Flick of The Day: The Crying Game

I'm a big fan of Neil Jordan, he is one of the best directing talents to come from these shores with a back catalogue full of interesting and intelligent cinema like the previously reviewed The Good Thief and Angel without even mentioning two of his best works Mona Lisa and today's flick of the day The Crying Game. If you are the kind of individual that likes to categorise things then Jordan's career can be split into distinct periods starting off with smaller dramas like Angel before Mona Lisa propelled him to Hollywood. This led to some questionable career choices like 1988's Steve Guttenberg starring High Spirits and 1994's Interview with The Vampire before returning to smaller pictures such as 2009's Ondine. However along the way he produced today's flick of the day which confirmed his talent as storyteller.

The Crying Game

Stephen Rea, a Jordan regular, is Fergus a reluctant IRA gunman who becomes part of a plot to kidnap a British soldier in an attempt to force the British to release one of their own men. The soldier, Jody played by Forest Whitaker, is a cricket playing West Indian from Tottenham who has no knowledge of why these people hate him so much. Lured to his captors by the callous IRA operative Jude, a cold Miranda Richardson, he soon finds himself hooded and tied in a remote rural safe house. Fergus is given the task of looking after Jody and taking pity on him befriends the young soldier. This leads to a grudging mutual respect. They share stories of their lives outside the conflict. Ultimately the IRA ploy fails and they decide to execute the hapless Jody but not before he asks Fergus to look in on his girlfriend in London. Fergus is unable to shoot him but as fate would have it Jody is knocked over by a British Army vehicle while escaping as the security forces raid the safe house. Making a narrow escape, Fergus heads for London to seek out Jody's girl. This builds into a psychological drama with a shocking conclusion as Fergus past catches up with him.

This film has undoubtedly been overshadowed by the twist in the tale, something which made headlines on release and undoubtedly helped to make the film a financial success but to focus on it is to overlook a decent film. Stephen Rea is excellent as the man with split loyalties between doing his job as a terrorist and being a human being. His performance exudes empathy throughout and really carries the audience through the second half of the film.

Fergus: What the fuck, do you know about my people? 

Jody: Only that you're all tough, undeluded motherfuckers... And it's not in your nature, to let me go! 

Fergus: Shut the fuck up, will ya?

Equally important to the plot is Jaye Davidson as Dil, Jody's girlfriend. It is Dil's interactions with Fergus which create the psychological element in the second half of the film which keeps the audience involved. We are left to wonder what Fergus motivations are for doing what he does. Is it guilt or voyeurism? He seems almost obsessed with finding out about Dil's life with Jody. 

While Jordan has crafted a strong thriller here, it is as much a character study of people with damaged lives and a past they can't easily forget or escape. It is this study of relationships and human nature which elevate the film to another level. It is a testament to this storytelling that the big twist when it comes is still a surprise yet somehow seems a natural event given the little hints earlier in the film.

Fergus: As a man said, it's in my nature. 

Dil: What's that supposed to mean? 

Fergus: Well... there's this scorpion, you see, and he wants to go across a river. Well, he can't swim so he goes to this frog, who naturally enough can swim. And he says, 

[imitating the scorpion's voice] 

Fergus: "Excuse me, Mr. Froggy. I want to go across the river." 

[continues narrating] 

Fergus: So the frog accepts the idea. The scorpion hops on the frog's back. Suddenly, the frog: "Aah!" He feels this sting! "You stung me! Why did you go and do that?" The scorpion looks at him and says, "I can't help it, it's in my nature"

All in all then a film that you really should see. Surely one of the best films of the 1990's and a definite touchstone in any retrospective of Jordan's varied career. Jordan would go on to make a number of succesful films but perhaps none is as complete as this. The Good Thief is enjoyable and Michael Collins is a must for any Irish person though perhaps not as accessible to outsiders while the less said about Jodie Foster starring The Brave One the better. Still, he remains a major talent now devoting his energies to the television epic The Borgias.