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Cutter's Way (1981)

Cutter's Way (1981)
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After emigrating to the United States in 1969, Czech-born director Ivan Passer finally broke through to American audiences with his fourth film, a unique blend of mystery and social commentary. Cutter's Way is set in Santa Barbara, CA, a community of wealth and power. Its main characters, however, are among the town's have-nots: Richard Bone Jeff Bridges, a beach-boy gigolo starting to go to seed; Bone's best friend Alex Cutter (John Heard), a Vietnam veteran maimed in body and spirit; and Mo (Lisa Eichorn), Cutter's alcoholic wife. When Cutter spots one of the community's most prominent citizens in the act of covering up a murder, Bone insists that the police would never take their word over that of a man of wealth and prestige. Cutter seizes the opportunity to blackmail the killer, as a means of striking back at a system he thinks sent him off to an unjust war and ruined his life. The film was fortunate to fall into the hands of United Artists Classics, a new division of the company crippled by the financial disaster of Heaven's Gate. UA Classics adroitly marketed Cutter's Way, riding a wave of rave reviews and good word-of-mouth among more discriminating filmgoers to modest box-office success. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

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Starring:
Jeff Bridges, John Heard, (more)
Director(s):
Ivan Passer
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Cutter's Way

After emigrating to the United States in 1969, Czech-born director Ivan Passer finally broke through to American audiences with his fourth film, a unique blend of mystery and social commentary. Cutter's Way is set in Santa Barbara, CA, a community of wealth and power. Its main characters, however, are among the town's have-nots: Richard Bone Jeff Bridges, a beach-boy gigolo starting to go to seed; Bone's best friend Alex Cutter (John Heard), a Vietnam veteran maimed in body and spirit; and Mo (Lisa Eichorn), Cutter's alcoholic wife. When Cutter spots one of the community's most prominent citizens in the act of covering up a murder, Bone insists that the police would never take their word over that of a man of wealth and prestige. Cutter seizes the opportunity to blackmail the killer, as a means of striking back at a system he thinks sent him off to an unjust war and ruined his life. The film was fortunate to fall into the hands of United Artists Classics, a new division of the company crippled by the financial disaster of Heaven's Gate. UA Classics adroitly marketed Cutter's Way, riding a wave of rave reviews and good word-of-mouth among more discriminating filmgoers to modest box-office success. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
109 mins

Complete Cast of Cutter's Way


Director(s):
Ivan Passer
Writer(s):
Jeffrey Allen Fiskin
Producer(s):
Paul R. Gurian, Jeffrey Chernov
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Profanity, Not For Children, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Nudity, Violence)
Cutter's Way Awards:
  • 1981 - Edgar Allan Poe Awards - Best Screenplay
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Andy G.

    There were gaping holes in this film. The plot seemed to jump around without any explanation. I needed more story on who the friend was and his connection to J.J. Cord. The girl that follows Bone and Cutter around seems to have disappeared midway through the film and it was her battle they were fighting. The only redeeming aspect of this film was the ending. My decent review of this film was dependent on the ending and it succeeded. The ending leaves all of it up to the viewer. The imagination can play wonders with this and I think it can be interpreted in anyway. I especially loved reading about the Hamlet reference that I didn't see it until now, but it makes perfect sense. That is why I watch these films. I want to see how other people see life and their representation on camera. Overall, Cutter's Way was not a great film, but the ending redeemed itself in someway that I will never be able to explain.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Jim M.

    OK

    Yes   |   No

     
    Tracey T.

    Grim, cynical and affecting though story-driven, Cutter's Way illustrates the truth that men go to war but war comes back in men. John Heard and Jeff Bridges complement each other perfectly as the tormented Vietnam vet, Cutter--a zombie in a destroyed body--and the playboy, Bone, reluctantly dragged into manhood by Cutter's suffering. The film's artfulness is in its revelation that heroism is a disappointingly fickle human characteristic. Despite ourselves, we like Cutter and Bone and though we want to like them because they are heroes, we actually like them because they are failed, ruined men who hate themselves enough to evoke our empathy. All of this depth would weigh down the suspense if the flick weren't too well-paced to allow the characters to brood or the audience to sentimentalize. Cutter's Way is a thoughtful suspense film that is worth revisiting during an era in which the soldier's return to society is again at the forefront of our consciousness.

    Yes   |   No

     
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