The Cut

Led by Orlando Bloom in a rather transformative turn, The Cut follows a boxer past his hay day who jumps head-first back into a torturous world of extreme weight-loss before one final flight in Las Vegas. It’s the latest from British director Sean Ellis (Anthropoid, Cashback) -- but it’s also his latest effort as cinematographer. Whilst an uncomfortably visceral watch from beginning to end, it is outrageously disturbing and visually assaultive, particularly in its latter half.

There’s no question that Orlando Bloom is working at the height of his powers. This isn’t an actor who has always impressed this critic; but here, he demonstrates an undeniable devotion to the character and his craft. It’s also not quite as big of a performance as you might expect. For instance, this is miles better than DiCaprio in The Revenant who opts for a similar display of physical degradation and exposure, yet Bloom is nowhere near as showy and in your face, which helps this relatively small-scale drama out massively. It’s strong work from Bloom.

One could easily argue, however, that the secret weapon of this film lies in its stellar supporting performances from Caitríona Balfe and, of course, John Turturro. When Turturro enters the story at around the 30 or 40-minute mark, his constant berating and pleasingly sarcastic demeanour announces to the audience that they’re in safe hands. The character is just an absolute monster, and Turturro plays him with that wonderfully slimy quality which has defined many a good performance in his career. So, while it might be standard for the Barton Fink star, it most certainly lends the film a much-needed energy. (Side note: another Barton Fink parallel is the fact that both movies take place almost entirely in a hotel wherein the protagonist goes crazy while trying to achieve some empty goal.)

Some of the most effective sequences come during the most subjective, hallucinatory moments of visual craft. As exhausting as it may be, there’s no denying that the filmmakers successfully place the viewer into the perspective of a malnourished, exhausted man being exploited. And guess what? That makes for an incredibly unpleasant viewing experience! -- and outside of occasional strengths of craft and rock-solid performances, very difficult to recommend to your average cinemagoer. It should also be said that the occasional flashbacks to the protagonist’s complicated relationship with his mother are undoubtedly the weakest part of the film and feel as if they only distract from the bulk of the narrative.

But then again, perhaps the picture’s most admirable trait is its adamance not to fall into conventionally entertaining story-conventions of perseverance and heroism. It would be far more apt to compare this movie to a modern horror as opposed to a classic such as Rocky. Ellis manages to deconstruct a supremely troublesome kind of competitive, nothing-is-every-good-enough personality – and puts the protagonist through absurd exertion and mutilation to prove the point.

The Cut is a raw, cinematically disruptive look at the boxing world; most impressive due to the fact that very few sports movies choose to be about the gruelling, self-abusive weight-loss experience; and even fewer would allow itself to be as dour as this. Its dull, by-the-books first act is quickly made up for by the unique mode of misery we endure within the remaining hour.