List Item: Watch all of the “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die”
Progress: 899/1009
Title: The Crying Game
Director: Neil Jordan
Year: 1992
Country: UK
I wish that I did not have the big reveal surrounding Dil spoiled for me by the episode of Father Ted where the priests are forced to protest at the cinema. I think that is the only place in pop culture where I have seen this particular part of The Crying Game mentioned and it really robbed me of a chance to watch this movie a second time with the more up to date information. Like I don’t think three years is long enough to spoil a movie that, at that point, will have not has it’s terrestrial television premiere.
Okay, getting that annoyance out of my way, I will not reach into that spoiler… even if it does tie me in a few knots as it doesn’t allow me to discuss some of the interesting character details and why Jaye Davidson’s performance as Dil felt so ground-breaking and well done for a film released in 1992. Like just watch it and you’ll see what I mean and why their retirement from acting after just two roles is a shame. At least they can say that they received Oscar nominations for half of their roles – that’s super cool.
The Crying Game is such a well done erotic thriller that is not afraid to throw a few curveballs your way. One of these was spoiled for me, the other was not – although it should have been now I think more about it. We start in a hostage situation in Northern Ireland where Forest Whitaker (with a questionable accent) has been kidnapped by the IRA. We end up in London where one of the kidnappers has gone to find the kidnappee’s girlfriend… only to fall in love with her and all the complications that result.
So the next film is going to be the 900th that I have crossed off the current iteration of the 1001 films list. Due to the weird shared entries, I still have to wait until film 910 before I actually hit the major landmark… which means that there is still some time for me to plan the final film I watch before I enter the double digits territory.
Before I Kick 
The Crying Game was the #1 film for me where I was totally surprised by the big twist. As for how twists nowadays can often be at risk of somehow being spoiled, it can indeed be like a minefield.