The Crying Game | | Cast : | Forest Whitaker, Stephen Rea, Jaye Davidson | | Director : | Neil Jordan | | Studio : | Lions Gate Home Entertainment | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | November 25, 1992 | | DVD Released Date : | August 19, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | March 13, 2005 | | Summary | Who, What, Where, When, and Why? | Content
 | This is a movie of complete originality. It is a rare movie that leaves much of an impression with me. This is one of those films.
I remember the hype surrounding the movie, but I didn't know the "secret" and I'm glad, for it would have completely spoiled the movie for me. I remember the mental gymnastics I went through while watching, trying to figure out what type of movie it was. An inter-racial love story? Nope. A British Army/IRA flick? Nope, not that either. A criminal with a conscience making good? Well, sorta, but not really. Oh, we're back to the inter-racial love story angle. Well, sorta, but not really. When the secret is revealed, you have to go back and rethink all previous conclusions, because everything you thought to that point is upended and you are forced to re-examine everything you thought up to that point.
To understate things, the main characters lead complicated lives and do not have easy decisions to make. The decisions they make, while impossible for me to have come to, seem true to the nature of each character and makes for a satisfying conclusion.
Great performances by the principal actors: Stephen Rea, Jaye Davidson, and Amanda Richardson.
This movie was overlooked at Oscar time that year, with Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven winning Best Picture that year. Jaye Davidson was criminally overlooked for an Oscar as well. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 05, 2005 | | Summary | One of Jordan's best films along with "Mona Lisa" | Content
| Still an amazing film over a decade later, The Crying Game continues to resonate with power due to its themes of obsession and redemption. Jordan's film plays tricks with its twisting plot structure and change in tone similar to its inspiration Vertigo. Stephen Rea plays Fergus a gunman for the IRA who helps take a soldier named Jody (Forest Whittaker) hostage. They plan on trading him for a senior member of the IRA being taken by the British. Fergus later becomes obsessed with Jody's girlfriend Dil (Jay Davidson) a hairdresser by day who performs in a bar in the evenings lip synching her favorite songs. Fergus begins to fall in love with Dil. Is it guilt that drives him into her arms? He's not sure. Suddenly, Fergus and Jude are thrust into the middle of the conflict between the IRA and the British. Fergus gets sucked into Jody's life and becomes obssessed with helping Dil and seeing more about the life of the man he kidnapped.
The plot is far more complex than the synopsis I've given. If you haven't seen the film (or heard about it), do yourself a favor to read as little about the plot as possible. While the surprises in the plot don't define the film's quality, they do involve the viewer in the story. So keep it simple and just rent the movie (or buy it if you've seen it before). With strong performances from Rea as the world weary Fergus, Richardson as the aggressive and hateful Jude, Whitaker as Jody and Davidson as Dil, The Crying Game demonstrates Jordan's uncanny skills as a storyteller and film director. The fact that it wasn't recognized with only an Oscar for writing is a crime considering what was released the same year.
With a crisp, clear image The Crying Game looks particularly good in this DVD transfer. The bright colors and grainy textures of the original film are well reproduced. Although the darker sequences of the film occasionally look a bit murky, the transfer looks exceptionally good overall. The 5.1 surround sound mix and 2.0 mix both have great presence.
We get the originally shot ending of the film which differs substantially from the final version. The BBC's Channel 4 originally agreed to back the film but only if Jordan would write and shoot a different ending from the final version (the one that's seen in the film is the original version as written). This version is included from a VHS rough assembly of the film so doesn't have the best picture quality but does provide an idea of what the film might have looked like. Northern Troubles is a documentary looking at Ireland from two different view points; an Irish Catholic and Protestant Loyalist who drove the filmmakers around to interview people about the making of the film. Interestingly, it provides considerable insight into the current and past political troubles of this beautiful country. Images of violence and conflict appear everywhere throughout the landscape. The Making of The Crying Game bundles together a number of featurettes to produce a documentary that provides a comprehensive look at the film's production. Featuring Stephen Rea, Neil Jordan and many of the principle production members, it can be viewed in one sitting or watched as individual featurettes. Stephen Wooley the producer of the film discusses the nasty reception that the film received at Cannes by American distributors.
