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Run Time:
2 Minutes
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Released in:
2005
Synopsis:
It's Christmas Eve in rainy, icebound Wichita, Kansas, and this year Charlie Arglist (JOHN CUSACK) may have something to celebrate. Charlie, an attorney for the sleazy businesses of Wichita, and his unsavory associate, Vic Cavanaugh (BILLY BOB THORNTON), have just embezzled $2,147,000 from Kansas City boss Bill Guerrard (RANDY QUAID). Even so, the real prize for Charlie would be the stunning Renata (CONNIE NIELSEN). Charlie's fondest Christmas wish is to slip out of town with Renata. But, as daylight fades and a storm swirls, everyone from Charlie's drinking buddy Pete (OLIVER PLATT) to the local police begin to wonder just what exactly is in Charlie's Christmas stocking. For Charlie, the 12 hours of Christmas Eve are filled with nonstop twists and turns, both on the ice and off.
Copyright:
© 2005 Focus Features, LLC All Rights Reserved.
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CRITIC REVIEWS
Lew Irwin
Most of the critics describe director Harold Ramis's The Ice Harvest as a black comedy. How black? Well, in her review in the New York Times, Manohla Dargis writes that it easily takes the honors as this holiday season's biggest and dirtiest lump of coal. Dargis clearly hates the film, as does Jami Bernard in the New York Daily News, who calls it blockheaded and totally tasteless. But Michael Sragow in the Baltimore Sun writes that the black mood of the movie is what makes it satisfying. If you have an ounce of misanthropy in your body, a picture like this can draw it to the surface the way a leech draws blood, he comments. Indeed, several critics suggest that the film may appeal to the Scrooge in all of us. As an antidote to the sugary confections of the season, its hung-over cynicism works wonders, Says Steven Rea in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Or as Lou Lumenick writes in the New York Post: The Ice Harvest is a treat for everyone who hates holidays.
Reviewed by: downco on 4/28/2006 8:42:14 AM
Misses being a true NOIR movie, decent watchable performances with a few predictable twists. Direction good, could have used a little more post production time. Ixnay on sound track. Cusack works...just! Certainly worth a watch..don't buy. They could have pushed the envelope on this one, but didn't. Billy Bob is a noir guy.
Lew Irwin
Most of the critics describe director Harold Ramis's The Ice Harvest as a black comedy. How black? Well, in her review in the New York Times, Manohla Dargis writes that it easily takes the honors as this holiday season's biggest and dirtiest lump of coal. Dargis clearly hates the film, as does Jami Bernard in the New York Daily News, who calls it blockheaded and totally tasteless. But Michael Sragow in the Baltimore Sun writes that the black mood of the movie is what makes it satisfying. If you have an ounce of misanthropy in your body, a picture like this can draw it to the surface the way a leech draws blood, he comments. Indeed, several critics suggest that the film may appeal to the Scrooge in all of us. As an antidote to the sugary confections of the season, its hung-over cynicism works wonders, Says Steven Rea in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Or as Lou Lumenick writes in the New York Post: The Ice Harvest is a treat for everyone who hates holidays.
Reviewed by: downco on 4/28/2006 8:42:14 AM
Misses being a true NOIR movie, decent watchable performances with a few predictable twists. Direction good, could have used a little more post production time. Ixnay on sound track. Cusack works...just! Certainly worth a watch..don't buy. They could have pushed the envelope on this one, but didn't. Billy Bob is a noir guy.
The Ice Harvest has 5 user ratings.
Customer Reviews for
The Ice Harvest
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Reviewed by: downco on 4/28/2006 8:42:14 AM
Misses being a true NOIR movie, decent watchable performances with a few predictable twists. Direction good, could have used a little more post production time. Ixnay on sound track. Cusack works...just! Certainly worth a watch..don't buy. They could have pushed the envelope on this one, but didn't. Billy Bob is a noir guy.
(Read More Customer Reviews...)Reviewed by: aallier on 4/28/2006 7:24:26 AM
Reviewed by: fiddler55 on 4/8/2006 2:43:00 PM
If you want to know what the Little Drummer Boy would sound like if Bob Marley, the Mantovanni Orchestra, the Vienna Boy's Choir, and Waylon Jennings all collaborated on the the one-tune sound track, then watch this movie. It's really dark, and I'm not referring to humor. I couldn't find a bit of humor or a plot anywhere.I kept wating for it to get started, but it never did.Almost every scene is either outside on Christmas, at night, or inside without any lights, at night.Occasionally,a Christmas symbol is brightly lit, like a hanging Star of David Pillow, an ornamental reindeer, or a recurring Santa head. Wait, I have figured out this movie.It's full of symbolism to support 3,000 unedited pages of doctoral film theses. What a DUD!
Reviewed by: amie5961 on 4/5/2006 4:15:26 AM
never slow billy bob thorton is great as always....cusack is good as well....did I like this movie..no.........I LOVED IT...
Reviewed by: benstr4535 on 4/4/2006 9:26:43 PM
Very entertaining dark comedy.
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Language: English