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In the Cut
2003 119 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 18+
★5.3
Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Director: Jane Campion
Trailers
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EN
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Description
A New York City writing professor, Frannie Avery, has an affair with a police detective who is investigating the murder of a beautiful young woman in her neighborhood.
Budget:
$12M
US Gross:
$4.75M
Worldwide:
$23.73M
Starring
Meg Ryan
Actor
Mark Ruffalo
Actor
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Actor
Awards
1 win & 2 nominations
Key opinion
In the Cut is a polarizing, atmospheric erotic thriller that prioritizes mood and character-driven exploration over the conventions of the murder-mystery genre. While critics and audiences are divided on the film's narrative coherence, there is a strong consensus regarding Jane Campion’s distinct visual style and the commitment of the lead performances.
| Cinematography | Dion Beebe’s cinematography creates an immersive, visually captivating atmosphere through distinct lighting and stylistic framing | |
| Acting | Mark Ruffalo delivers an enigmatic and compelling performance as Detective Malloy, successfully grounding the film’s central sexual tension | |
| Pacing | The film’s narrative is divisive: proponents find the slow, deliberative storytelling hypnotic and character-focused, while detractors label it as incoherent or lacking in meaningful mystery | |
| Acting | Opinions on Meg Ryan’s performance are split between those who praise her brave, against-type transformation and those who feel she is miscast in the role | |
| Screenplay | The plot is widely viewed as a secondary element, leaving viewers split on whether the focus on atmosphere and thematic depth compensates for the derivative or thin mystery structure | |
| Emotion | The film’s explicit sexual content and graphic tone serve as a point of contention, with some viewing it as essential to the character studies and others finding it distracting or poorly integrated |