In the Cut
Directed by Jane Campion
Review by Rada Djurica
In the Cut is directed by Jane Campion and produced by Nicole Kidman. "This must be interesting," you might say. But is it?
Can you imagine Meg Ryan masturbating? Can you see her playing anything else other than the lead in a romantic love comedy? I didn't think so.
Ryan has never had the chance to fulfill her potential. There are two things In the Cut illustrates: women/actresses are not necessarily more restrained than men when it comes to making B-grade exploitation productions, and it's almost impossible to make a compelling mystery/thriller.
This movie is not a typical 21st century film; it looks like it was made in the '80s. If you've grown to expect "surprise" revelations about cop murderers, you'll find it cheesy and predictable. The ending is unsatisfying, because it is a cliché with too many coincidences, and it still doesn't make sense as a complete film.
I must admit, having Ryan in this role is a very interesting
idea. Meg Ryan belongs to the '80s so perfectly that casting any other
actress would make this movie easier to ignore. If there was no big name
film director, no big stars, the film would be worth only a midnight television
screening.
Ryan is Frannie, a gentle New York City teacher looking for sex, but too shy to go out and get it. She meets detective James Malloy (Mark Ruffalo) while he's investigating in the neighborhood for body parts from the latest victim of a serial killer. The sparks between them cannot be denied, and they end up in bed together.
Meanwhile, a mentally weak ex-lover (Kevin Bacon) is stalking her, and the serial killer strikes again.
Frannie and her sister live in the worst part of the city, full of prostitutes. The question is what are they doing in the flat above a strip club if they're such good girls? If one sister is a writer and a teacher, what is the other sister doing in that dreadful flat, if she's not a stripper or a prostitute? I wonder what Jane Campion wanted to say here?
The police are trying to catch a mass murderer, whose victims
are prostitutes. Then he kills Ryan's sister, who is not. Or is she? The
details are unclear with blurred messages. The protagonist, a teacher
and a lonely writer, is sexually involved with a cop she begins to suspect
is a killer.
Meg Ryan displays just about every asset that God gave her, including nudity, which has always been a big deal for her. Ryan has gone on record saying that she accepted this role, with all that accompanied it, because she was interested in completing her image transformation.
I understand that a woman can get sick of the sickly sweet image from all those romantic films. There are so many actresses who have fallen into clichés but are much better than that. Still, I don't think this character is the one to break that image, especially since it's such an average film.
Ryan certainly shows another side to herself: her breasts and beautiful body. The film observes her simulating intercourse, masturbation, and viewers get to determine how closely her "serious" orgasms match the famous fake one from When Harry Met Sally.
If your reason for seeing In the Cut is to watch America's sweetheart stripped, you'll get what you're looking for. On the other hand, if you're looking for a good movie, or for an actress proving her talent and making a transformation, you'll be disappointed. Nudity and explicit sex scenes can prove how good an actor is. This is certainly not Ryan's best role, although it is her most different.
As for the material, it's adequate at best. Mark Ruffalo does a good job in his role of a self-centered cop, although I'm not sure that's the intention. I think we're supposed to like Malloy, as a macho '80s character. If so, he fails, because even after great sex scenes, his character is not entirely positive.
Kevin Bacon is the most amusing character of all, and perhaps the best actor in the film. And — surprise of surprises — Jennifer Jason Leigh keeps her clothes on.
This is a rather transparent movie, and no erotic content can cover up that simple truth.