Alternate Best Actor 1981: John Heard in Cutter's Way

John Heard did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Alex Cutter in Cutter's Way. 

Cutter's Way is a bit of a hidden gem that follows two friends Bone (Jeff Bridges) and the titular Cutter as they conduct their own murder investigation, after Bone becomes a suspect. Although don't be fooled into thinking this is your typical murder mystery. 

There are certain performances that one discovers are just fascinating piece of "might've been" or "could've been", however that might not be the right term as oftentimes it simply "was". Take the case of John Heard in this film, an actor unquestionably best known today for his role as the straitlaced dad from Home Alone. Any such notions of that performance are instantly forgotten the moment we see Heard in the film, not just because he's playing a war vet, missing both an eye and an arm, is bearded and speaks with a grizzled cigarette-stained voice, but just the very being is of another type of actor entirely. Heard is instantly fascinating in the natural bravado he delivers as we first meet him as Cutter is "holding court" aka drinking in a bar with an audience. Heard plays the part almost like a smiling wound in this scene as everything about his person is broken it seems in his bent posture, and his sloppy delivery, yet there is such a zest in that smile of his as he names the members of his court, before of course ending his rounds with a racial epithet with the intention seemingly to start a fight. Heard's performance festers with such brilliance as in the scene Heard brings this combination of a man seeking such joy, yet seemingly doing so in a way that is dancing around obvious pain and seemingly attempting to inflict additional. Heard instantly leaves an impression upon the film, that while he doesn't immediately make you like Cutter, he certainly makes you immediately intrigued by whatever exactly he is.  

Although an early 80's film, the vibe feels very much right within the 70s particularly in its leading characters who are not your typical leads, not even leads in a murder mystery. In that '70s vein, Cutter has to be said to be captivating even with his many many flaws and Heard absolutely owns this challenge with his performance that is as daring as the character. Heard, as despicable as Cutter often is, is truly charismatic in the way he wholly performs directly into the man's specific nature. Heard is in this amazing kind of flow state in depicting Cutter who always seems at least slightly deranged and at least slight, if not, very drunk. Heard through performs it as such in showing the way Cutter kind of wields this state to control his surroundings in this strange way. Heard is entertaining, if in a very dark way, in showing the man's lack of hesitation in any word he speaks. He states every line, including having some strange threesome with his wife and friend, or some offensive term, with brashness and real confidence of a man with nothing to lose, which Cutter in many ways is. There is nothing simplistic in this dialogue though in a way though as Heard's energy is such that he is ferocious while strangely casual in demeanor. Heard as broken as he is as Cutter physically has this strange power he exudes through that lack of concern that Heard brandishes in every curse word or really just cursed behavior.

Heard's performance offers a painful window into this man's state of mind, even as he depicts someone who seems to be constantly deflecting things. The state of mind though alludes to this most intense disillusionment with the state of his reality and the state of his world. An absolutely stunning scene for Heard is as Cutter is drunk driving, wrecking his neighbors lawn, while also doing so with an expired license. Again as Cutter is doing it, Heard is amazing in being completely grotesque while also completely convincing. He depicts a man who is seemingly seeking this joy in life even forcing it out of himself, and without a care, yet also still with this internalized weight. We get this, even more, when the cops show up and Cutter is able to talk his way out of it, which is another terrific moment for Heard. Heard shows Cutter as he purposefully plays the vet card as he calmly explains what happened with the "utmost sincerity" that would be convincing to a half-caring cop. Although that alone would be impressive what is more impressive is when Cutter speaks of his knowledge of duty in his explanation. Although Heard you can see emphasizing it on the surface per sympathy there is also this subtle real pain that flashes against his face, showing a sense of the terrible pain that is within the man, the pain that most of his behavior seems to be covering up with all that he does. 

