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.
Rating: 
Summary: The System Wins out Every Time
Review: This film is a throwback to the dark noir of the 40's and 50's.One character seems to be living in a paranoid fantasy that eventually turns out to be the truth.Not many films examine the dark side of big business or the fear that it spreads from person to person.John Heard plays Cutter,a man who no longer adheres to a social code.Society gave him a war to die in so a select bueracratic group could grow fat and he no longer feels a need to justify their power over his soul.What this film shows is that when a civilization's foundation is corrupt at the very core,you will either spend your entire life living a lie or you will fall victim to other people's entrapment.Catch-22 either way,the lucky ones regain their dignity by dying young.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliantly acted and engrossing thriller.
Review: This has been one of my favorite films since I first saw it in 1981. Painful and moving at times, very black and funny at other times, but always always driven by the brilliant performances of John Heard, Jeff Bridges and Lisa Eichorn. (The best thing John Heard has ever done.) This thriller set in post-Vietnam California will remain in your mind through its brooding storyline, sharp, memorable dialog and compelling scenes. Director Ivan Passer has a perfect touch with his actors. I have never forgotten this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Cutter's Way
Review: This is a somewhat confusing movie, but I loved it because I was living in Santa Barbara at the time (where this movie was shot)with a woman I was crazy in love with. Funny how connections are made. I am also a Vietnam Vet.
Rating:
Summary: an engrossing murder mystery
Review: When Cutter's Way was first released in theatres in 1981, it tanked at the box office thanks to bad press from The New York Times and a nervous studio still smarting from the bath it took on Heaven's Gate. A good film almost disappeared from sight. Fortunately, the advent of video, and now its debut on DVD, has given this unusual film a second chance that it so richly deserves. Jeff Bridges proves once again that he is one of the best American actors working in film today. He portrays Bone as a man afraid of commitment, content to do little, but fall back on his pretty boy looks to bed any woman who crosses his path. As one character tells him, "Sooner or later you're going to have to make a decision about something." This could be the underlying thesis of the whole film: making decisions, taking a stand about something. John Heard's Alex Cutter is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He desperately wants to get involved in something, anything to stop living life in a bottle of alcohol. And so, he latches on to the murder mystery with the ferocious tenacity of a pitbull. Heard plays Cutter like a character straight out of a Tom Waits song. His performance, complete with raspy voice and cynical outlook on life, recalls many of Waits' down-on-their-luck losers that populate his songs. The actors vividly breathe life into their respective characters creating the impression that they exist beyond what we see on the screen, that in some way we already know them and that they'll continue to exist after the film ends. Director Ivan Passer also deserves credit for creating this world. From the haunting opening shot of a parade, caught in dreamy slow motion (thanks to Jordan Cronenweth's superb cinematography), filmed at first in black and white and then as the credits fade in and out it gradually becomes colour, Passer draws the audience into his absorbing drama. Cutter's Way contains strong visuals to contrast the ambiguous story. Nothing is spelled out for the audience, even right up to its conclusion. Do we support Cutter's obsessive conspiracy theories or Bone's refusal to get involved? Following in the grand tradition of short changing this movie, MGM has decided to include only the theatrical trailer on the DVD. What about a retrospective featurette? All the principals are still alive and I'm sure would love to talk about this movie. Or an audio commentary? Jeff Bridges contributed an excellent one on the Against All Odds DVD so he's hip to the format. A lot of missed opportunities here.
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