A Neil Jordan film about the IRA and a transvestite? Didn't I already watch this and wasn't it called Breakfast on Pluto? No, not even close.Members of the IRA kidnap Jody, a British soldier, to hold as hostage until one of their leaders is released from prison. Fergus spends three days watching over Jody, and they form a strange bond. Knowing the IRA will surely kill him, Jody asks Fergus to find his girlfriend Dil back in London and make sure she is alright.
When the time comes for Jody's execution, Fergus cannot bring himself to do it, and Jody escapes, only to be run down by a British Army tank that has found the IRA's hideout. Fergus escapes the shooting of the hideout and makes it to London, in the pursuit of Dil.
In case you've been living under a rock for the past 16 years and are not privy to cinematic pop culture, Fergus finds Dil, falls in love with her only to find out she's a man. And that is why this movie is so famous, or infamous.
But looking beyond the big shocker of the film, it's actually a very intriguing story all around. This bizarre love subplot is beautifully bookended between the tales of a terrorist-driven thriller. On paper, The Crying Game must have looked like a big joke, yet Neil Jordan was able to transition from one chapter to the next seamlessly.
The characters, well layered and fleshed out, are portrayed honestly by the cast, instead of easily being stereotyped. Knowing Dil's secret prior to the revelation, did not take away from Jay Davidson's performance at all. Even after Dil is exposed as a man, Jay Davidson still played him brilliantly as a woman, raising the bar for gender bending performances.
If the big twist is the reason you'd like to see, or completely avoid, this film, just keep in mind The Crying Game actually has much more to offer than this shocker.
Rating:
5 pieces of fan mail:
i liked this movie, not sure why. Yes the shock is a bit much, but it is a decent dramatic piece.
Don't forget that Stephen Rea is in both this and Breakfast as well. I somehow missed how completely similar the two were when I saw Pluto in the theater. Oh, and we could always stand to see more of Rea. That guy's awesome and underused - he was one of the best parts about V for Vendetta, and I love that movie.
It's been forever since I've seen Crying, but yeah, it's kind of a shame that the shocker trumps everything else about it. Good for pub I suppose, but people forget that it's really a great movie with great performances and important subject matter.
I was stunned at just how much I loved this movie. I found the relationship between Fergus & Dil to be interesting and sweet. Knowing about the "big reveal", I was surprised to find out that the movie was really about terrorists! The performances were amazing (don't forget about Forrest Whitaker!).
Scary Film Reviewer: I agree. I fear that many are prejudging the film on the shock alone, and it's more than that mere 30 second scene.
Fletch: Yep, Stephen Rea is awesome. He was one of the few redeeming qualities in Breakfast, IMO. Loved him being evil in Interview with a Vampire too, yet another Jordan flick. Very underused indeed.
Mom: I agree about Dil & Fergus' relationship. It was mesmerizing to watch after the big revelation. I was stunned how Fergus put it all aside to still protect Dil. And yes, Forest was very heartbreaking as Jody.
What I find most surprising about this movie isn't the Dil "reveal," but the way it affects how we perceive the gender of the other characters. In fact, Dil comes off as being more truly "womanly" than Jude, who by the end is almost masculine in the way she threatens Fergus sexually. And poor Fergus...well, he's just sort of emasculated by all of it.
As for Neil Jordan, I think he is a great director (I'm a big fan of The Butcher Boy, also with Stephen Rea). It's really a shame to see him throwing away what makes his work great in order to try and break more into the mainstream, like he did with The Brave One.
Post a Comment