Cutter's Way

It is not worth looking at Passer's film as a usual film from the crime genre. The crime is pushed into the background and traditional investigation of the perpetrator does not play a crucial role in the film. It is rather a starting point for the development of a psychological drama about coming to terms with the consequences of the Vietnam War and the critical atmosphere of the 70s in the USA. The main driver of events is not the main character Bone, but his disabled friend Cutter, who exchanges the stagnation of survival for an effort to catch the suspect of the crime, who is a local rich man. This level could work, but I had problems accepting both male characters - neither of them was sympathetic to me, despite both actors doing a decent job. The core problem is in the screenplay and when you don't cheer for the film's protagonist, it is difficult to do something about it. Overall impression: 60%. (03/03/2012)

Although I'm not particularly fond of Jeff Bridges (outside of The Fabulous Baker Boys) or John Heard, I have to admit that, forgetting the shards Passer left behind in Czechoslovakia, his exile work is probably most reminiscent of Miloš Forman's rebirth. While Forman went within himself, assimilated, and made it to the Oscars, he never suppressed his own perception of the world. Passer, on the other hand, assimilated and fortunately put the New Wave cries completely behind him, and his films in exile can be considered films, not the various attempts and experiments of most of his migrant contemporaries and their family members. (06/06/2011)

Ivan Passer is not a director I've particularly followed so far, but I must say that after the film Cutter's Way, I may find the time to pay a little more attention to his work. It's a bit of a detective movie and a bit of an action spectacle, but it still has social depth. That's what I liked about the film. (05/08/2016)