Cutter's Way
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Movie Reviews of Cutter's Way
Movie Review: Wealth, Power, and Commitment
Summary: 5 Stars
Brilliant allegorical film about wealth, power, and commitment in America. Judging from other reviews, the film does not appeal to everyone. That's understandable. The characters are almost uniformly dislikable, from the abusive Rich (John Heard), to the egotistical Alex (Jeff Bridges), to the self-pitying Mo (Lisa Eichorn), to the slimy George (Arthur Rosenburg)-- there is no one left to root for. At least not until later when the two crippled halves of Bridges and Heard finally unite, figuratively and literally, into one potent whole. Then we realize that it's toward this completion that the twists and turns of the movie have been moving all along. (I think this also explains why the Ann Dusenberry character drops out at a critical stage. She is no longer needed to get the two together.)
Rarely has any film dared to create such an unsympathetic cast of personalities, especially Heard's Richard Cutter. If he has a single redeeming quality, I can't find it. His loud, grating voice annoys, piling on one sarcasm after another, oblivious to the hurt he causes. Like Mo he wallows in self-pity, and even shamelessly exploits his disability. Then too, his pursuit of the god-like J. J. Cord should appear noble, yet seems more the result of paranoid rage than a desire for justice. In fact, Heard's explosion of anger on the Santa Monica pier is among the scariest, most convincing expressions of pent-up emotion that I've seen in many years of movie watching. Perhaps he can be charitably viewed as an avenging angel, in the manner of Lee Marvin in Point Blank. But that's a a stretch, since the Vietnam War has left him literally half-a-man, a berserk little top spinning around on alcohol and apoplexy, which, of course, is why he needs the able-bodied Alex to carry out his obsession.
Yet Bridge's Alex Bone is an ultimate floater, getting by on boyish good-looks and charm. He has no concerns beyond himself, even seducing the vulnerable Mo, while husband Cutter is away. Apathy is his natural state. So trying to get him to act on the murder he's witnessed is like trying to push a big rock uphill. In fact, when he finally does blend with Cutter's rage and act, it's only because of Cord's arrogant 'sunglasses' gesture, and not because of a sudden steadfast commitment. In most films, it would be the handsome Bone riding the white charger and storming the heavens, having undergone a last minute conversion, and finally giving the audience someone to root for. Here, however, it's the wild spirit of Cutter who rides to the rescue, having at last gotten his legs back if only for a moment. Thus, contrary to expectations, the only concession to Bone is a compromised last minute one.
There is, of course, a political subtext to all of this as one perceptive reviewer points out. Perhaps it's about how criminal wealth and power exist beyond the reach of ordinary folks, and how a commitment for change gets dispersed by escapism and a popular feeling of powerlessness, which can only be corrected by what appears a radical form of madness. But allegories aside, this is a bitter brew that does not go down easily. More than that, however, it remains a superb cult film whose provocative characters and perplexing imagery stay with you long after the screen has gone to black.
Movie Review: Truly excellent Cinema
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Movie Review: Cutter King
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Movie Review: Classic "David and Goliath" Tale.
Summary: 5 Stars
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.Movie Review: Vietnam anyone?
Summary: 4 Stars
Remember Vietnam anyone?
Yes, it was a long time ago, but John Heard's character Alex Cutter is a victim of that horrific war that exposed US foreign policy as one that believed it could control political developments in Southeast Asia -- and the world for that matter-- under the now completely discredited Domino Theory as the wise men who couseled LBJ ("Hey, Hey LBJ- how many kids did you kill today?")and gave LBJ false counsel to Lyndon Baines Johnson, who except for the monstrous blunder that "his" foreign policy was "their foreign policy".
Except for his Vietnam blunder would be rated as one of the best Presidents in US History: the Great Society, passage of landmark civil rights legislation under LBJ etc. Contrast LBJ with the puny "w" for example of a strong itelligent President who had to serve under the glossy veneer of John F. Kennedy who didn't amount to "squat" compared to LBJ.
Johnson had no background in foreign policy so he had to -- or believed he had to -- rely on this group of old cold war warriors. Most of them left over from the Kennedy era -- the best and the brightest as the late David Halberstam ("Making of a Quagmire" was his famous book from that conflict) called them: Robert McNamara, Dean rusk , the McBundy brothers, Clark clifford, an ancient Washington fixer "extrodinaire"lawyer and some others but their common denominator was their rigid belief that Communism was a monolithic theory and did not have any nationalist variations e.g. the communism of "Red" China ( that is how arrogant these old men were, they insisted on calling the new China "Red" China as if that tiny enclave on the island of Formosa was the real China.
But Alex Cutter, the character that John Heard plays -- in role that should have at least received Heard a nomination for Best Actor for that year -- represents all of the young men who were wounded physically and menally from that bogus conflct that cost the US 57,000 dead. And many more left with life altering wounds that would never heal, sacrificed on the altar of Anti-Communism and of course the real victims of the US war "On" Vietnam not "In" vietnam because that's what it was: total war using Napalm, Agent Orange and many more chemicals that the tiny country of Vietnam served as the experimental "trial country" for the use of the newest weapons in the arsenal of the military, the courageous people of Vietnam who lost many millions and their beautiful country despoiled by the US chemical warfare using Agent Orange and many more defoliants, and chemicals all with unknown side effects and longevity in the environment.
These old men who were fixated on the past --"containment was their mantra" -- and could not see the political evolution of nationalism taking place in that tiny country in southeast Asia. The French had abondoned Vietnam -- the last of their colonial possessions in their "sphere of influence" -- as their total defeat at "Dienbenfu" by Ho Chi Mien and his nationlist followers who represented the new breed of Communism: nationalist communism that didn't take its signal form Moscow or Peking as the Chineese capital was known then (Bejing now) and handed off that area of the globe to Uncle Sap whose foreign policy -- if it could be called that -- was under the control of the Domino Theory "real politic" tough guys.
Anyhow, that is the background or setting of this vastly underrated classic "film noir" with superb performances all around under the great direction of Ivan Passer. Alex Cutter played by John Heard is contrasted to the laid back character of Richard Bone as played by Jeff Bridges in his usual competent style, who for my money is one of the best Actors in Hollywood. The movie is set in the exclusive community of Santa Barbara, California where the rich and super rich live and control this lovely city on the western edge of California.
A young women is mysteriously killed in the opening sequence of the film and that becomes the basis of this conspiracy classic as Alex obsesses with the identity of the young women's killer. Also a wonderful performance from Lisa Eichorn who never really made it in Hollywood despite her obvious talent. Well, I don't want to spoil it for you but either buy this classic or rent it -- if it can be found -- amidst the junk of Blockbuster or Hollywood rental companies.
Also, a superb musical soundtrack with haunting music that is perfectly matched to this fine movie that had to be retitled: it was originally
"Cutter and Bone" but the title proved to be too strong and the new title: "Cutter's Way" was chosen. But regardless of the title this in one of the best classic film noirs ever made.
Nuf said.