Review of The Crying Game (1992) by Kenneth L — 03 Jun 2011

Do not let anyone tell you the plot twists of this movie before you see it. I already knew the big plot twist going in, because I had read it in a book years ago and never forgotten it, but I wish I hadn't; a lot of the effect the movie would have had was lost because of that. Still, I can certainly admire and enjoy the film for the utterly original and intelligent work that it is.

I'll just say what the set-up is. Or, not even the full set-up, just the principal characters involved: an Irish Republican Army operative who's really too nice to be a proper terrorist, a British soldier, and the soldier's girlfriend. The (deservedly) Oscar-winning screenplay involves some combination of interactions among these characters, and I'll say nothing further.

Stephen Rea, with his naturally pensive face, is just right for playing the part of the too-nice terrorist. Forrest Whitaker is very good as the soldier, acting in an accent and register I had never seen him in before. Jaye Davidson's performance as the girlfriend is utterly fascinating.

The film is well-made and everything - it even got Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Film Editing. Its cinematic style is straightforward realism. This is one of those movies where the real strength lies entirely in the characters and storyline, and both of those elements here are about as original and intriguing as it gets. Watch it, and don't read anything else about it until you've seen it.