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"The Crying Game" The preciousness of transcending your own walls - a masterpiece of 90's suspense love story
2021.08.10
Go beyond your own fixed ideas
Well, this work certainly attracted attention for its ``core development,'' and was greeted with great surprise and acclaim 30 years ago. However, looking back at the story now, it seems to me that what we should be looking at is not the ``secret,'' but the ``structure itself.''
This is because this movie shakes up the fixed ideas that we have within ourselves and the common sense that we have long been led to believe by our surrounding living environment, and opens up a huge hole in them.
For example, there is a political wall between Ireland and England that is present from the beginning.
Fergus, a member of the IRA, and Jody, a British soldier, live in different worlds. It is clear from the beginning that their positions are irreconcilable. However, when they face each other and exchange words ``human to human,'' what they thought was a wall collapses like a lie.
What arises there is a desire to know more about the other person. In front of that pure emotion, differences in political positions and ideologies have no effect whatsoever.
"The Crying Game" (c)Photofest / Getty Images
The same thing is repeated in the midfield. After finally finding Jody's lover, Fergus faces another obstacle. At first he is confused and completely worried.
But here again, this man cannot resist the feeling of deeply caring for the person in front of him. When Fergus surrenders to his emotions as they are, the walls that were supposed to be towering inside him disappear before he knows it. This work seems to have the charm of gradually shedding its heavy armor and becoming lighter and lighter.
In an audio commentary, Neil Jordan said, ``People should know themselves deeply,'' and at an event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Crying Game, he said, ``I'm a person who doesn't know who I am.'' I like the story of... What I want to make is a movie about someone who realizes that they can never fully understand themselves.'' (1)
Every person has unknown potential that they cannot predict. If a new discovery or change occurs within yourself, how can you move forward while broadly affirming and accepting yourself and others, including that part?
I can't help but feel that this work asks such extremely modern questions in a gentle and benevolent tone. Again, this is a movie from about 30 years ago.
(1) Cited article URL
https://www2.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/interviews/crying-game-neil-jordan-stephen-woolley
Reference article URL
Text: USHIZU ATSUNOBU
Born in Nagasaki in 1977. When he was 3 years old, he saw ``Superman II'' with his father and became fascinated with movies. After The Graduate from Meiji University, he worked for a movie broadcasting channel and then became a movie writer. Currently, in addition to writing for Eiga.com, EYESCREAM, Real Sound Movie Club, etc., he also contributes to media press and theater programs.
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