Review of The Iceman (2012) by Aaron M — 05 Sep 2013

The Iceman (R, 2013).

Starring: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta, James Franco & David Schwimmer.

Directed By: Ariel Vromen.

Written By: Morgan Land (screenplay) and Ariel Vromen (screenplay).

OVERALL SCORE: 8.2.

MINOR SPOILERS.

Based on the true story of notorious mob hitman Richie Kuklinski, The Iceman recounts the rise and fall of one of the American Mafia's most storied contract killers. Starring the always enticing Michael Shannon, the film opens with Kuklinski on a first date with his future wife, Deborah (Winona Ryder). The date is awkward at first, with Deborah commenting that Richie is not a gifted conversationalist. Despite his initial steely demeanor, he eventually opens up, revealing himself to be quite charming. It's later revealed that Kuklinski had persisted for some time in order to take Deborah out, repeatedly bringing her flowers at work.

During the date, Kuklinski tells Deborah that he works for Disney, dubbing movies. In reality, he dubs porn flicks. One night at work, he gets cornered by a gangster, Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta), who is looking for Kuklinski's co-worker. After an unpleasant confrontation, Kuklinski is let go, but not before making an impression on DeMeo. Soon after, DeMeo decides to track him down to enlist some help doing the mob's dirty work.

Kuklinski, of Polish descent, had a very difficult childhood, being frequently beaten by a ruthless father. This severe abuse as a young person seems to have manifested into some form of antisocial personality disorder. This is first evident after Kuklinski slits the throat of a man who had insulted Deborah. During his first meeting with DeMeo, the gangster tells Kuklinski that he is shutting down the porn business, but that if he can follow orders, he has a job working for the mobster. DeMeo remarks that Kuklinski is "cold as ice", before telling him to murder a homeless man who had knocked on their car window asking for change. After some (not much) consideration, Kuklinski shoots the man.

DeMeo, impressed by the ease with which Kuklinski executed the murder, brings him on to be his own personal hitman, a job that Kuklinski is perfectly willing to take. As time goes on, work for Kuklinski increases steadily, resulting in a very comfortable lifestyle, which he shares with Deborah (now his wife) and their two daughters. Despite his barbaric day job, Kuklinski is a man with strong family values who genuinely loves and cares about his wife and children. This is an interesting fact, given the traumatic family life he grew accustomed to as a child. We see him in a prison visitation room meeting with his younger brother, who is serving time for murdering a young girl.

After several years, a disagreement with DeMeo forces Kuklinski to enlist a fellow hitman's help in finding work. Mr Freezy (Chris Evans) works out of an ice cream truck and is an expert in both killing (usually opting for cyanide) and making bodies disappear. The pair work well together, but DeMeo is livid that Kuklinski has gone back on his word to never work for or with anyone but DeMeo. As the tension between the mobsters and the killers mounts, caution is left on the back burner, with disastrous consequences.

I have been convinced for quite a while that Michael Shannon is the most underappreciated actor in Hollywood, and possibly the most talented. This film reinforces that notion ten-fold for me. Shannon's performance is nothing short of incredible. His mannerisms, voice, and stature are perfect. He actually looks eerily similar to the real-life Richard Kuklinski when his face and hair are aged later in the film. It is an impressive feat to play someone whose personality is such a paradox - both icy and emotionless as well as passionate and caring. Shannon succeeds big time. I may be biased, but I truly think he should be in the Oscar conversation this year.

Unfortunately, Shannon's performance is the only great thing about the film. It's hard to pinpoint just what went wrong here. The supporting cast is very good. Liotta is great, as always. Chris Evans does very well in an unusual role for him. James Franco nails his part, though it's only one scene. Even Winona Ryder, who I have a real tough time liking, does very well. The writing isn't bad at all. In fact, the "walking on eggshell" dialogue in the opening date scene impressed me a lot. While "The Iceman" falls short of the scope of a great mob movie, that's not really what it sets out to do. It's about a fight between a man and his demons, a fight that the man dominates for a long time. But in the end Kuklinski is proof that no one can outlast the consequences of such heinous sins.