Speaking of covering it up, the mystery in a way seems to be a method to do this as Cutter seems to insert himself into Bone's problems, and takes over the "investigation". Cutter makes for a most unlikely detective, but that is where the success of the film lies. The investigation is something else when you have Cutter at the helm and Heard leading us through. Heard speaks a bit differently in these moments, with really a cool cutting of this most assured detective, which Cutter has invented himself for this very purpose. Heard through is so striking in this performance, so unorthodox for such a role, and that is what makes him so compelling in the depiction. For Cutter doesn't show this normal justice seeking rather this is some kind of fantasy seeking in the ease with which he broaches every word of his insight. Cutter absolutely seems to know what he is talking about in Heard's performance, as Heard shows us a man who has convinced himself that is the case. Again though Cutter playing with the truth and the delusion is what makes Cutter so fascinating. This is as the two men seem to find their suspect, a rich man, and Cutter wants to blackmail him rather than turn him in. Cutter's speech is really just an excuse to get Bone in on the blackmail as he speaks about the war and the exploiters. Again though Heard portrays truth doing dishonest work, as much as he delivers the speech as a speech, there is real power in it as the façade but more so in his eyes, there is genuine belief in it all even as Cutter's idea is hardly the pure act of revenge he's claiming it to be. Heard shows cutter to be lying, but the lie isn't all there is to it. 

In Cutter's relationship with his wife Mo (Lisa Eichhorn), we see perhaps Cutter at both his most dishonest and honest. As his wife doesn't buy any claims by him, in turn, Heard presents the most direct frustrations of the man, the man's sense of self-loathing in the man that bubbles to the surface. Heard naturally shows the anxiety of her words cutting through his particular demeanor which typically seems to hide his pain through his false joy. Heard bluntly shows the man's hatred as the man lashes out against the woman he probably feels most deeply for him, basically for telling the truth of his delusions. That is in contrast to the man living his false fantasy in his blackmail. Heard is exceptional in being despicable in the man as he tries to seduce their co-conspirator, the murder victim's sister, with a vulgar, playact that Heard shows as a revolting delusion. When it seems like Bone will go with his blackmail though we see what the fantasy gets him in his moment of jubilation which Heard conveys with such direct jubilation. The jubilation of a man convincing himself of a purpose in his life. Striking then is seeing this shatter when Bone reveals that he wouldn't go through with their scheme after all. Heard's incredible in the intensity he brings as he attacks Bones's lack of "resolve". Heard makes the intensity there more fundamental than simple anger, it is hatred of a man lashing out at something breaking his delusional dream. 

This is extraordinary work because there is so much that shouldn't work because Cutter is despicable, yet so effortlessly dynamic. Heard cultivates a true complexity in the role, and in that earns a strange sympathy as much as it is probably against your best judgment. Take a late scene when there is a terrible loss for Cutter, and Heard is indeed heartbreaking in Cutter's reaction that is a man who can hide his emotion at the moment. The resignation but also deep seeded sadness shows a man who has somehow lost so much, has lost even more. Heard is so dynamic somehow after this point showing the man on the deep end going further off it. Heard becoming more intense in his hatred. Heard is so powerful in delivering the bile from the man, because as hateful as it is there is such gripping pathos within the man's hate that extends seemingly to the person he believes is responsible for his loss, for a betrayal by Bone, but also himself. Heard's outstanding in his moment of the man finally writhing in all his pain, and it is terrible to watch, however, also you can't help but watch. Heard reveals all that hurt the man has been trying to assuage, and it is tremendous. When Cutter decides to seek his "revenge", albeit likely misguided, Heard's performance carries this eerie conviction where his depressed state is now fixated on this revenge as essentially his last desperate anchor to anything at all in terms of holding himself together. Heard delivers a tragic, complex and uncompromising portrayal of this broken man. There is never an "easy" choice with the performance or character, yet in every one of these choices there is such a dynamic exploration of such a difficult figure that is Alex Cutter. To return to my opening of this review, this performance makes me wonder what simply "was" here not what could've been when it comes to John Heard. If you watched this work in microcosm you'd imagine this was the early work of an actor who became one of the premiere performers of tortured souls, not the man who became known for making a slightly confused face while saying "Kevin". Such is the strange fate of some in film. Nonetheless, even with the somewhat baffling development of Heard's career, this stands as a stellar performance that dominates this film in a way few performances dominate films, worthy of any great actor. The question then remains, what did that make John Heard then? Well, a great actor.