“The Ice Harvest” Directed by: Harold Ramis

Starring: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Randy Quaid, Connie Nielsen and Oliver Platt

Rated: R (for violence, bloodshed, adult language, nudity)

Running time: 88 minutes

Best suited for: Noir-, heistand crime-genre fans

Least suited for: The holiday fun-filled thriller seeker Acorn Rating Guide:

I suspect “The Ice Harvest” will appeal to the dedicated noirist, but others take note: the film is not the comedic romp thathe trailers depict. This one’dark, a pessimistic glimpse ogreed and betrayal that comes up for air now and then to share a chuckle, then returns to plumb the depths of human deceptionseeking more victims.

John Cusack plays Charlie Arglist, a surprisingly timid mob lawyer living in Wichita, KansWhen Charlie discovers a way to steal two mil from his crime boss, he doesn’t have the backbone to carry out the crime. Buhis sleazy associate, Vic (Billy Bob Thornton), is more than happy to assist, and together they pull off the heist. Now they muswait out a Christmas Eve ice storm before they can escape.

But it’s going to be a long night. “The Ice Harvest’s” setup ipretty decent. Charlie is the type of guy who can’t keep his mouth shut and Vic’s the type who doesn’t mind cleaning up afteCharlie’s mistakes, whatever the

cost. Charlie’s drunken buddyPete (Oliver Platt, the film’s comedic scene stealer), who’s married to Charlie’s ex-wife, furthecomplicates matters—but we soon realize that whateveCharlie does this evening ilikely to prove detrimental.

For even diehard noir fans“The Ice Harvest” may begin to seem familiar in places. The “hitman’s in the bathroom” shtick worked in “Pulp Fiction”; the knife in the foot is reminiscent of “A History of Violence”; the lover’s lethal dual graced “Prizzi’s Honor.” Even the Christmas motif has backdropped films like “Reindeer Games” and “Bad Santa”—and once you begin piling on the numerous tried-and-true gimmicks you begin to sense that “Ice Harvest” may be more amalgamation than innovation.

There’s a “Fargo”-like aura to this film—not only in the scenes of winter desolation but in the general feel of misery, a near hopelessness in everyone you come across in Witchita. But where “Fargo” used the chirpy optimism of Police Chief Gunderson (Frances McDormand), “The Ice Harvest” lacks such buoyancy. Charlie seems destined to self-destruct—or at least doomed for betrayal. And while the film’s beginning doesn’t give too much away, before long you suspect where this one is heading.

Director Harold Ramis (“Caddyshack,” “Groundhog Day,” “Analyze This”) has always served up a healthy dose of skepticism and edginess in his comedies, although “The Ice efforts. A dissertation on Christmas yuletide perhaps? Ramis’ tongue may be too far in cheek for some viewers, although noir aficionados (the aforementioned “Fargo” crowd) may find some delicious irony in Charlie’s predicaments. I suspect this one is largely a matter of taste.

In a nutshell: Forget the chipper promos, “The Ice Harvest” concerns a heist gone awry for John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton, and no one’s laughing. There’s barely enough comedic underpinning to cover the tracks. The film may be just the noir fan’s ticket, but for holiday chuckleseekers, expect a dark and brooding tale of betrayal and consequence.