"In the Cut" manages to answer a question only a few of us were asking, and even fewer really wanted to know — can a serial-killer movie be insufferably pretentious?
Now we know. The answer is yes — and how!
As such, it continues the post-Oscar slide of filmmaker Jane Campion, who has followed her acclaimed 1993 drama "The Piano" with a couple of real clinkers, including "The Portrait of a Lady" (1996), "Holy Smoke" (1999) and now this deadly dull erotic thriller, based on the best-selling novel by Susanna Moore.
Worse, she's dragged along quite a few talented people with her, led by Meg Ryan, who gives what can best be described as a brave performance in the role of Frannie Avery, a New York creative-writing teacher.
Frannie may be a crucial witness in a grisly dismemberment crime, since she may have seen the man responsible, as well as the victim, in a bar. Unfortunately, that also makes her a target. She is justifiably paranoid, especially since she's gotten involved with Detective James Malloy (Mark Ruffalo), whom she suspects of being the killer. But then again, one of her students (Sharrieff Pugh) has considerable knowledge of serial killers. And her ex-boyfriend (Kevin Bacon) seems pretty unhinged.
By the time the film gets around to revealing whodunit, you may already be asleep. Especially as Campion fills the film with all sorts of arty touches that are supposed to keep things interesting, such as camera work that is constantly zooming in and out of focus.
None of the grimy characters are the slightest bit appealing or sympathetic, although the performances are what save the film from being one of the year's worst. Ryan's turn as the confused witness shows she's more than just a cute comedic actress.
Despite wearing one of the worst cinematic mustaches in recent memory, Ruffalo is also solid as usual. But Bacon and Jennifer Jason Leigh are wasted in underwritten supporting roles that practically force them to overact, or at least more than they normally would.
"In the Cut" is rated R for frequent use of strong sexual profanity and crude, explicit sexual talk (including use of slang), graphic scenes of sex and other sexual contact, full female and brief full male nudity, graphic gore, violence (a shooting and violence against women), use of racial epithets and brief drug content (prescription sleeping pills). Running time: 118 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com