Although the territory of crime drama has been well worn in recent years, “The Iceman” is a compelling addition to the genre.

Based on the life of New Jersey contract killer Richard Kuklinsky (Micheal Shannon), the film begins with Kuklinsky already imprisoned and being asked if he has any regrets on account of his actions. He answers this question by the end of the film, but first it portrays his actions in gritty realism, while at the same time showing his life as a father and husband. I thought this worked well as a means to let the audience know not to immediately judge the character completely and let the film lay out the facts. Richard Kavinsky is by no means presented as an objectively good man, but he is not without his human moments.

The film does an excellent job of presenting a man in conflict with his life as a hit man while trying to raise a family he truly loves. The biographical structure of the film lets the audience experience more of Kuklinski’s life and why he is the way he is. When Kuklinsky visits his brother in prison for his own grisly crimes, it’s even easier to tell that neither had a happy childhood. 

A common theme throughout the film is if he, the continually stone-faced Iceman, even cares. This comes to a head when he explodes with rage after being accused of not caring about his family. Michael Shannon is excellent throughout the film as Kuklinski, but his performance is especially effective at really making you empathize with a character who by no means deserves it. His reaction to his family being threatened while his daughter’s birthday is happening fifty feet away is especially well done and really shows Shannon’s range, even if the character could easily be played as a two-dimensional brute.

The supporting cast was eclectic, but I was pleasantly surprised at a lot of the performances. Chris Evans particularly stands out as Mr. Freezy, a sleazy contract killer who stored his victims in an ice cream truck. The film is understandably dark at times, and Evans plays deranged very well for mainly being known for playing squeaky clean Captain America. James Franco also has a small cameo in a brutal scene as one of Kuklinsky’s victims. The scene is tense, and both actors delivered solid performances.

David Shwimmer and Ray Liotta weren’t in the movie very long, but the scenes they were in made it seem like they had a longstanding relationship, and I was impressed to see them work off each other well. 

Overall, I enjoyed the film. It was well paced, well acted, and compelling to watch unfold. It didn’t have the style or charm of “Goodfellas” or the crime comedy “Snatch,” but overall the film is highly entertaining and worth a watch. Come for Shwimmer’s ridiculous mustache, stay for the great acting.

4/5