The Crying Game 1992

Clifford Terry, Chicago Tribune: Its components are built upon deception and forgiveness, misconnections and misunderstandings, sexual jealousy and moral ambivalence, trust and loyalty, desperation and loneliness. It is also, not incidentally, a crackling good movie. Read more

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: One of the year's best films. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Suspenseful and emotionally complex, skillfully mixing politics with affairs of the heart, The Crying Game is something unexpected, a challenging new way to tell a very old story. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: This film must be discovered as it unfolds: If anyone starts to tell you about it, hit him. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: [Jordan] veers from taut thriller to devilishly sly comedy, from romance to a story of torment and redemption. Read more

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: Seeing the film twice reveals two completely different viewer perspectives -- a kind of "before and after" syndrome -- and like any good film The Crying Game grows richer as it sinks into your thoughts. Read more

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine: In a style of agitated naturalism, Jordan examines poignant matters of life and death, sex and friendship, duty and loyalty, freedom and bondage, manhood and womanhood and all the ambiguous areas in between. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: The physical production is as lush as the film's romantic longings. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: The Crying Game's effectiveness comes not from the big reveal, but from the expertly crafted story that frames it and makes it into a meaningful reversal rather than a sudden isolated shock. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: This thriller gives you an entertaining run for your money and some offbeat frissons along the way. Read more

Thom Anderson, Chicago Reader: The battle of the sexes has been transformed into a war between women and gay men, with straight men as bemused spectators and prudent judges. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: After luring us into what appears to be a classic they-gazed-at-each-other-across-an-empty-bar romantic setup, Jordan undermines our expectations so thoroughly that it's as if we've rediscovered our innocence as moviegoers. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: If you're waiting for something explosive to happen, that may be the case, but if you're absorbing the meticulous and subtle character interaction, the pacing is perfect. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Reasons remain to watch this movie: the development of Fergus and the fine performances, most notably Whitaker and Richardson, who plays her character with just the right number of screws loose. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Tthe film does work, raises a plethora of questions concerning loyalty, violence and the nature of desire, and is in some respects a summation of the various themes that have emerged from Jordan's work. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: An astonishingly good and daring film that richly develops several intertwined thematic lines, The Crying Game takes giant risks that are stunningly rewarded. Read more

Hal Hinson, Washington Post: The Crying Game ventures into such exquisitely unique territory that you feel giddy from the pleasure of being allowed to travel along. Read more