Cutter's Way (1981)

This adaptation of the Newton Thornburg novel "Cutter and Bone" stars Jeff Bridges, John Heard, and Lisa Eichhorn in its principal roles. It's a sad, cynical story of friendship and loss, in a post- Vietnam, post-Watergate America. Bridges is Richard Bone, an unambitious but likable young stud currently earning a living as a yacht salesman. Heard is his friend Alex Cutter, a bitter, confrontational, and disabled veteran. And Eichhorn is Maureen, the despairing alcoholic whom they both love. One night, when his car breaks down in an alley, Richard sees a man disposing of a body. That man just might be filthy rich J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliott), and Alex relentlessly prods Richard into doing something with this knowledge."Cutter's Way" is more of a character study than anything else, taking a blunt, unflinching look at our three flawed protagonists. Cutter bemoans the lack of "heroes" in the world, and doesn't approve of the way that Bone avoids commitments. Maureen doesn't get much love or affection from her husband Cutter, and finds herself drawn to the more easygoing Bone. All three of the leads are impressive, especially Eichhorn. But it's often Heard that steals the show; his Cutter is a force of nature much of the time, although the character is not without humanity.Czech-born director Ivan Passer gives us a film that is noticeably low key and slowly paced, so it won't appeal to all tastes. The main draw really is the acting, although it's commendable that the story isn't patently predictable. It's up to us to decide if Cord really is guilty of the crime.The offbeat music score by Jack Nitzsche (reminiscent of his music for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" at times) and the gorgeous photography of various Santa Barbara locations are a big plus. Also among the supporting cast are Ann Dusenberry, Arthur Rosenberg, and Nina van Pallandt; look for Billy Drago in a bit as a garbageman.Fairly compelling stuff, with some truly sobering moments.Seven out of 10.

The brilliance of "Cutter's Way" is that it keeps you thinking about the witnessed crime in the film's opening, but it's really about the three main characters; individuals so adrift and hurting that you just hope for some kind of catharsis for these people. John Heard and Lisa Eichhorn really shine because of this, although Jeff Bridges is no lightweight. This is a crime/character drama that I couldn't peel away from. You get the unshakable feeling that everything about the picture Heard's character has painted for us is wrong, and that we're heading for a very tragic ending. But it speaks to the narrative's strength that I had to find out, one way or the other. And it is most certainly a sad end (ambiguities and all), which continues to haunt after the credits finished rolling. Outstanding movie.8.5/10

Alex Cutter (John Heard) is a drunken disabled war veteran. His wife Mo (Lisa Eichorn) is also a drunken mess. Their best friend Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges) is a witness to a murder, and he thinks that the killer is this powerful oil tycoon JJ Cord (Stephen Elliott). Cutter refuses to let it go, and together with the victim's sister Valerie Duran (Ann Dusenberry) harasses Bone to get JJ.The main drawback is that their plan was never going to work. If they really thought about it, they would see it as a fool's errand. The plan actually insulates JJ from any testimony from Bone. The plan actually helps JJ.However we know Cutter is a drunk bastard. So I'm willing to believe that he would come up with a poorly constructed plan. It's the acting that is so superior in this. John Heard really goes all out, and Jeff Bridges' calmness makes them the perfect duo. I just love how crazy John Heard gets. He really shines.

Picked this up for a dollar in Victoria, heard nice things about it without any clue what it was about. Turns out to be one of the two or three best scores of my whole VHS-spelunking sojourn this year, a lost almost-masterpiece from the tail end of the seventies' adult drama period, drenched in class consciousness and ironic distance. The characters in this sorta-mystery about some losers aiming to 'get' a mysterious cheerleader-murdering (?) millionaire are unlike any I've seen in an American movie. You feel like you've seen them all before but not on screen. There's something very off-center about the whole picture, from the fascinatingly unpredictable failings of the leads to Jack Nietszche's Morricone-goes-to-LA soundtrack, but it also stands up for commitment in the face of utter futility, an inspirational and timely theme! I can forgive the speechy bits although they stick out like a sore thumb. And who decided to drop Ann Dusenberry in the third act? Her hormonal glare shtick is unlike any dead-cheerleader's-sister in movie history, one more cool thing in a movie that is full of them.