Thoughts on In the Cut

In July 2021, on Hulu I watched In The Cut, Jane Campion’s 2003 film in which Meg Ryan plays a teacher who gets entangled with a serial killer investigation and has a twisted relationship with a corrupt cop abusing his power over her. I had read the book ages ago and had seen the movie before. I don’t think it is as bad as it’s made out to be, as the book was a good dark thriller, and Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Jason Leigh give performances that feel above this movie’s level. The issues I had was that the cinematography is way too murky and shadowy, and not in that moody noir kind of way, but more like poor lighting that makes it hard to see what’s going on. I didn’t think it worked well for this film, it made it frustrating to watch.

Meg Ryan got a lot of grief for this role, and I’m mixed on her. She’s not terrible, and I’ve seen her be really good in drama before, like in Flesh and Bone and When a Man Loves a Woman. But she just felt out of her element in this movie, like she didn’t really know what she was doing, and didn’t really connect with the story as much. I know that all sounds vague, and I’m not sure how to articulate it better, but while her acting was competent, she didn’t seem to have the right ability to tackle this kind of noir/erotic thriller kind of movie.

I know that Nicole Kidman was Jane Campion’s original choice for the lead, and that she was busy at the time due to her personal life (divorce from Tom Cruise), but she really would have been much better. It did seem like a step down to go from considering Kidman to picking Ryan, whose career was unfairly in jeopardy after her affair with Russell Crowe, which she didn’t deserve to have fallout from, or getting picked on by the media for unflattering face work in her forties. I could think that a more cerebral kind of actress could have taken this on, or someone who was believable as a reserved teacher with a hidden darkly erotic side could do it.

It’s weird seeing Mark Ruffalo in these old roles where he played brusque asshole cops, because even if he is a great actor, his real self comes off as so shy and dorky that it’s kind of funny seeing him try on these roles to play tough alpha male types that seem so far from his nerdy personality. From interviews with him, it feels like Bruce Banner is more closer to his real personality than any of his cop roles.

Jennifer Jason Leigh did a lot with a role that felt like it had more potential, like finding the dark humor in playing Meg Ryan’s sister as a woman having an affair with a married doctor and wanting real love, not just sex with no-name guys. Like when she’s called to court by the doctor’s wife for a possible restraining order, she jokes about how when the doctor sees her, he’ll just fall in love with her right there and realize she’s the woman for him, as her wishful thinking. She’s great in this, and while I’m happy to see her appear in more recent work, it’s usually small roles or side parts, outside of The Hateful Eight, Anomalisa, and Atypical.

I generally like Jane Campion’s work, and felt like this could have been better with the right lead actress and more moody cinematography, but I don’t think it’s awful, it’s still watchable.