One of the blandest films I saw last year at Sundance was Thin Ice, then-titled The Convincer. Riding the edge of mediocrity for nearly the entire runtime, Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin’s Little Miss Sunshine reunion left a lot to be desired. One can watch our video review here, but in the meantime Jill Sprecher‘s drama will now be getting a limited release this year and the first trailer has arrived on Apple.
Unfortunately it spoils the main plot turn in the film, so look no further if you are going to check this one out. Other than that, the story of a high-priced antique violin getting in the wrong hands was just not that interesting. Billy Crudup is funny in his supporting role, but is mostly wasted as we focus on other subplots. Cap it all off with a contrived twist ending and this was a frustrating watch. Also starring David Harbour, Lea Thompson and Bob Balaban, one can see the trailer below.
Synopsis:
Mickey Prohaska (Greg Kinnear) is a small-time insurance agent looking for a way to jump-start his business, reunite with his estranged wife (Lea Thompson) and escape the frigid Wisconsin weather. This self-proclaimed master of spin believes that salesmanship is about selling a story — all he needs is a sucker willing to buy it. He hits pay dirt with a lonely retired farmer (Alan Arkin) who is sitting on something much bigger than an insurance commission. But Mickey’s attempt to con the old man spins out of control when a nosy, unstable locksmith (Billy Crudup) with a volatile temper dramatically ups the stakes, trapping him in a madcap spiral of danger, deceit and double-crossing. Blending dark comedy and delirious Midwestern noir, THIN ICE reaches a breaking point that no one — least of all Mickey Prohaska — could ever see coming.
Thin Ice hits theaters February 17th, 2012.