Film review: The Crying Game (1992), directed by Neil Jordan
Jody (Forest Whitaker) is a British soldier taken hostage by a group of IRA terrorists and held for ransom. While one of the terrorists, Fergus (Stephen Rea), is guarding him, they strike up a conversation. Over the next couple of days (or so) they actually become friends, of sorts – as much of a friend you can get with a person who is most likely going to shoot you.
Jody makes Fergus promise to go see his girlfriend, Dil (Jaye Davidson), and take her for a Margarita at The Metro, a bar back where they live.
The execution order comes through, but some things get in the way. Fergus, however, manages to get away and goes to seek out Dil, a beautiful hairdresser that Fergus can’t help but fall for. But oh, if only things were that easy …
Also starring Miranda Richardson as Jude, Adrian Dunbar as Maguire, Jim Broadbent as Col the barman, and Ralph Brown as Dave.
There is one thing about this film you will probably have heard of before this. The Big Twist. However, if you already know what the twist is, it’s not a twist at all – you’re just waiting for the big reveal, all the while wondering how the hell Fergus can’t figure it out himself from the get-go because it’s so bleeding obvious. Even if I hadn’t known, I would still most likely have gone “hey, are you sure …?” pretty darn soon. But I digress. It was a different time back then. Things have changed now, and we’re more open about such things these days.
The Crying Game is just sort of a long film that goes increasingly weird, with a puzzled-looking Stephen Rea caught in the middle between wanting a shag and being a terrorist.
Not to say that it’s a bad film, it’s just … I don’t know. It’s such a well-known film that when it came on I thought it would be good to see it, but I didn’t much care for it. Well-acted, yes, certainly. Okay, as much as I like Forest Whitaker, his accent was all over the place. At times convincingly British, at other times, not so much. Interesting script, though, and I love Michael Collins (1996), so Neil Jordan has a thumbs up from me there. The Crying Game was just a bit too peculiar for my liking.
3 out of 5 cricket outfits.
