Thin Ice poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Bob Balaban, Lea Thompson ... see more see more... , David Harbour , Michelle Arthur , John Paul Gamoke , Jennifer Edwards , Scott Crouch , Peter Moore , Michelle Hutchison , Jim Detmar , Michael Paul Levin , Kathryn Lawrey , Joe Minjares , Peter Thoemke , Alan Johnson , Alec George , Tony Papenfuss , Sue Scott , Terry Hempleman , Chris Carlson , John Elsen , Gary Groomes , Isabell Monk O'Connor , Mike Hagerty , Wayne Morton , Peggy O'Connell , Johnny Hagen , Gibson , Didja

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. Thi... read more read more...s 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. -- (C) Official Site

Flixster Users

55% liked it

2,471 ratings

Critics

70% liked it

56 critics

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: Jill Sprecher

Release Date: February 17, 2012

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: June 12, 2012

Get It:

Stats: 147 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (147)

  • itsjustme2004
    May 7, 2013
    itsjustme2004
    Mildly entertaining. Decent twist at the end...
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    June 22, 2012
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Greetings from Kenosha, WI! Where Ordinary Folks Can Make a Killing.

    Good movie! I really liked this movie. It did remind me of Fargo in some ways and Greg Kinnear was excellent as the bumbling,slightly crooked insurance agent. The film maintains a steady pace, each detail is th... read moreoroughly absorbed and clearly never losing sight that its all building up to, not if, but when Mickey will cross the line from white-collar liar to criminal. Although "Thin Ice" is a fascinating take on the relationship between a simple Midwest farmer and convincing insurance man, it is foremost a story of the consequences of lying and when those lies will come back to haunt you. This thoroughly engaging and captivating little tale works from beginning to end. If one were to focus on possible weaknesses it would only be that true to it's Midwestern stylings its not overly flashy Nor particularly gritty compared to slicker studio productions. That being said "Thin Ice" is completely its own film and gives very little to dislike.

    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.
  • fb100001592288964
    February 19, 2012
    fb100001592288964
    Harmlessly enjoyable and filled with amusing twists and turns, but is pummeled by an twist ending that is way too complex and clever for its own good.
  • fb704730572
    September 2, 2012
    fb704730572
    Thin Ice boasts an impressive cast, with the always funny and charismatic Greg Kinnear, teamed well with Alan Arkin, and has a unique set up with some generally funny moments. The story-line and script, however, are largely incoherent, with an especially frustrating ending that u... read morendermines the entire structure, and seems more tacked-on rather than built-up to. This will undoubtedly spoil the film for those who are looking for anything beyond very mild enjoyment. Despite the narrative flaws, Thin Ice does seem to have a keen sense of its characters, and did a particularly good job with Kinnear's character arc. Despite the on-screen stupidity, we care about his journey. Far from perfect, but a solid enough first two-thirds to make it worth a watch.

