Review of The Iceman (2012) by Harry W — 01 Jun 2014

There were a lot of reasons for me to watch The Iceman, but none better than the fact that it featured a lead performance from Winona Ryder.

The Iceman has a problem because of the fact that it is a very conventional biopic and it's story isn't as interesting as you might hope. As a story about a mob hitman, there is only so far that the story can actually take itself within its genre because director Ariel Vromen decides to tell the story simply as a conventional series of plot dynamics instead of as a consistently linked narrative.

The plot structure in The Iceman is an issue because it makes constant jumps between different timelines in the life of Richard Kuklinski without any consistency. The film starts with him meeting his later wife Deborah Kuklinski, and in the blink of an eye they are married while in another blink they suddenly have children aged about 10. There isn't much to say that time has changed aside from Michael Shannon's haircut, and so it is easy to lose track of things as the time passes by. If the narrative could more clearly dictate how things were changing instead of leaving them to ambiguity then the film could have been a much better experience. But all in all, the narrative in The Iceman is lacking in consistency.

The Iceman tells all of its events from a perspective that feels third- person, never getting into the mind of Richard Kuklinski and giving us insight into what really made him a cold blooded killer. There is one scene that shows viewers his childhood and how he was treated negatively, and that hints that he faced abuse as a child. If this was more present in the film then audiences would get a deeper understanding of Richard Kuklinski, but as director Ariel Vromen does not understand him, he expects audiences to get everything on the basis of Michael Shannon's performance and doesn't give him the real support he needs. Ariel Vromen is a rookie director, and while he at least allows The Iceman to be a decent film, he doesn't exercise any insight or all that much intelligence as a film director.

Frankly, there is barely a story in The Iceman and Ariel Vromen doesn't give it a screenplay that is intelligent enough to overshadow it or direction that is form enough to transcend the limitations of a biopic film.

Frankly, The Iceman doesn't have a story that is much more than simplistic and reminiscent of basically every other contract killer crime film out there, except that this one is less action focused. But The Iceman simply cannot break free of its thin story or take a deep look at its titular figure and so it just a generic crime story with an actual person that it covers.

But for what it's worth, The Iceman is still a good film. Although it doesn't set itself apart from the many other films of the genre that much, it had a gritty atmosphere which gives things a certain intense edge which is appropriate to the mood of the film, and it is all captured with good cinematography. But frankly all the positive elements of the film come straight from the acting.

Michael Shannon was the perfect casting decision for the role of Richard Kuklinski. Due to his intense stare, it takes no time in The Iceman before viewers determine that he is the ideal actor for the part. He doesn't have to say anything because the simple way that he looks at people proves to be the main source of his intimidation. But from there he opens his mouth and lets out words that cause fear to sink into the hearts of viewers everywhere. Michael Shannon doesn't have to pull out a single weapon for viewers to determine that he is a serious threat, and the fact is that he gets the performance perfectly because he characterises him as a fearless and cold blooded killer without playing the character in a cheap and repetitive way. Instead if playing the character like The Terminator, he portrays Richard Kuklinski in a similar way to Javier Bardem's performance as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, yet the intimidation is more subtle because it is not in his words but simply in the fact that audiences face a serious threat within Richard Kuklinski. Michael Shannon doesn't have to say much at all in The Iceman, and without doing so he creates a threatening atmosphere for the film with the endeavour of his strength as an actor. And in a performance which is no trouble for him, he manages to make The Iceman unforgettable and elevate it above all of its other flaws single handily.

Winona Ryder is a great leading casting decision as well. In her performance she reminds me why I consider her one of my favourite actresses because her simple effort manages to evoke a lot of charm and charisma which makes it easy for audiences to understand her and sympathise for her as her character experiences the kind of challenges that come with being married to a cold-blooded contract killer: Winona Ryder uses her organic charm and easy dedication to the part to ensure that she gives a fine lead performance in The Iceman, and her ability to interact with may other cast members with emotional tenacity is impressive. It is great to see her actively acting again, and while her performance in The Iceman is overshadowed by other cast members, there is no denying the strength in her effort.

Ray Liotta does not surprise me to have given a great supporting performance in The Iceman. He has a natural talent for playing thugs and criminals since it is his natural acting persona, and so he proves to be a viable cast member to The Iceman. Giving the second greatest performance in the film, Ray Liotta steps into the part of Roy Demeo easily because he looks the part easily enough and acts it out just as well. Due to his easy talent for creating a gritty edge in his characters, he proves to take on the material in The Iceman without fear and gives one of his finest performances in years. His skill in his part almost feels routine because he has done it so well many times, and once again that is exactly what he achieves in The Iceman which makes him a terrific casting choice for the film.

David Schwimmer also gave a fine supporting performance, as did Chris Evans who was almost unrecognisable in his role. James Franco's small appearance was also fine.

So despite The Iceman having a thin story and a lack of depth into the mind of its main character, Michael Shannon's excellently intense performance and Ray Liotta's easy grit manage to triumph the negative aspects of the film and make it worth a viewing.