There's also a discussion of Miramax's part in effectively marketing a very difficult film to an audience used to popcorn thrillers. Wooley discusses the press reception and how Miramax used this for a brilliant marketing campaign that captured the attention of audiences but also focusing encouraging viewers to not discuss the "secret" of the film. We also get the original trailer and a featurette on Madame Jojo's today.
Neil Jordan provides a comprehensive commentary track focusing on the visual images that inspired the story including the places from his childhood that showed up in the film. Jordan also discusses the twists in the plot so, by all means, watch the film prior to listening to it with the commentary track.
Lion's Gate has done a great job of updating and upgrading this terrific film for DVD. The previous version looked very good as well but the image quality in this anamorphic transfer gives it the edge. The inclusion of a commentary track, documentary and featurettes gives viewers an idea of the world that The Crying Game occurs in. The crisp, sharp image quality and overall transfer looks exceptionally good as well making this essential for fans of the movie.
|
| Rating | | | Date | January 31, 2005 | | Summary | THE ENDING WE ALL WANTED!!!! | Content
| Let me start by saying that I am a guy that loves his action, horror, sci-fi, explosion, special affect, mindless rollercoaster ride, types of movies; and have always had the sexist, narrow minded, ignorant, views concerning "Romantic Chick Flicks". However, (as much as I hate to say it) 'THE CRYING GAME', might well be one of my all time favorite movies. This movie relies on simply an awesome story, and acting, that will take ones breath away (in more ways than one). I believe this movie should be required viewing for any acting class, or any student of acting looking to broaden their skills, outside the contemporary norms. I truly believe the only reason JAYE DAVIDSON (who I would say played one of the most convincing and moving roles ive ever seen)didn't win the OSCAR was due to the fact that he embarassed the judges who pick the winners to this yearly Hollywood farce; in that he a virtual unknown, could come out of no where, and put on a performance that shook almost every person that watched the movie. Its funny, the hard part about talking about this movie is found in not wanting to give the "SPOILER" to those that havent seen it (thus I will wrap this up). The Collector's Edition is a gem, for in it we the many fans (and you know who you are) get to see the alternate ending we really wanted (well at least the one I wanted haha). Yet, after some consideration, I was left to understand (sadly) that Neil Jordan got it right the first time. So if you're like me and you've seen the 'GAME' more than once, or was left with a feeling of disappointment at the ending of the movie, check the COLLECTOR'S EDITION just to see what could have been. And to those who haven't seen it, if you are looking for a movie that will challenge everything you've ever believed in regards to love, sexuality, and the inner beauty of what makes us who and what we are, or simply want to see some of the most memorable acting that has ever graced the silver screen, make it a point to rent or buy this movie ASAP. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 27, 2005 | | Summary | In the end the story matters more than the infamous surprise | Content
| Unfortunately by the time I got to the theater to see "The Crying Game" I already knew about the big surprise. I had been avoiding seeing or hearing anything about the movie and was flipping channels when I paused on David Letterman long enough for him to give away the big surprise. I was no more happy with his off-the cuff revealation than I was when Charles Schulz revealed the ending to "Citizen Kane" one Sunday in "Peanuts." However, in the final analysis what makes Neil Jordan's 1992 film really memorable is not the big surprise, but rather that the writer-director comes up with a fourth act to take what has been set up in the previous three to a new level.
[I will endeavor to write this review without giving away the big secret although in the wake of Jaye Davidson's Oscar nomination and Billy Crystal's memorable song about "The Crying Game" at the Academy Awards there cannot be too many people who are not in on the surprise at this point.]
Act One has Jude (Miranda Richardson) enticing Jody (Forest Whitaker), a English soldier stationed in Northern Ireland, into an IRA trap. Jody is taken to a secluded house in the forest where he is watched over by Fergus (Stephen Rea), who seems to have more of a conscience that the rest of the group. Maguire (Adrian Dunbar), the leader of the group, plans on exchanging Jody for members of the IRA held by the British, but neither Jody nor Fergus think there is much chance of that happening. The question is whether Fergus is going to be able to shoot Jody when the inevitable moment comes, and while this could be (and has been) the subject of an entire film, it is only Jordan's opening act.
