Cutter's Way

Rating:
Summary: Classic "David and Goliath" Tale.
Review: I loved this movie. The little guy (Heard) going after the big shot business man who commits a murder. The story is wild but very believable. A few twists and turns along the way. Bridges is great.

Rating:
Summary: Cuts through nothing.
Review: I read some great reviews that got me interested and excited about this film, but it just never happened. I had trouble following the story and the characters. I will admit, Heard's Cutter was outstanding. I was surprised that he was not up for an award for his role in this film, but Bridges just seemed to lack on every level. Unless he is handed an exceptional script, Bridges plays the same sort of character over and over again. I also had trouble with the female character of Mo in this film. It was never really understood what her relationship was to everyone until I read some reviews, which then made sense.

I also had trouble with Cutter's physical condition. It seemed like he was fully able to do everything, except sleep with his wife, as a normal person would. I guess that was the point. Create a character that is so believable that you don't see the physical condition. Too bad I did. I really wanted him to lift up his eye-patch to reveal to us that perhaps he was none other than One-Eyed Willy himself. That would have been a perfect twist.

There were gaping holes in this film as well. The plot seemed to jump around without any explanation. I needed more story on who the friend was and his connection to J.J. Cord. The girl that follows Bone and Cutter around seems to have disappeared midway through the film and it was her battle they were fighting. The only redeeming aspect of this film was the ending. My decent review of this film was dependent on the ending and it succeeded. The ending leaves all of it up to the viewer. The imagination can play wonders with this and I think it can be interpreted in anyway. I especially loved reading about the Hamlet reference that I didn't see it until now, but it makes perfect sense. That is why I watch these films. I want to see how other people see life and their representation on camera.

Overall, Cutter's Way was not a great film, but the ending redeemed itself in someway that I will never be able to explain.

Grade: *** out of *****

Rating:
Summary: Sometimes funny, rather poignant psychological thriller
Review: I was interested in this film because may years ago I had read the book, "Cutter and Bone" on which it was based. I remembered it took place in the post-Vietnam era and one of the characters was a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, crippled Vietnam vet. I had forgotten that the book had depressed me then. But viewing this video brought it all back to me. And I was depressed all over again.

The film is set in Santa Barbara and stars Jeff Bridges, as a drifter with an eye for women. John Heard plays his best friend, the Vietnam vet, and Lisa Eichhorn plays the vet's alcoholic wife. John Heard's makeup is great as it really looks like he has only one leg, one arm and one eye. He's a sorrowful sight but he's quite unlikable as he's an angry, scheming character with a sense of high drama. Some of his dialog is brilliant and opens a lot of cans of worms about what happened in Vietnam.

When Jeff Bridges stumbles upon a murder by an "upright citizen", John Heard convinces his friend to blackmail the murderer with the help of the victim's sister, played by Ann Dusenberry. What follows is a sometimes funny and rather poignant psychological thriller, with an underlying sense of tragedy. It's fast paced, well acted and deals with an interesting theme. I should have loved it. Right?

Wrong! I just didn't like it. It wasn't because the film wasn't good. I just didn't like the sense of anger and hopelessness throughout. And I didn't like any of the characters. The film ran a mere 105 minutes but I couldn't wait for it to end. I won't give it a poor recommendation though, because the film it did have its good points. I just couldn't get it to it.

Rating:
Summary: Sometimes funny, rather poignant psychological thriller
Review: I was interested in this film because may years ago I had read the book, "Cutter and Bone" on which it was based. I remembered it took place in the post-Vietnam era and one of the characters was a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, crippled Vietnam vet. I had forgotten that the book had depressed me then. But viewing this video brought it all back to me. And I was depressed all over again.

The film is set in Santa Barbara and stars Jeff Bridges, as a drifter with an eye for women. John Heard plays his best friend, the Vietnam vet, and Lisa Eichhorn plays the vet's alcoholic wife. John Heard's makeup is great as it really looks like he has only one leg, one arm and one eye. He's a sorrowful sight but he's quite unlikable as he's an angry, scheming character with a sense of high drama. Some of his dialog is brilliant and opens a lot of cans of worms about what happened in Vietnam.

