THE CRYING GAME
A film review by George V. Reilly
Copyright 1992 George V. Reilly
THE CRYING GAME is a film written and directed by Neil Jordan. It stars Stephen Rea, Jaye Davidson, Forest Whitaker, and Miranda Richardson. Rated R for nudity and mature themes.
THE CRYING GAME is Jordan's best film since MONA LISA. After a string of flops---THE MIRACLE, WE'RE NO ANGELS, and the awful HIGH SPIRITS---it's a profound relief to know that he is still capable of making a film that is both thoughtful and gripping.
This is a difficult film to review. To discuss it properly would require me to give away many of the surprises it holds in store for you.
Stephen Rea plays Fergus, an IRA terrorist, who helps kidnap Jody, a black English soldier played by Forest Whitaker. The IRA want to exchange Jody for one of their own men who is being interrogated by the British. If he's not handed back to them in three days, the IRA will kill Jody. Fergus has a kinder nature than the other kidnappers, who see Jody only as a bargaining token, and he is gradually befriended by Jody: Fergus feeds Jody, talks to him, and spends many hours guarding him alone. Jody grows to trust Fergus and knowing that he probably won't survive, he shows a picture of his girlfriend to Fergus and asks him to look her up.
After the kidnapping ends in a bloody raid by the British Army, Fergus barely escapes with his life. Deciding to lie low for a while, he heads "across the water" to London, where he gets himself a job as a brickie on a building site. Jimmy, as he now calls himself, finds Dil (Jody's girlfriend, played by Jaye Davidson) and becomes friends with her. Of course, they start to fall in love. Life suddenly becomes far more complicated when the other survivors of the IRA cell catch up with him.
There are some obvious parallels to MONA LISA. In both, the stars are gentle, kind, naive men trapped in circumstances beyond their control, with obligations to their ruthless bosses. In both, they fall in love with a beautiful, self-destructive black woman (though in neither film is their colour important).
THE CRYING GAME is not, however, a simple-minded reworking of MONA LISA. For one thing, it's not so bleak in tone. Dil is sweeter, more innocent, and less self-destructive than her counterpart in MONA LISA, and Fergus is made of somewhat sterner stuff than Bob Hopkins's character.
THE CRYING GAME is a voyage of self discovery. Fergus comes to learn about himself, about the nature of loyalty, friendship, love, and sexual attraction.
This is a wonderful film, much better than my meager reviewing skills are able to convey to you. THE CRYING GAME works well both as a thriller and as a love story. Jordan has filled the film with unheralded surprises, and the central surprise, the point upon which much of the film turns, was completely unexpected to most of the audience---including me. Not only are the direction and the plot excellent, but so too are the performances; in particular, those of Davidson (whose first film this is) and Rea.
I don't yet know which is the better film, MONA LISA or THE CRYING GAME. I'm not even sure if the question is worth asking---both are excellent films and the comparison is somewhat invidious. I do know that I will enjoy watching THE CRYING GAME again and that it's been too long since I last saw MONA LISA.
Recommended. One of the best films of the year.
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George V. Reilly
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