The Ice Harvest

 

Plot: A shady lawyer attempts a Christmas Eve crime, hoping to swindle the local mob out of some money. But his partner, a strip club owner, might have different plans for the cash.

Director:

Harold Ramis

Writers:

Richard Russo (screenplay), Robert Benton (screenplay), 1 more credit »

Stars:

John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen

This reminds me of Fargo and A Simple Plan, it's a dark comedy/drama that's far more dark than funny or dramatic.  John Cusack plays a unlikable douchebag who decides to rip off his mobster boss only to find out that his partner in crime (Thorton) is playing both sides against each other.  Throw in a stripper and the town drunk and you have a true cluster fuck of a film.

I'm a big Cusack fan, but this is probably one of the worst films he has been involved in.  His strength as an actor is getting the audience to root for him, but there really isn't a hero in this film at all.  Everyone is a shady character, and while it makes the movie difficult to predict, it doesn't make for a very satisfying story.

If you enjoy dark comedies, this is worth a look, but you need to be a cynical bastard to enjoy it. 

3/5 STARS