When Jeff Bridges stumbles upon a murder by an "upright citizen", John Heard convinces his friend to blackmail the murderer with the help of the victim's sister, played by Ann Dusenberry. What follows is a sometimes funny and rather poignant psychological thriller, with an underlying sense of tragedy. It's fast paced, well acted and deals with an interesting theme. I should have loved it. Right?

Wrong! I just didn't like it. It wasn't because the film wasn't good. I just didn't like the sense of anger and hopelessness throughout. And I didn't like any of the characters. The film ran a mere 105 minutes but I couldn't wait for it to end. I won't give it a poor recommendation though, because the film it did have its good points. I just couldn't get it to it.

Rating:
Summary: Cluttered and Weighty
Review: Initially released as "Cutter and Bone", this movie was pulled from theatres and retitled after several critics panned it. Inexplicably, it became a film festival favorite and developed a minor cult following upon its re-release. My verdict? Those early critical drubbings were well-deserved. For despite a potentially dynamic plot setup and one successful performance, the movie is ultimately done in by a lackluster screenplay, some uneven acting, and substandard direction.

It all begins promisingly enough, with a fascinating title sequence followed by the introduction of Jeff Bridges as a two-bit gigolo who becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. So far, so good. Then John Heard enters as an obnoxious, bigoted, profane Vietnam vet-cum-amateur detective who uses his physical disabilities to excuse his ethical and moral shortcomings, and S-s-s-s! The plot quickly deflates into a slow, muddled study of his unpleasant character, losing its promising elements of suspense and mystery, and leaving the actors with the impossible burden of maintaining audience interest. Tellingly, Bridges, who can convey character nuances with a subtle flicker of his eyes or shift of his lips, is great in his role; but Heard, who relies mainly on a gruff laugh and a gravelly voice that wavers unsteadily between slurring and over-enunciation, is merely grating in his. As Heard's wife, the usually fascinating Lisa Eichhorn is thwarted in her underwritten and choppily edited role, and Ann Dusenberry -- whose odd character simply disappears without explanation near the end -- recites some of her lines as if they embarrass her (as well they should). None of the actors is assisted by Ivan Passer's lackadaisical direction, which lacks both energy and cohesion, and only the final abrupt cut that ends this mess shows any prowess on the part of the editor. Recommended for devotees of the consistently marvelous but underrated Jeff Bridges; other viewers beware!

Rating:
Summary: Cluttered and Weighty
Review: Initially released as "Cutter and Bone", this movie was pulled from theatres and retitled after several critics panned it. Inexplicably, it became a film festival favorite and developed a minor cult following upon its re-release. My verdict? Those early critical drubbings were well-deserved. For despite a potentially dynamic plot setup and one successful performance, the movie is ultimately done in by a lackluster screenplay, some uneven acting, and substandard direction.

It all begins promisingly enough, with a fascinating title sequence followed by the introduction of Jeff Bridges as a two-bit gigolo who becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. So far, so good. Then John Heard enters as an obnoxious, bigoted, profane Vietnam vet-cum-amateur detective who uses his physical disabilities to excuse his ethical and moral shortcomings, and S-s-s-s! The plot quickly deflates into a slow, muddled study of his unpleasant character, losing its promising elements of suspense and mystery, and leaving the actors with the impossible burden of maintaining audience interest. Tellingly, Bridges, who can convey character nuances with a subtle flicker of his eyes or shift of his lips, is great in his role; but Heard, who relies mainly on a gruff laugh and a gravelly voice that wavers unsteadily between slurring and over-enunciation, is merely grating in his. As Heard's wife, the usually fascinating Lisa Eichhorn is thwarted in her underwritten and choppily edited role, and Ann Dusenberry -- whose odd character simply disappears without explanation near the end -- recites some of her lines as if they embarrass her (as well they should). None of the actors is assisted by Ivan Passer's lackadaisical direction, which lacks both energy and cohesion, and only the final abrupt cut that ends this mess shows any prowess on the part of the editor. Recommended for devotees of the consistently marvelous but underrated Jeff Bridges; other viewers beware!

