The Iceman (2012)

Elevator Pitch: Richie Kuklinski is a contract killer who keeps his occupation concealed from his family. He also conceals the fact that his briother in in prison for raping and killing a twelve year old girl. The brothers both have issues because of the violence meted out to them by their father. For many years Richie successfully terminates people, mostly at the behest of Mafia boss Roy DeMeo, but when he spares a seventeen year old girl who had witnessed one of his killings he is retired by DeMeo and becomes a freelance in association with “Freezy” known for his technique of freezing the bodies.

Content: There is one non-revelatory sexual event, which looked very uncomfortable, and a bit of drinking. Drugs feature during a robbery which has repercussions. There is a lot of tense talk in smoke filled rooms and the actual killing with different types of hand guns and knives which feature over the man’s 20 year career. When Richie pals up with Freezy they hack up bodies and keep them in a feezer. There is one car chase as Richie chases a man who insulted him in a fit of road rage, hazarding his chldren.

A View: It was generally felt that the script was a bit weak, some said it was just a by numbers gangster film, but that the actors did well, particularly Michael Shannon. With an estimated budget of $10 million you think it would at least have covered its costs, but it did not. I am sometimes slightly motivated to place all the films I have watched in order of preference, but don’t actully have the energy. But if I had this movie would be more than half way up. So worth a view.

Additional Info: The story of the real Richard Kuklinski is just a bit more blurred. His claims to have been a Mafia hit man have been doubted by many, although there is no doubt that he killed a lot of people.