The Ice Harvest

For the most part, The Ice Harvest generally comes off as an effective adaptation of Scott Phillips’ admittedly superior novel – as screenwriters Richard Russo and Robert Benton retain many of the more memorable elements within Phillips’ work (including the off-kilter structure and emphasis on unlikable characters). John Cusack stars as Charlie, a shady lawyer who teams up with a strip-club owner (Billy Bob Thornton’s Vic) to rip off a local mobster – with complications ensuing after said mobster learns of the pair’s efforts. There’s little doubt that The Ice Harvest fares best in its opening hour, as director Harold Ramis’ inability to sustain a consistent tone grows increasingly problematic as the film progresses – with the inclusion of a needlessly upbeat conclusion certainly not doing the proceedings any favors. This unevenness hardly proves disastrous, however, and it’s ultimately impossible to deny the effectiveness of many of the film’s attributes (ie Oliver Platt’s hilarious turn as one of Charlie’s bumbling cohorts). And while the movie is a far cry from its various cinematic cousins – eg Fargo – The Ice Harvest is a low-key, sporadically enthralling effort that should satisfy fans of Phillips’ book.

**1/2 out of ****