When The Cut starts rolling with Orlando Bloom in a simulated boxing match, one could be forgiven calling it “cheap.”
Of course, it doesn’t look like modern standards like Creed or The Fighter — but that’s an exceedingly high bar to meet. Gatorade films better fights than this.
Well, good thing this isn’t a fighting movie. It may be a boxing movie, but it’s about boxing just as much as Nutrcrackers is about putting on a Christmas recital.
Oscar-nominated director Sean Ellis brought his latest to TIFF this year featuring Bloom as you’ve never seen him before.
It feels like Bloom’s credentials still live in the 2000s with Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean. Here he’s given a place to shine as a former Irish boxing champ turned coach who’s given a chance to get back in the ring for a primetime fight in Las Vegas, hoping to revitalize a career that ended all too suddenly.
The problem? You’ve probably figured out based on the title, he needs to cut weight to make it happen. A lot of weight. It’s the cut- over 30 pounds in two weeks. What follows is an hour of possible disordered eating triggers as part of the film’s core message of obsession and determination.
As someone who has gone through weight loss training, seeing Bloom need to cut weight like this immediately made me perk up. Seeing Bloom physically transform is certainly impressive. Thankfully that’s not the only reason his performance stands out, and his transformation is shown to be unhealthy.
But what Ellis and his cast do even better, is explain why Bloom’s character wants needs to get back in the ring. When he and his on-screen wife Caitríona Balfe have a conversation in their bedroom about why he’s going to take this high-risk chance; it’s an actor’s dream. Bloom operates at a whole new level for himself.
In steps John Turturro a few scenes later and completely takes over. In deep contrast to the high effort that Bloom has to show, Turturro gives a masterclass. Everything feels so easy around him, giving the aura that we’ve seen before time and again from him. He’s worth a ticket alone.
What isn’t so clear, though, is just exactly what Ellis wants to achieve through a series of flashbacks. Their entire purpose feels like a setup to simply justify the film’s climax that surely will ruffle some feathers. But honestly, at a bare minimum- it’s bold and I can respect the effort there even it felt gimmicky in the moment. Still like most of the movie, it’s Bloom and Turturro that sell it.
And that’s where the whole movie lives: A respectful effort with some high-level performances. For that, The Cut is every bit worth the watch.
