The Iceman
Starring Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder
Directed by Ariel Vromen
The Professional meets Goodfellas in The Iceman, Ariel Vromens gritty, true -crime thriller. The perpetually intense Michael Shannon tackles the role of notorious Mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski, a seemingly upstanding family man living the American dream who was, in fact, a ruthless contract killer.When he was finally arrested in 1986, after killing dozens of individuals, his family had no clue about his actual professional life.
The film paints a typically grim portrait of Kuklinskis downward spiral and while the end result may be a bit hollow, the performances more than make up for the sometimes pedestrian execution.Shannon, it goes without saying, is sensational here, exuding mystery and malice at every turn.The elusive Winona Ryder nails the role of the killers tragically ignorant wife while Ray Liotta plays Kuklinskis employer with a dash of aged Henry Hill. Also watch for scene-stealers Chris Evans and David Schwimmer; the less said about their characters the better.
The story unfolds at a brisk pace with icy precision and Vromen does commendable work at keeping each scene engaging. There is, however, an emotional resonance missing from The Iceman that leaves the finale feeling empty, as if the tension of the formidable build-up slowly fizzles instead of going out with a bang.Although the film features top-notch performances and is at times truly riveting, the script only manages to carve out a superficial snapshot of who Kuklinksi was, neglecting to really tackle the root of his madness.