    3/5 Stars
  • xas5
    July 14, 2012
    xas5
    Trying slightly too hard to live up to its Fargo comparison, Thin Ice pits Greg Kinnear as a craft insurance agent who eventually tries to swindle an old man (Alan Arkin) out of a valuable violin. The best performance of the film comes from Billy Crudup, who plays a sleazy locksm... read moreith who gets Kinnear in over his head when he commits a murder. Fumbling with a haphazard plot and confusing twist ending, the film just fails to ever have a hook and abandons everything it builds by flipping it all by the end.
  • helwigs
    December 9, 2012
    helwigs
    Only wanted to see it because of Greg Kinnear. The story isn't bad, but it's one of those things where you think you know what is going on but you really don't because they pretty much just made up a bunch of crap at the end of the movie. I don't think it's a complete waste of t... read moreime, but it's like it tries to be Fargo or something along those lines, but fails because they changed their mind part way through and decided to do something just a little different.
  • GabrielKnight
    October 6, 2012
    GabrielKnight
    This movie tries a bit too hard to be a cross between Cohen brothers and Hitchcock. The plot is actually not bad, but the tone of the movie is way off - instead of generating suspense, it tries to be quirky, but the humor is forced and not really that funny.
  • ThomasJayWilliams
    June 20, 2012
    ThomasJayWilliams
    The comedy-drama Thin Ice -- about a bumbling upper-midwest, small-town insurance agent played by Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets, Auto Focus, Little Miss Sunshine) -- wants to be a nice-cross between similar crime/caper films like A Simple Plan and Fargo; but the ice is too thi... read moren here and the story has one-too-many over-reaches (coincidences) the audience is/was simply supposed to buy and/or accept. Kinnear's Mickey stumbles upon the aged-and-grumpy older man (Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine, Edward Scissorhands, Grosse Pointe Blank) who has a dog that he loves even though he loathes just about everything else in the snow-covered Wisconsin. When Mickey discovers a priceless violin on the property, the old farmer (Gorvy) becomes his favorite client. Hoping to finance a method of escape from the frozen wasteland known as Wisconsin, Mickey must compromise much of what he has always believed in ... while hoping nobody else gets word of his possible scheme (and small-town life makes that nearly impossible). When his plan begins to fall into place, Randy (Billy Crudup - Almost Famous, Big Fish, Waking the Dead) a hot-tempered home-security installation technician shows up to complicate nearly EVERYthing. Parts of Thin Ice are more successful than others and the entire film isn't a waste of time; but it isn't as good as either Fargo or A Simple Plan. I believe the film almost needs to come with a spoiler warning informing its prospective audience the film's final twist (there are many) might simply be "too much". This is okay; but we have most likely all seen better before.
  • Jeffreynewman72
    February 18, 2012
    Jeffreynewman72
    An interesting concept and the makings of what could have been a cool scam. If only it wasn't burdened by an extremely slow story that took way too long to get to its climax. Then, when it did, it only maintained it's interesting edge for about 10 minutes. The scam turned out ... read morepretty clever, but it simply too long to get there. My interest was LONG gone. Had it not been for some fantastic actors, I would have had a hard time giving it a single star. A plot like this deserved a lot better.

View All Thin Ice Reviews

Critic Reviews

Michael O'Sullivan
April 6, 2012
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

It's just a little slow getting started. Full Review

Ty Burr
April 5, 2012
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

The movie never fully clicks. Full Review

Tom Long
March 2, 2012
Tom Long, Detroit News

At one point you're looking at the screen going, "This makes no sense!" Then after a long conclusionary explanation, you shake your head and say, "I'm still not sure that made much sense." Full Review

Roger Ebert
February 23, 2012
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

There's nothing like the macabre to bring intrigue to an ordinary life, and nothing like the logistics of body disposal to challenge an insurance salesman. Full Review

Rafer Guzman
February 17, 2012
Rafer Guzman, Newsday

If only the film were as good as Kinnear. Full Review

Rene Rodriguez
February 17, 2012
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

The movie is familiar and generic, a pastiche that often reminds you of other, better films. Full Review

Kyle Smith
February 17, 2012
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Kinnear and director Jill Sprecher make you feel Mickey's squirming desperation, even if the ending feels like a cop-out. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
February 17, 2012
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

In the end, it's a little too much like its own main character. It wants the big results. But it's not willing to put in the hard work to really earn them. Full Review

Joe Neumaier
February 17, 2012
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

With a wink, a nudge and a heaping portion of Midwestern charm, "Thin Ice" reels us in. Full Review

Walter V. Addiego
February 16, 2012
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

With a handful of blackly humorous jolts and some game performances by a good cast, "Thin Ice" is a watchable, if not terribly original, piece of Midwestern noir. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Fargo
    Fargo (71%)

More Movies like Thin Ice

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Gorvy Hauer: It used to be you could trust people. You let your dog out in the middle of the night and they kill him.
    • Mickey Prohaska: People will try to convince you of anything. Anything can be the start of a conversation.
    • Mickey Prohaska: Believe none of what you hear, and half of what you see.
    • Gorvy Hauer: Do you sell dog insurance?
    • Mickey Prohaska: What starts out lookin' like an easy score, can turn out to be anything but simple.
Submit a Fact | View All

Thin Ice : Watch Free on TV

Thin Ice Trivia

  • The Ice Harvest was his Thin Red Line, Serendipity it may have been, but the Grosse Pointe Blank was an Identity away from Being John Malkovich. His High Fidelity lead to Stand By Me, you can Say Anything but he's a Sure Thing or an America's Sweetheart.  Answer »
  • Name the movie from the quote: "You're on thin fucking ice, my pedigree chum, and I will be right underneath it when it breaks"   Answer »
More Thin Ice Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Thin Ice. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Thin Ice Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Thin Ice to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?