How far will you go to get something you think you want? At what cost do you keep pushing? And do the obsessive ends justify the means? These are some of the heavy and impacting building blocks of Sean Ellis‘ latest film. And coming from the man whose career is built on movies where characters make life-changing sacrifices, this might be the crown jewel in his CV.
The Cut is an exploration into what drives someone. With nothing but training and instincts to lean on, it’s easy to imagine how much weight a boxer carries in their minds each time they enter the squared circle. After all, the mind is where the fight happens. Sean Ellis’ film (from a story by Justin Bull and Mark Lane) is like an anti-boxing film; it’s pugilism without any pugilism in it, and that’s the point. The battle takes place outside of the ring all the while Orlando Bloom‘s “Boxer” carries the weight of events in his life that got to this moment.
Ellis’ has a record of giving us personalities on the outside, facing something nearly insurmountable – be it struggles with time and reality, providing for a family, changing the course of a world war or, in this case, losing 30 pounds in less than a week. That’s a lot to process especially when the psychological anguish is more of a beast than the physical turmoil.
The performances are astounding, the script cuts like a knife, and the actors are so perfect you don’t even think to question their legitimacy. The themes, and the way they are presented, are very on brand for a Sean Ellis picture. We were immensely glad to have chatted with him about this. He got into the weeds about shooting techniques, lighting, color timing and some funny stories from the set. Enjoy this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience.
After a career-ending defeat, a former champion trains for redemption – but as obsession takes hold and reality unravels, he may be spiraling into something far more terrifying. Featuring Orlando Bloom, Caitríona Balfe, John Turturro and others, be sure to catch The Cut only in theaters on September 5.
