July 23, 2024). "45 Facts About The Movie The Cutting Edge". Facts.Net. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  4. ^ Wiggan, Alex (3 February 2023). "What is the order of the Cutting Edge movies?". It's a Stampede!. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  5. ^ Ebert, Roger (March 27, 1992). "Reviews: The Cutting Edge". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  6. ^ Polowy, Kevin (March 25, 2022). "'The Cutting Edge' at 30: D.B. Sweeney talks toe picks, the Pamchenko and how the figure skating rom-com changed his life". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  7. ^ Busis, Hillary (February 7, 2014). "'Cutting Edge' star D.B. Sweeney on making a toe-picking classic". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Cohn, Angel (2006). "The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold". TV Guide. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Going for the Gold_CommonSenseMedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Moss, Marilyn (March 12, 2008). "The Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Chasing the Dream_CommonSenseMedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Carpenter, Edwin L. (2011). "The Cutting Edge: Fire and Ice". Dove.com. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fire and Ice_CommonSenseMedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Bullock, Karl (February 7, 2018). "2018 Winter Olympics: Movies You Should Binge Before the Pyeongchang Games Begin". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  15. ^ Sorokach, Josh (March 17, 2017). "Today Is The 25th Anniversary Of The Greatest Day In Sports Movie History". Decider. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  16. ^ The Hollywood Reporter staff (3 July 2012). "Going for Gold: 10 Medal-Worthy Olympics Movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  17. ^ Murrian, Samuel R. (August 2, 2024). "We Ranked the 14 Best Olympics Movies of All Time, Just in Time for the Paris Summer Games!". Parade. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  18. ^ Bean, Travis (June 29, 2024). "The 20 Greatest Olympic Movies Of All Time". Forbes. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  19. ^ Freedman, Adrianna (July 25, 2024). "The 17 Best Olympic Movies to Get You Ready for the 2024 Games". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  20. ^ The Ringer Staff (April 18, 2022). "The 50 Best Rom-Coms Since 1970". The Ringer. Retrieved August 25, 2024.