In Act Two we find that Fergus has changed his name to Jimmy and is doing construction work to hide out from both the British and the IRA. Haunted by a photograph of Jody and his girlfriend, "Jimmy" visits the salon where she works and has Dil (Jaye Davidson) do his hair. Jimmy is attracted to Dil, but his feelings include a mixture of guilt as well. Clearly this relationship is headed for the inevitable moment when Dil finds out that Jimmy was involved with what happened to Jody. Again, this is a storyline that has been the subject of entire movies, but the twist is that before Dil finds out Jimmy's big secret, Dil has a bigger surprise for Jimmy.
As we get into Act Three the focus is clearly on what will happen to the relationship between Jimmy and Dil. Jordan does a reasonable good job of playing it as being able to go either way, and although we have our suspicions given what we know about Jimmy, I think we are dealing with shades of gray rather than clearcut black & white. It is at this point that Jordan earns his fifth star by coming up with a final act where what happened in the previous acts comes back with a vengeance.
Ultimately, what makes this a very good film is the simple fact that you do not see how the end game is going to play out (including the final scene and the song selected for the fade to black). There are certainly those who saw the big surprise coming from the start (I went to the movie with one of those people), but beyond the strong feeling that things are not going to work out well in the end the ending of "The Crying Game" is not at all predictable. Besides, what matters is not what happens but what Jimmy is trying to do, against the mounting odds.
The credit for the success of this film clearly goes to Jordan, as writer and director, which is amply evidences by the "alternate ending" provided on the DVD. This was the ending first shot for the movie, at the dictate of the backers, but was jettisoned in favor of the ending originally written, which was then shot. But "The Crying Game" also has the advantage of Rea's moving performance. He makes what his character feels and does seem totally believable in the face of an entire series of truly bizarre situations, and whatever shortcomings there are in the first time performance of Davidson are more than counter-balanced by what Rae does in this film. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 22, 2005 | | Summary | What's Love Got to Do with it? | Content
| The only other phenomenon around this film bigger than the movie's brilliant "plot twist" is trying to explain why we love it. In review after review, one sees, "I'm not sure what it is about this film..." Well, for as long as we've been around, human beings have hungered for connection and love, the very fuel for romance and drama. And I think the mystique of this film is that it allows us, vicariously, to experience that most compelling of loves, unconditional love. The characters in this film, uniquely in recent cinematic history, share with us a story of unconditional love that draws us in and breaks our hearts open, but never without a touch of humor.
Kudos to writer/director Neil Jordan for his creative vision. Apparently inspired by a news article about IRA operatives enticing and entrapping British soldiers with sex, Jordan created one of the most intriguing storylines put to celluloid. Whether it's the political thriller that bookends the film and is always lurking in a BMW nearby, or the entrancing love story that unfolds in the center, this film is from start to finish about how human nature guides and colors our relationships. Probably the film's thesis moment is an exchange between two characters: the "Scorpion and the Frog" story versus a quotation from the Bible, "...I put an end to childish ways," which not by accident comes from Paul's famous "love passage" in I Corinthians. One character has become resigned to the fate of human nature; another believes in the possibility of change.
Those who don't recall or never paid attention should know that Oscar nominations were made for Stephen Rea (Best Actor) and Jaye Davidson (Best Supporting Actor). Forest Whitaker is good, at moments remarkable (he was on top of the game at the time), but not always convincing as soldier Jody (it could just be the accent). Miranda Richardson is coldly right-on all through the film as the steely IRA "volunteer." The dialogue is tight, witty, and convincing. There are incredibly touching moments shared between Rea and Whitaker, and then Rea and Davidson. Now-recognizable actors Jim Broadbent as the bartender and Ralph Brown as the cast-off train-wreck lover "Dave" are a stitch as supporting characters.
But it is Rea's humorously understated "Fergus" and Davidson's delightfully sensual "Dil" who make this thing work. Both imperfect everyday people with a nature for love and kindness, they make choices about their lives that place them in the midst of people who don't love, but rather are driven by passions that harm. Eventually, their circumstances elicit a surprising response from one of them, but then, love can do that. And the way they choose to love one another unconditionally, despite various revelations through the film that would drive most people away from one another, sucks us in and keeps us riveted all the way. One of the best films I've ever seen. |
|
Picture 01 (20)