Rating:
Summary: Cluttered and Weighty
Review: Initially released as "Cutter and Bone", this movie was pulled from theatres and retitled after several critics panned it. Inexplicably, it became a film festival favorite and developed a minor cult following upon its re-release. My verdict? Those early critical drubbings were well-deserved. For despite a potentially dynamic plot setup and one successful performance, the movie is ultimately done in by a lackluster screenplay, some uneven acting, and substandard direction.

It all begins promisingly enough, with a fascinating title sequence followed by the introduction of Jeff Bridges as a two-bit gigolo who becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. So far, so good. Then John Heard enters as an obnoxious, bigoted, profane Vietnam vet-cum-amateur detective who uses his physical disabilities to excuse his ethical and moral shortcomings, and S-s-s-s! The plot quickly deflates into a slow, muddled study of his unpleasant character, losing its promising elements of suspense and mystery, and leaving the actors with the impossible burden of maintaining audience interest. Tellingly, Bridges, who can convey character nuances with a subtle flicker of his eyes or shift of his lips, is great in his role; but Heard, who relies mainly on a gruff laugh and a gravelly voice that wavers unsteadily between slurring and over-enunciation, is merely grating in his. As Heard's wife, the usually fascinating Lisa Eichhorn is thwarted in her underwritten and choppily edited role, and Ann Dusenberry -- whose odd character simply disappears without explanation near the end -- recites some of her lines as if they embarrass her (as well they should). None of the actors is assisted by Ivan Passer's lackadaisical direction, which lacks both energy and cohesion, and only the final abrupt cut that ends this mess shows any prowess on the part of the editor. Recommended for devotees of the consistently marvelous but underrated Jeff Bridges; other viewers beware!

Rating:
Summary: Truly excellent Cinema
Review: One of my all-time favourite films this is an example of first class cinema. Jeff Bridges and John Heard are unlikely friends, more friends of convienience though at the heart there is something solid. A lot of reviews of this film state that its too simple - a murder mystery in essence and a partial study of relationships. Though its more than that for me, its a study of the best and worse of people AND the weary way one can live ones life if we let life get on top of us. Bone (Jeff Bridges) is totally tired of life - seeking thrills if he can be bothered - only deciding on a life changing course of action in the final frame of this film. Cutter (John Heard) is a drunk Veteran - immoral to everyone but those truly close to him.

Im trying to not give too much away but I consider this to be a truly classic film. And what a score!

My apologies for a rambling review - watch this.

Rating:
Summary: Cutter's Way
Review: Stumbled across this movie by chance.All three leads are superb, giving the kind of charismatic, heroic, complex performances you so rarely see in Hollywood these days; the direction is deceptively simple, but subtly poetic and moving - it has the same kind of feel as the best of Milos Forman's American pictures (Cuckoo's Nest etc.), only with it's own gentle power.It's sort of a Film Noir/Character Study/Dropout Movie. Actually, waffling aside, it's just one of those movies you either clutch tightly to your breast after one viewing or aren't really going to care much for. Well, it got me and even though I'd like to think I found it first and it's my little secret, I know that's not true... Anyway, watch and enjoy; it's not perfect, it may not actually be great, but it should stab you in the heart a little, and take you on the kind of quirky, bumpy ride you might just need! Give it a try........

Rating:
Summary: Cutter King
Review: The alcoholic, blasphemous and "crippled" Cutter would not please Arnold fans. But for his crowd, he pulls out a heartbreaking display of bravery and follows his paranoia until the very end.

We have seen men like him on screen before, but they lacked the willingless to sacrifice themselves in pursuit of re-gaining self respect and the ability to turn "no-good" bystanders (Bone) in the process.

The off beat pace of the movie, the underacting and its noir tones very successfully dims the gut wrenching drama at play, without affecting the suspense.

The suspense? There is more of it in wondering where the Cutter's relentless path to self-destruction might lead to than in solving the murder mystery at play.

Simply worth watching for John Heard's perfect depiction of Cutter. Bridges (Bone) and Eichhorn are excellent as well.