#stephen dorff

A mind made for murder.

The Iceman is a film by Ariel Vromen. I have never heard of him before this, but he does a decent job creating a film with a lot of potential, but with a lack of direction on its story and its characters’ developments, which ultimately makes this film a lackluster portrayal of a ruthless killer.

Richard Kukliniski was dubbed the “Iceman” after his victims were found to be frozen in order to hide their time of death from the coroners. He rose from low level illegal pornographic distributor for the mafia to favored hitman for the New Jersey and New York crime families; over the span of his illustrious 30+ years as a contract killer he has claimed to have killed over 100 people. During that time span he also raised a family, of whom knew nothing of his troubled career. This film is based on a true story of an inherently evil being who has claimed to have no emotions towards the killings of others.

A lot of the problems in this film revolve around its own timespan. Because Kuklinski is a sociopath and exactly when he started killing are left to our own interpretation the film suffers, for it begins to develop a plot and then goes off track just as quickly. The focus becomes less and less about the psychological nature of what makes Kukliniski so fascinating and more about the betrayal that comes with the territory of being a criminal. There wasn’t enough method in the film to his killings, this was a big “no-no” for me considering a lot of these details are already readily available via the HBO’s documentary/interview with the real Richard Kukliniski.

However, The Iceman is enriched with excellent performances, from all of its actors as they are introduced into the film almost like the ghosts that inhabited Scrooge’s dreams in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Each significant visitor being played out in short segments of pure brilliance. It is in these short moments do we get to see where the film shines for it is after each of these interactions do we as an audience get to see Kukliniski’s character lose his way, more and more.

Specific moments that stood out for this film were his interactions with his brother played by Stephen Dorff as he visits him in jail, as well as his interactions with his own wife played by Winona Ryder, and lastly his brief “divine intervention” with James Franco.

These actor’s performances really stood out for me for they are the driving force towards Kuklinski’s actions. His brother revealing that they are cold-blooded killers and unfit for society, his wife anchors what little humanity may or may not exist within Kuklinski, and lastly with James Franco’s character we realize Kuklinski is truly crazy for he questions God’s inability to stop himself from killing others, he even pauses his execution to give God an opportunity to stop him.

I am glad this was made, for Vromen is a talented director. He was able to make sense of a screenplay that should have otherwise been a movie that almost hit the 3 hour mark, but is abridged into just under 2hrs, presenting a lot of beautiful detail but failing to elaborate on a lot of it as they are short handed with cliche story telling to keep the film with a duration that can appeal to many. He just has to be careful on his next projects for I am sure this film will garner him attention in Hollywood.

Michael Shannon delivers a chilling performance as his burly disposition slowly turns from nihilism to pure evil. If this film wasn’t enough to prove his talent, I don’t know what will.

¾

-DK

Starring Elle Fanning and Stephen Dorff

Directed by Sofia Coppola 

Johnny Marco (Dorff) is a hollywood bad-boy. Though he’s an actor by trade, Johnny spends most of his time drinking, driving recklessly, and having casual sex. His lifestyle comes into questions, however, when his daughter Cleo (Fanning) comes to stay with him after her mother disappears. Johnny must keep Cleo with him through his daily exploits until she is to be sent off to camp. He is forced to rethink his concept of love, success, and self.

Johnny Marco seems completely apathetic to his own life. He’s numb, willing to do anything for a thrill. This is established by the film’s opening shot in which he’s driving his Ferrari around a track. While the speed of his drive is exciting, the tedium of the shot’s length and repetition is overwhelming. Johnny frequently indulges in drugs and alcohol, even when alone. His hotel room is littered with empty liquor and pill bottles. However, these vices never seem to bring Johnny any pleasure. When stripper come to perform for him, he falls asleep momentarily. This isn’t even the only promiscuous exploit that brings Johnny to a slumber. He’s spoiled and completely numb to all pleasure. Throughout the film, we witness several women throwing themselves at him. They expose themselves to him, invite him along, or indulge him in sexual favors. Johnny’s assistant and manager also micromanage his time, best illustrated on the press day for his new movie, alleviating Johnny of any sense of responsibility. He’s also very apathetic towards the film industry. When a fan who aspires to become an actor comes up to Johnny at a party to ask for advice, he is totally indifferent. Johnny has no passion for his own trade. The disconnect between himself and the entertainment business is best illustrated during the Italian award show; Johnny literally cannot understand anything about it other than the fact that he’s being highly praised. At the press conference, film experts ask Johnny questions well past his interest and intellect, making him visibly uncomfortable. He also reveals to Cleo that he hasn’t read any of the scripts sent to him. Johnny is completely numb to and dissatisfied with everything in his personal and professional life.

We also see Johnny’s self-loathing. Although Johnny supposedly lives the life of a glamorous movie star, he spends most of his life alone. His constant isolation is epitomized when he’s having a mold taken of his head. The long, drawn out shot of Johnny sitting alone with his senses muffled by the plaster covering his face symbolizes how lonely and deprived he is. He would even prefer the negative attention from the paparazzi to his painstaking isolation, demonstrated when he speculates that random cars are those of photographers. Also, Johnny’s masculine ineptitude is highlighted when he has to stand on a stool to take pictures with his female costar. Additionally, he resents his lack of accountability for himself, illustrated by a documentary on self reliance Johnny stays up watching. Throughout the film, an unknown number is texting Johnny hurtful and discouraging comments. I believe this is his subconscious, illuminating his deep insecurities. The climax of the film is when Johnny finally becomes in touch with his self-loathing, proclaiming, “I’m fucking nothing. I’m not even a person.”

When Cleo comes to stay with her father, his life begins to change. In the lobby of the hotel after their return from Milan, a man in the lobby sings a song about love and companionship. Listening intently, Johnny and his daughter hold each other in a moment of solidarity and contentment that he so desperately needs. Aside from Johnny being more excitable when she’s around, we really see the impact Cleo’s had on her father once she leaves for camp. He has the chance to sleep with various women exposing themselves on his way up to his hotel room, but he ignores them and heads inside. Instead of calling for room service, Johnny makes himself dinner that night, demonstrating how he’s more responsible for himself. He’s more in touch with his emotions, calling Cleo’s mom and crying over his shortcomings. At the very end of the film, Johnny pulls his Ferrari over on the side of the highway and walks away smiling, symbolizing how he’s now rejecting the fast life. Clearly, Cleo was the awakening Johnny needed.

But while we witness Johnny’s development, he’s still a bad father. At the beginning of the film, his shortcomings as a parent are clear. He doesn’t know Cleo figure skates, but she’s been doing it for several years. Johnny also encourages other women to sign his cast that just Cleo had signed, ruining their special moment. He even asks on a Sunday why she isn’t in school. As they spend more time together, his love for and attention towards Cleo evidently grows, but he still fails as a father. Johnny brings a woman into their hotel room in Milan while Cleo is sleeping. He takes his eleven-year-old daughter to a Vegas casino. Also, the only time he apologizes to her for being absent her whole life is when a helicopter is muffling his voice, and she can’t hear. Clearly, he still has a long way to go.

In general, I like this movie. I think Coppola (dir) brings an interesting perspective to an overdone “shallow success” trope. As the daughter of a world famous filmmaker, Coppola’s childhood wasn’t too different than Cleo’s. Instead of showing the glamor of the film world, Coppola shows us little moments that only she could think of. If you are not a fan of Coppola’s style, you won’t like this film. The drawn-out (but beautiful) shots used to convey the tedium of Johnny’s life will be too boring for some viewers. I would even argue that this film went on 10 minutes too long. Nonetheless, Somewhere is an overall great watch.

17/20

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