6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
An insurance agent looking for a way out of frigid Wisconsin is blackmailed by an unstable locksmith in the theft of a rare violin that belongs to a retired farmer.
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson, Alan Arkin, David HarbourDrama | 100% |
Crime | 15% |
Dark humor | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
As fellow midwestern sibling filmmakers, director Jill Sprecher and her writing partner/sister Karen have been called the female Coen brothers, and they seem determined to make the moniker stick. Their latest movie, Thin Ice—a would-be black comedy about a long con, set in snowy Wisconsin —is basically a less-funny Fargo, complete with a dismembered body and a salesman whose greed gets him in way over his head. In 2011, the film debuted to decent reviews at Sundance—where it was titled The Convincer—but when ATO Pictures picked up the distribution rights, they demanded the 114-minute runtime be drastically cut down. Jill refused, and the movie was re-edited to 93 minutes, re-scored, and re-titled without her input, eventually netting mostly negative press for its short-lived theatrical release.
A poor man's Fargo it is, and Thin Ice has the visuals to match, with a chilly palette of blues and grays and dingy neutrals. Shot on 35mm, the movie has been transferred capably to Blu-ray, with a 1080p/AVC encode—in the intended 2.35:1 aspect ratio—that's clean and relatively compression-free. The film's unobtrusive grain structure remains natural, with no evidence of excessive DNR or edge enhancement, and analog noise really only spikes during the darkest scenes. While this isn't the sharpest-looking picture I've seen this year, or even this week, the image displays plenty of high definition detail in the areas where you normally look for it—facial features, clothing textures, in-focus props and production design. Color seems accurate to intent too; there's no wishy-washiness, black levels are deep, and contrast is punchy enough without drawing attention to itself. Thin Ice definitely looks the part of a low-budget indie dramedy—it's not nearly as slick or sharp as typical Hollywood productions—but the film's Blu-ray presentation is certainly satisfying.
I'm glad the Blu-ray producers didn't stiff The Convincer with a lossy Dolby Digital mix. Both cuts of the film feature DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks, and when it comes to effects, surround channel usage, and dialogue reproduction, they're practically identical. Conversations are always cleanly recorded and easily understandable, balanced at the top of the mix, and while the rear speakers don't get a tremendous amount of play, you will hear some quiet wintry ambience and casino clamor, the reverb-heavy acoustics of the Chicago train station and the lonely violin music of a busker filling the soundfield. None of this is particularly immersive, but it sounds fine and definitely adds to the experience. Of course, the two versions of Thin Ice feature drastically different scores. The original, by Alex Wurman, is a more plinking, shambling mix of banjo, piano, drums, and upright bass, while Jeff Danna's music for the theatrical cut is standard-issue comic hijinks fare, the kind of stuff you might hear while someone is sneaking around in a rom-com. In other words, cliche. For those that might need or want them, the disc includes optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles, which appear in easy-to-read white lettering.
Knowing that Thin Ice—sorry, The Convincer—got so drastically worked over by its distributor without director Jill Sprecher's involvement or consent, I was curious to compare the two cuts and see if Sprecher's original is any better. The differences are there, but I've gotta say—it ultimately doesn't make much of a difference. Both versions are held back by the same basic structural problems and tonal tepidity. Thin Ice is lukewarm—it could definitely stand to be darker and funnier—and its ending beggars belief. That said, Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin are compelling together onscreen, and Billy Crudup is memorably batshit crazy. The performances aren't quite enough to rescue the film entirely, but they might make Thin Ice worthwhile for heist/comedy fans looking for a low-key laugh. The Blu-ray presentation is solid, and props to 20th Century Fox for opting to include both versions of the film. I'd advise a rental.
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