CORPORATE LINE: Based on the novel by Scott Phillips, THE ICE HARVEST is a comic film noir set in very cold and icy Wichita, Kansas. John Cusack turns in another fine performance as Charlie Arglist, a soft-spoken lawyer who works for local mob boss Bill Guerrard (Randy Quaid). Charlie hangs out in strip clubs, pines after femme fatale Renata (Connie Nielsen), rarely sees his kids, and basically watches life happen all around him. Ready for a change, he and the much more hardened Vic Cavanaugh (Billy Bob Thornton) steal $2.1 million from Guerrard and plan to play it cool before leaving town, trying not to create suspicion. All they need to do is make it through Christmas Eve–but that’s not going to be easy for Charlie, who spends the long night getting caught up in a series of very funny, very dangerous, and very bloody events that unfold while sweet Christmas carols echo in the background. Reminiscent of such stylish modern noirs as RED ROCK WEST and FARGO, THE ICE HARVEST features a clever script by Oscar-winner Robert Benton and Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Russo, and was directed by Harold Ramis, the former SCTV star and Ghostbuster who has helmed such successful films as CADDYSHACK, GROUNDHOG DAY, and ANALYZE THIS. The acting is uniformly excellent–including Mike Starr as hit man Roy Gelles, who never shows his face–but Oliver Platt runs away with the film as Pete Van Heuten, an old friend of Charlie’s who stole his family and now is an obnoxious, hysterical, pathetic drunken fool with a good heart.
THE REVIEW: The corporate line calls it a comic film noir. The Ice Harvest is neither a comedy nor done in style—unless the style was to be tiresome.
The Ice Harvest is in the same bloodline as Fargo without being nearly as funny or interesting. The characters are lacking in depth and excitement. Another problem is that most characters come and go too quickly. We spend too much time with the tiresome Charlie Arglist. The only person that seems like you’d be interested in hanging out with is Pete Van Heuten played by Oliver Platt. Pete is hilarious as a drunk who brags about Arglist being a mob lawyer.
THE EXTRAS:
There is a commentary by Director Harold Ramis that is tough to sit through—even harder to sit through the movie again.
“Alternate Endings” – Two alternative endings are available—obviously there not any better than the one used in the film or they would have been used in the film.
“Outtakes with Billy Bob Thornton” – Thornton delivers his lines as Karl from Sling Blade. It’s funny.
“Cracking the Story” – This featurette is an interview with the writer of the book and the two screenplay writers. Often the conversation is better than the movie.
“Beneath the Harvest” – This featurette is a conversation with the director, producer, and members of the cast.
“Ice Cracking: Analysis of a Scene” – We learn how they shot the scene when Thornton ends up in the water.
FRANKLY: Only Oliver Platt gives an interesting performance. His character is the only one where you are genuinely interested in their fate.
Why is this called Harvest again?
+ Charlie Craine
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