Title: Thin Ice
Director: Jill Sprecher (‘Thirteen Conversations About One Thing,’ ‘Clockwatchers’)
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Bill Crudup and Alan Arkin
Con artists are usually portrayed as being ruthless and conniving in films, and aren’t often featured as the main protagonist with whom audiences can relate to. But Mickey Prohaska, the conman in director-co-writer Jill Sprecher’s new crime drama-comedy, ‘Thin Ice,’ is surprisingly both endearing and deceitful. Greg Kinnear was well-cast as the scheming, sympathetic small-town Wisconsin insurance agent, who will do anything to get what he wants, while genuinely caring for those who have positively impacted his life.
‘Thin Ice’ follows Mickey as he’s looking for a way to jump-start his business and reunite with his estranged wife, Jo Ann (portrayed by Lea Thompson). Believing he can spin anything and sell anything to anyone willing to buy it, he thinks he finds the perfect target in lonely retired farmer Gorvy Hauer (played by Alan Arkin). After selling Gorvy an insurance policy, Mickey finds a valuable violin in his client’s house, which the farmer initially has no interest in.
When Gorvy leaves town for a few days, Mickey persuades Randy Kinney (portrayed by Billy Crudup), the locksmith who installed a security system in the house, to let him in so he can steal the violin and sell it. However, when one of Gorvy’s neighbors finds Mickey and Randy in his house, the locksmith accidentally kills him in order to cover up the break-in. Mickey and Randy must find a way to hide the crime and sell the violin, which Gorvy wants to keep after discovering it’s true value, before the police can catch them.
Kinnear was well cast as Mickey, who honestly feels he’s morally and professionally superior to almost everyone, including his co-workers, clients, friends and family. The actor perfectly understood the character’s opportunist attitude, and convincingly portrayed Mickey as though he looked at how every situation could benefit him in the long run. While Mickey is shallow, always has a self-serving agenda and is oblivious to the greater good of those around him, Kinnear still played him as being sympathetic.
Even though Mickey is involved in the scheme with Randy to cover the murder and sell the violin they stole from Gorvy, there are instances where he doubts what they’re doing. He sees the pain he’s inflicting on Jo Ann and her son Shane (played by Alec George), allowing viewers to hope he’ll come to see the errors of his ways and put a stop to the scheme.
While Mickey viewed Gorvy as an easy target when they first met, he also comes to respect him to a degree, as he doesn’t let anyone control what he does. Mickey still wants to secretly collect the money from the violin, but doesn’t want Randy or the murder to threaten Gorvy’s life. After spending time with Gorvy, Mickey comes to realize that they’re similar to each other in some degree, as they’re both persistent in getting their own way and trying to take charge of every situation. Mickey’s eventual genuine concern for Gorvy realistically developed from Kinnear’s realistic, sincere bond with Arkin, which initially formed while they worked on ‘Little Miss Sunshine.’
Kinnear had a memorable and intriguing working relationship with Crudup as well. ‘Thin Ice’ starts off as a light-hearted comedy, but when Randy unexpectedly turns right before the murder and tries to take charge of the situation, a continuous shift in power between Mickey and Randy emerges. While the locksmith has evidence linking the insurance agent to the murder, Crudup portrays Randy as not being able to hide his worry about the cover-up as well as Kinnear plays the ever-seemingly calm Mickey. Even though Kinnear shows Mickey as always trying to be in control, Crudup perfectly balances the plot by convincingly playing Randy as menacing and unpredictable.
‘Thin Ice’ showcased Kinnear’s extraordinary talent as an actor, showing that he can effortlessly take on dark characters who don’t necessarily view themselves as being evil. Mickey perfectly showcases how different people react to horrifying situations; unlike Randy, who’s constantly worrying about getting caught, Mickey mind-numbingly glides through his problems, believing that whatever’s meant to happen will. Sprecher provided the perfect material for Kinnear to subtly play a character who believes he spin any situation.
Technical: B
Acting: B+
Story: B
Overall: B
Written by: Karen Benardello
