Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageCutter's Way (1981)
Director: Ivan Passer
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
A dazzling film noir out of the same paranoiac mould as Klute. It begins with classic murder as a girl's body is stuffed into a trash-can one stormy night. When the killer is tentatively identified as a fat-cat oil tycoon, stern retribution against the powers who never pay for their sins is demanded by Cutter (Heard), a horribly mutilated Vietnam veteran who hounds the tycoon to his doom, guilty or not. But the quixotic Cutter is gradually transformed into an Ahab pursuing his Moby Dick, and the hallucinatory quality of the film comes from its view of California as a paradise turned into a hunting-ground for the leviathans of speculation. As three minnows threshing desperately to avoid being engulfed, Cutter, his drunken wife (Eichhorn), and his beach-bum best friend (Bridges) are caught in a nightmarish personal triangle of extraordinary, constantly shifting complexity, rippling with secrecies and ambivalent emotions that escape easy definition. Amazing performances from Heard, Bridges and Eichhorn in one of the key films of the decade.Author: TM
Cast & crew
Director: Ivan Passer
Producer: Paul R Gurian
Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Heard, Lisa Eichhorn, Ann Dusenberry, Stephen Elliott, Nina Van Pallandt, Arthur Rosenberg, Patricia Donahue full cast
Genre(s): Film Noir
Duration: 109 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now