Plot: The true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters had any clue about his real profession.
Starring: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta, James Franco
My Review and Thoughts:
He was the true hitman for the mafia, so I was very excited to learn that a movie based on his life was coming out. I went into this knowing all about The Iceman and his ruthless ways. He's killed hundreds of people if not more and so I knew that if the movie was going to be made they were going to have to explore the sinister nature, yet also the nature of the husband and father.
I always felt The Iceman was a perfect example for any psychologist, psychiatrist, psychological doctor to study and explore the mind of the monster and yet the person living the day to day life, yet also hiding the secrets of his real job.
I often wonder how a person can cut off the human conscience and not care about another's life. To kill a person and then go about eating Cheerios or tucking you're kids in and yet the next day, you kill someone else. You come home and kiss your wife. I just don't know what makes a killer. The Iceman is a prime example of the makeup of trying to experience a monster and human at the same time. A person that lives in two different lives, the good and the bad, both together, woven together.
The Iceman was able to cut it on and off at will to be bad, to be good, to kill was natural and that fascinates me that a person could kill another human being and not think twice.
This movie has an amazing cast, extraordinary actors. Michael Shannon is a brilliant actor. He is such an underrated actor that it's a shame that he does not star in more films. His emotional reality is filled with expressions that seem real even though its acting. His performance, his persona brings it all and more in this movie. He becomes the character of The Iceman.
I think Richard was an interesting and complex character. He was hidden around many mysteries, secrets and lies of the past. I felt there was a side to him that nobody knew. Not just the darker side, not just the side of the killer, or a loving husband and father but a sheltered hidden reality. I think he put up a brick wall. To hide his inner feelings, to walk away from his nightmares and his dreams, his thoughts, his lack of emotion. I feel there was more to Richard then we will ever know.
The Movie is wonderful, its acted amazing. The movie places you there during the time period. You the viewer experience all the horror that the Iceman created. You get to see him as a normal everyday person and then mixed around his Mafia hitman, serial killer ways.
Highly recommend this movie. I think you they do a great job, they don't go over the top. When making a movie about the Iceman you could easily see how one director or writer could go over the top and display all the gory gruesome details of his crimes but what this movie does is, it showcases you the crimes, but it also shows you in a more stable manner the life of Richard.
Thats how Richard would have wanted it because the murder and the death and the gore was really secondary to Richard. Richard did not think about the murders, he didn't think about the death or the gore he left. He could care less and so it's only a prime example to have a movie that the crimes are basically on the back burner yet they are still very vivid in detail but not to the point where they turn off the person watching. Like I say Richard didn't think anything about it, he just did a job. It was work, all he cared about was getting paid.
A great film on a sadistic Mafia hit man. Truly a priceless exploration of one mans crime wave and his hundreds of victims. On a side note I have always believed Richard was the hit man that took out Jimmy Hoffa, he never said but in interviews he did talk about the hit.
The Iceman is a must see film, I felt it worked in many ways. I was thoroughly entertained.