Thin Ice

In a snowbound Wisconsin town, a sly insurance salesman named Mickey Prohaska sees his world crumbling as his cons falter and his reputation shrinks. Desperation nudges him toward a dangerous partner, Gorvy Hauer, a man with a chilling edge. The plan is to lift a rare violin from the isolated home of a reclusive farmer, hoping a quick score will fix everything. But the scheme draws them into a web of tension and risk that unsettles both men and pulls in a local cast of peculiar characters, including Randy, who has his own questionable motives, and Bob Egan, a bystander whose presence complicates the math. The film blends dry humor with a bleak mood as winter tightens its grip, turning a routine scam into a moral test for everyone involved.

Directed by Jill Sprecher from Karen Sprecher's original screenplay, Thin Ice arrived in 2012 as a dryly comic crime drama set in a wintry Midwest. The film favors restrained visuals and deadpan dialogue over action, using the cold landscape to reflect the moral chill at the story's center.

Greg Kinnear plays Mickey with jittery charm while Alan Arkin underplays Gorvy with menace, giving the pair uneasy chemistry. Billy Crudup as Randy brightens the mix with dry wit, and David Harbour as Bob Egan supplies a wary counterpoint. The film probes greed and deceit and how a simple theft spirals into personal reckoning, all against a snowbound landscape that heightens unease.

Though the performances are solid, Thin Ice did not secure major award nominations. Critics praised the tight ensemble and the way the cold Wisconsin setting amplifies moral tension. Some reviews noted uneven pace at moments, but the film remains a capable example of offbeat genre blending.

Since its limited release the film has remained a quiet footnote in the indie crime scene, with few quotes or scenes that echo in pop culture. It appeals mainly to fans of its cast and to viewers who enjoy a wry take on crime ethics and wintry mood.