IN THE CUT—-If you like sex, this will put you out of the mood for days.  A detective (Mark Ruffalo) investigates awful murders in the neighborhood of an English professor (Meg Ryan) who may be a witness; they fall into a torrid relationship. This in-yer-face-change-of-pace for Ryan didn’t shake up her cutie image as much as just scuttle her career.

Written & directed by Jane Campion (get some help), with Mark Ruffalo (irritating), Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kevin Bacon.  Grisly, slow as a slug, costing $12,000,000, it pulled sour reviews and only $24,000,000 worldwide in 2003.

Almost recommend seeing it just as an example of how absolutely crummy things can get. Ever get involved with someone you wish you’d never met?  That is this movie. 119 wretched minutes. Grade F.