Greg Kinnear Gets Over His Head in "Thin Ice"

“Thin Ice” at Living Room Theaters

Also opening at Living Room Theaters is “Thin Ice.” Greg Kinnear usually plays likable good guys. Not this time.
Kinnear is Mickey Prohaska, a desperate, dishonest insurance agent in the frosty climes of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Mickey is separated from his wife Jo Ann (Lea Thompson) and we can see why. He is not honest, reliable or faithful, but he is greedy.
Mickey is always on the lookout for easy money. When he tries to sell an insurance policy to a gullible old man (Alan Arkin), he spots what he thinks could be a valuable old violin.
“Borrowing” money from his estranged wife’s bank account is the first step into a web of deceit. Soon Mickey will be dealing with a volatile ex-con locksmith known as Randy (Billy Crudup), a Chicago violin expert and collector (Bob Balaban), a dead body and more trouble than Mickey could ever conceive.
“Thin Ice” is a classic con and double-cross tale, written by Jill Sprecher, who also directs, and Karen Sprecher. Though terrible things happen to the characters it is also absurdly funny in an inky dark way. It’s good to see Greg Kinnear testing his wings on darker, edgier material. Mickey’s growing panic is convincing yet oh so well-deserved. Greg is good.