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The Ice Harvest (Harold Ramis)
"In Wichita Falls, The Ice Harvest Falls Flat On It's Back"
In Wichita, Kansas, Charlie has something to celebrate, and it's not Christmas. Charlie, an attorney, and his so called business partner, Vic, have just stolen $2 million from Charlie's boss. With a hit-man looking for them, Charlie and Vic have little time to get out of Wichita. Will they both get out alive, or will the money make them greedy and try to find a way to get more.
The Ice Harvest is a dark comedy, that's heavy on the dark and lite on the comedy. With Billy bob Thorton and John Cusack leading the way, being supported by Oliver Platt and Connie Nielsen and finally the comedy alumni Harold Ramis behind the camera, many would think this to be a recipe for success. It's just too bad that none of the gags work in Harvest and neither does the story.
John Cusack is a good actor and is very likable in the roles he chooses. In the Ice Harvest, he seems a little out of place. Granted, he has the right look, just not the right presence. Teamed up with Billy Bob Thorton, who was good for the role, they bounce off each other awkwardly. With a better chemistry between these two characters, then the actors could have made it work. Oliver Platt is drunk throughout the entire film. He is the comic relief, a guy for the audience to look at and pity but laugh at at the same time. Connie Nielsen plays the character wooden, no emotion. I dreaded the time she was on screen, for every second. Looks can only go so far, here they go nowhere.
Harold Ramis usually has a good funny bone thrown into his films. Here, the dark moody atmosphere is too overshadowing and leaves the comedy in the dark so much that many will miss it. Ramis creates some scenes that do get a laugh, such as which car to place the box into. There is also some nudity, with even though they go into many strip clubs seems odd here. It may just be me, but it is totally useless.
The story itself could use some work. They don't really go into the details of how they got the money, just that they got it. They also have twists and turns that try to surprise the audience, but many can see them coming from a mile away. I myself was able to see it coming once they enter the strip club for the first time. If you're a fan of dark...and I mean dark comedies, then check this one out, but don't expect to laugh too much cause the laughs just aren't there. It is more of a dark crime movie with a couple of odd placed jokes.
Randy Quaid makes a random appearance as Cusacks boss near the finale of the film. The ending of "Harvest" decides to go out with the happy ending, opposed to the dark one, which would have flowed with the rest of the film. Seeing the characters are at the end happy seem wrong here. Then again, this whole film takes so many steps in the wrong direction it hurts.
5/10
"In Wichita Falls, The Ice Harvest Falls Flat On It's Back"
In Wichita, Kansas, Charlie has something to celebrate, and it's not Christmas. Charlie, an attorney, and his so called business partner, Vic, have just stolen $2 million from Charlie's boss. With a hit-man looking for them, Charlie and Vic have little time to get out of Wichita. Will they both get out alive, or will the money make them greedy and try to find a way to get more.
The Ice Harvest is a dark comedy, that's heavy on the dark and lite on the comedy. With Billy bob Thorton and John Cusack leading the way, being supported by Oliver Platt and Connie Nielsen and finally the comedy alumni Harold Ramis behind the camera, many would think this to be a recipe for success. It's just too bad that none of the gags work in Harvest and neither does the story.
John Cusack is a good actor and is very likable in the roles he chooses. In the Ice Harvest, he seems a little out of place. Granted, he has the right look, just not the right presence. Teamed up with Billy Bob Thorton, who was good for the role, they bounce off each other awkwardly. With a better chemistry between these two characters, then the actors could have made it work. Oliver Platt is drunk throughout the entire film. He is the comic relief, a guy for the audience to look at and pity but laugh at at the same time. Connie Nielsen plays the character wooden, no emotion. I dreaded the time she was on screen, for every second. Looks can only go so far, here they go nowhere.
Harold Ramis usually has a good funny bone thrown into his films. Here, the dark moody atmosphere is too overshadowing and leaves the comedy in the dark so much that many will miss it. Ramis creates some scenes that do get a laugh, such as which car to place the box into. There is also some nudity, with even though they go into many strip clubs seems odd here. It may just be me, but it is totally useless.
The story itself could use some work. They don't really go into the details of how they got the money, just that they got it. They also have twists and turns that try to surprise the audience, but many can see them coming from a mile away. I myself was able to see it coming once they enter the strip club for the first time. If you're a fan of dark...and I mean dark comedies, then check this one out, but don't expect to laugh too much cause the laughs just aren't there. It is more of a dark crime movie with a couple of odd placed jokes.
Randy Quaid makes a random appearance as Cusacks boss near the finale of the film. The ending of "Harvest" decides to go out with the happy ending, opposed to the dark one, which would have flowed with the rest of the film. Seeing the characters are at the end happy seem wrong here. Then again, this whole film takes so many steps in the wrong direction it hurts.
5/10