Published via Ecency

(source: tmdb.org)

Even the relatively affluent communities have citizens that are less affluent than others, like the protagonists of Cutter’s Way, 1981 crime drama directed by Ivan Passer. Richard Bone (played by Jeff Bridges) lives in Santa Barbara, California where he works as a gigolo and takes care of his best friend, crippled one-eyed Vietnam War veteran Alex Cutter (played by John Heard). One rainy night Bone accidentally gets involved in a case of brutally murdered teenage girl, first as a suspect than as potential witness, because he saw the man that had dumped the body. During the city’s parade Bone recognises the man as J. J. Cord (played by Stephen Elliott), wealthy oil tycoon and one of the pillars of the community. While Bone doesn’t exactly know what to do, Cutter, embittered by war and angry towards the establishment, gets an idea to blackmail Cord and even recruits victim’s sister Valerie Duran (played by Ann Dusenberry) into the scheme. Bone’s indecision is complicated by his feelings towards Cutter’s long suffering wife Mo (played by Lisa Eichorn).

Based on the 1976 novel Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg, Cutter’s Way was supposed to be interesting combination of neo-noir and socio-political commentary. Script by Jeffrey Alan Fiskin provided little bit of both, but Czech director Ivan Passer failed to properly connect those two elements into proper whole. What ultimately makes this film interesting is intense performance by John Heard in one of his first major roles. He portrays Cutter as a man whose ideals, youth and health were lost in jungles in Southeast Asia and who tries to find some purpose in life through alcohol and sarcastic remarks before beginning near-suicidal crusade against local tycoon. Jeff Bridges, who is nominally the protagonist, is much blander and less interesting. Lisa Eichorn is relatively good in somewhat thankless role, while Ann Dusenberry is reduced to pretty face. Problems with script become evident during the ending, when Passer and Fiskin can’t make up their mind whether Cord was the actual killer or simply victim of Cutter’s paranoia and imagination. When Passer appears to make judgment, it is too late and ending of Cutter’s Way is quite disappointing. Apart from Heard’s acting, this film features very good cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth, which puts golden hour to good use in order to create melancholic atmosphere of twlolight and give clear hints that the characters’ best days are behind them. Music by Jack Nitzsche is often irritating and this film could have been better without it. Although watchable, Cutter’s Way misses too many opportunities to deserve recommendation.

RATING: 4/10 (++)