Don’t go into The Ice Harvest expecting Say Anything or even Grosse Pointe Blank — it’s not that kind of comedy and, honestly, calling it a comedy at all is probably setting up false expectations. Call it a film noir with gallows humor and you’re probably closer to the point, and ready for the slippery ride through Christmas Eve streets.

This is a darkly funny — of the more smiling, less laughing breed — crime story, in which the crime is complete almost before the opening credits are, and which follows the culprits trying to survive the next few hours until they can get away with it. There is a sense of quiet desperation to everything in the movie — including the life that this caper was supposed to take the cuplrits out of — that give the entire affair a certain underlying sense of despair.

Strong performances throughout, including the always-good Cusack, but also strong performances from Thornton, Platt and Quaid.

Recommended for that intersection of film-goers who both enjoy film noir and the novels of Carl Hiaasen.

Mr. Podegracz (et al) goes to Washington, Room to Grow: City hall, library, school district all spread out in new locations, School district moves from portables into former Main Street medical building, Oxford Owls land in their own nest, Sheriff’s Log, Hesperia Unified School District Police Log and other stories.