The Crying Game: Collector's Edition

An early jewel in the Miramax crown, Neil Jordan's 1992 indie hit The Crying Game ranked as one of the top movie-going experiences during its initial theatrical run thanks to a key plot "secret" that the savvy marketing folks urged viewers not to reveal. In fact, the taboo against spilling the beans about The Crying Game's central shocker was so strong that some 13 years later I still cannot bring myself to talk about it (and ruin the surprise for the four people in America who haven't seen it). Actually, there's a whole new generation of movie fans that may be unfamiliar with the film, and they're in for a real treat with this new "collector's edition." The Crying Game boasts a handful of tour de force performances, chief among them being Stephen Rea's melancholy turn as a troubled IRA terrorist and Forest Whitaker's quietly effective portrayal of a British soldier kidnapped by the group for trading purposes. When things go wrong, Rea's character ends up on the run from both the law and his IRA cronies (Miranda Richardson and Adrian Dunbar), ultimately meeting and starting a relationship with Whitaker's love interest, a hairdresser named Dil (Jaye Davidson). I'll say no more, except this: The Crying Game remains one of the most moving love stories of the past quarter century. Boasting a handsome anamorphic widescreen transfer, the new "collector's edition" features a good commentary track by Jordan, a studio-mandated alternate upbeat ending (thank God the powers-that-be let Jordan use the original ending), a fine four-part "making-of" documentary, and a pair of contemporary featurettes--"Northern Troubles" and "Modern Day at Madame Jojo's." Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)