I love this movie so much

Truly Dreadful Film

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Viewed today, Ivan Passer's Cutter's Way seems even more clearly an expression of America's divisions and fractures: sleek images of privilege clash with outbursts of paranoia, dark fantasy and instability - the film's evasive mastery lies in the frequent difficulty of determining the dividing lines. Jeff Bridges' Richard Bone witnesses the late-night dumping of a murdered woman, and thinks the murderer may be a wealthy oil mogul; his friend Alex Cutter hatches a plan to tease out a confession by threatening blackmail; Cutter's wife Mo (Lisa Eichhorn) keeps much of her thoughts and her sadness to herself behind a fixed but fragile smile. John Heard's Cutter is a singular creation - an eye, arm and leg lost in Vietnam, he seems initially like a wildly provocative, undisciplined drunk, but it becomes clear that there's some methodical artifice to this madness, even if the only rational outcome of it is self-obliteration. The film hints at past entanglements, crimes and lost possibilities, suggesting that the outrage of Vietnam was only the most visible manifestation of the mess at home. And the outstanding ending delivers an emblematic charging toward justice on a white horse, foretold early in the film, but accompanied by pervasive confusion of a precisely plotted kind only achievable through immaculate creative clarity. When the mogul is finally directly confronted, there's a direct line from his chilling response - "What if I did?" - to (say) assertions about one's ability to stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and kill someone without losing voters; the stage is larger, but the challenge to stability and morality (or what's still intact of both) is the same. The main difference, beyond even what the film foresaw, is that our own rampaging mogul would hijack so much of Cutter's self-justifying paranoia, without any of its moral purpose.

Brilliant allegorical film about wealth, power, and commitment in America. Judging from other reviews, the film does not appeal to everyone. That's understandable. The characters are almost uniformly dislikable, from the abusive Rich (John Heard), to the egotistical Alex (Jeff Bridges), to the self-pitying Mo (Lisa Eichorn), to the slimy George (Arthur Rosenburg)-- there is no one left to root for. At least not until later when the two crippled halves of Bridges and Heard finally unite, figuratively and literally, into one potent whole. Then we realize that it's toward this completion that the twists and turns of the movie have been moving all along. (I think this also explains why the Ann Dusenberry character drops out at a critical stage. She is no longer needed to get the two together.)Rarely has any film dared to create such an unsympathetic cast of personalities, especially Heard's Richard Cutter. If he has a single redeeming quality, I can't find it. His loud, grating voice annoys, piling on one sarcasm after another, oblivious to the hurt he causes. Like Mo he wallows in self-pity, and even shamelessly exploits his disability. Then too, his pursuit of the god-like J. J. Cord should appear noble, yet seems more the result of paranoid rage than a desire for justice. In fact, Heard's explosion of anger on the Santa Monica pier is among the scariest, most convincing expressions of pent-up emotion that I've seen in many years of movie watching. Perhaps he can be charitably viewed as an avenging angel, in the manner of Lee Marvin in Point Blank. But that's a a stretch, since the Vietnam War has left him literally half-a-man, a berserk little top spinning around on alcohol and apoplexy, which, of course, is why he needs the able-bodied Alex to carry out his obsession.Yet Bridge's Alex Bone is an ultimate floater, getting by on boyish good-looks and charm. He has no concerns beyond himself, even seducing the vulnerable Mo, while husband Cutter is away. Apathy is his natural state. So trying to get him to act on the murder he's witnessed is like trying to push a big rock uphill. In fact, when he finally does blend with Cutter's rage and act, it's only because of Cord's arrogant 'sunglasses' gesture, and not because of a sudden steadfast commitment. In most films, it would be the handsome Bone riding the white charger and storming the heavens, having undergone a last minute conversion, and finally giving the audience someone to root for. Here, however, it's the wild spirit of Cutter who rides to the rescue, having at last gotten his legs back if only for a moment. Thus, contrary to expectations, the only concession to Bone is a compromised last minute one.There is, of course, a political subtext to all of this as one perceptive reviewer points out. Perhaps it's about how criminal wealth and power exist beyond the reach of ordinary folks, and how a commitment for change gets dispersed by escapism and a popular feeling of powerlessness, which can only be corrected by what appears a radical form of madness. But allegories aside, this is a bitter brew that does not go down easily. More than that, however, it remains a superb cult film whose provocative characters and perplexing imagery stay with you long after the screen has gone to black.

I liked this film and I liked the performances. But everyone saying the ending is ambivalent is not true.Plot SpoilerThe rich guy did it. And Bone sees justice is done by making his friend look responsible for it. Innocent people now matter how wealthy and powerful NEVER place sunglasses on their head and go "What if I did?" Folks, get a grip.The ending is a easy to figure out.Nice little film noir. No really great themes here except Cutter is Ahab. No one doubts the white whale is responsible for Ahab's wife's death. Just is Ahab going to let it go and live his life?Another SpoilerVery few alcoholics kill themselves by arson. And Mo wasn't drunk enough to fall pass out and burn herself up. It's another event easy to figure event.The film is still a bit of a Rorschach test. If you are one of those people who believe that rich, responsible people would never stoop to mob levels you will see the events as coincidence. If you are politically minded you will see it as commentary of American politics. If like me and you are into a nifty little film noir you will NOT be disappointed. The Vietnam war stuff is sauce to the goose in Cutter's character allowing the rich, cynical, and selfish to doubt his quest. Which IS very Quixotic - more sauce to the goose. Bone is a selfish playboy who sees everything in shades of gray - until the end. Ha ha - selfish to the bone?Nicely done. Applause.

This is what movie making is about. The real essence. Unfortunately most films today focus on just pure entertainment with use of astonishing, mind blocking action and explosion scenes. Movie making is about showing human beings in their life, because mankind itself is so multi layered and a secret in its own. This is mastered in excellence in the movie, the suspense is generated by the characters, a not often seen deep character portrayal. On the fly everyday themes like depression, dolor, friendship and love are addressed, integrated in a thrilling plot, which slowly develops, and culminates in a radical finish. With love and extraordinary detail a really special film from an artist . As conclusion: finest entertainment