FilmReview----TheCryingGame(focusontheblackelements)

TheCryingGameoffersarareandpreciousmovieexperience.Thefilmisanunclassifiableoriginalthatsurprises,intrigues,confounds,anddelightsyouwithitsfreshness,humor,andhonestyfrombeginningtoend.AnunlikelykindoffriendshipdevelopsbetweenFergus,anIrishRepublicanArmyvolunteer,andJody,akidnappedBritishsoldierluredintoanIRAtrapbyJude,anotherIRAmember.Whenthehostage-takingendsupgoinghorriblywrong,FergusescapesandheadstoLondon,whereheseeksoutJody’slover,ahairdressernamedDil.Fergusadoptsthename“Jimmy”andgetsajobasadaylaborer.HealsostartsseeingDil,whoknowsnothingaboutFergus’sIRAbackground.ButtherearesomethingsaboutDilthatFergusdoesn’tknow,either.TheCryingGameisreallytwoplotsinone,theplotwiththeIRAandtheplotwithDilformingseparatestories.Itbeginsasatypicalcivilwarthrillerandtransmutesintoanalluringandstrangelovestory.Tome,thisisntreallyalovestoryinthetypicalsense.Thisstoryismoreaboutloyaltyandatonementthanitisaboutanythingelse.Theblackelementsinthefilm:A.SettingandAtmosphere:ThebackgroundofthefilmisduringtheBritishcivilwar.Aswecaneasilyseethatviolence,death,terrorist,andassassinationaretheprimarymoodofthefilm.Inthesameway,muchofTheCryingGametakesplacearounddingyLondonstreetsthatarelinedwithlonelinessratherthanpavedwithgold.DildrinksmargheritasinTheMetrowhere,inwhatisalmostaparodyofaseedyEngland,asecond-ratesingerintonesTheWhiteCliffsofDover.Sexualidentitybecomespartofthisscenario.B.Character:Jody:theblackBritishsoldierisluredbyJudeintoanIRAtrap,staysinthemindnotasamilitarypresencebutasamanwithsavoredmemories,andrealfearsofdeath,whichsuggesthissad,gloomy,andpessimisticmood.Jude:thetypicalfemmefatale,theIRAwoman(inthesecondhalfofthefilmsheresemblesagangstersmoll),whousesherbeautytoinduceJodyinthebarattheverybeginningofthefilm.Inthewholestory,aswecanfindthatJude’sbrutaltreatmenttowardsJodyandhersuddenappearanceinLondonreflectherdouble-crossing,unloving,mysteriousanddesperatecharacteristic.Fergus:theIRASolider,whosekindnaturalisencouragesbyJody.AftertheBritishtroops’attack,heescapesformtheIRAinIrelandandendsupinLondon.HechangeshisnameandwantstohavenothingtodowiththeIRA,butfoundandaskedtodoanothermissionbyJude.Despitethealienation,hiskindnaturalhelpshetotransformfromdilemmatodisenchantment.Dil:Jody’s“girlfriend”,theonlygoodwomanisnotawomanatall.Heisatransvestite,andparanoia.C.TheBlackhumorinthefilm:Asthetitleindicates,musicisimportantinthefilmas,indeed,itisanessentialelementinJordanswork.ThesongfromwhichTheCryingGametakesitsnamewasaSixties’hit.Othersongsplayacentralrolethatbecomesmoreapparentasthefilmgoeson.Theyinclude“WhenAManLovesAWomanand,inaneattouchattheend,StandByYourMan.Thatlastsongleavestheaudiencelaughing.Thefilmhasmanyothermomentsofhumourandthescriptisoftenhilarious.OnesuchmomentoccurswhenFergushelpsJody,whosehandsaretied,topee.Dil’sfriendscelebratedinthebarber’sasDilfindsaboyfriend.Etc.Tosumup,thisfilmiswonderfulonsomanylevels.Thestorylineisheartbreakingandsuspenseful,andittugsatyourhearttoo.Keepanopenmind-theresalotmoretoitthanthequot;secretquot;thatyouprobablyalreadyknowabout.