Original. Daring. Brilliant. In the Cut is better than most films I have seen this year. Meg Ryan is finally a true leading lady and the film's only real star.
A callous NYC setting jumps out of the screen. Loud background noise, harsh city silhouettes and Frannie (Ryan), an English teacher addicted to words, is in the middle of it all. With her sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh) along for the ride, Frannie tries to find some meaning to her otherwise lonely life. She is always questioning the world around her both literally and figuratively, inspiring her work in writing. She also struggles with intimacy, though her sister serves as a shoulder to cry on in that department.
Now, Frannie meets an attractive police officer (Mark Ruffalo) that's a bit rough around the edges. At first she doesn't know what to make of him, or the murder case he is investigating. A serial killer on the loose in her neighborhood doesn't seem to have anything to do with Frannie unless she likes the cop investigating it. Romance, sex, lust, love and sex explode into the plot, moving the murder to the back of everyone's mind.
As more women start dying, the serial killer becomes more of an issue, and the plot gets thicker. There is some strange link between all the deaths involving an engagement ring
Meg Ryan clearly nails the role of Frannie. Ryan has been notorious for her typecast roles as an upbeat, happy blonde, and her smile is easily recognizable. For years I think her fans have been waiting to see her in a demanding, unique role. In the Cut's Frannie is certainly not her typical niche; she smiles a total of once or twice. Also for the first time, Meg Ryan is clearly the lead of the film. Many times Ryan may have been in movies she was the star in, but she usually has a male counterpart in the film to support her. In the Cut leaves Meg Ryan exposed and finally allows her to shine.
The script is relatively poetic, but unfortunately, curiosity kills more film characters than cats. In order to survive, Frannie must take on a serial killer by herself. An even bigger problem is Frannie may know the killer personally but can't seem to distinguish the killer from her closest friends. Themes like betrayal, lust, love and loneliness are all explored in new ways from angles that other directors have avoided. Stream of consciousness has never been done better on film, a feat for which writer/director Jane Campion deserves all the credit.
The only possible problem is a lack of a true buildup and climax that many viewers look for. In this particular case, the irregular rhythm of the movie is obvious, but more likely to be ahead of its time than not up to par. I only hope the unique film is not too demanding on its audience. I give In the Cut 85 out of 100.
