It Nearly Ended Meg Ryan’s Career — But This Erotic Neo-Noir Featuring Mark Ruffalo Deserves a Second Look

In 2003, when Jane Campion's neo-noir, In the Cut, was released, it didn't generate favorable reviews. Starring Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh and pre-AvengersMark Ruffalo with an unexpected mustache, the film was relentlessly panned for its unoriginal thriller plot about a string of serial murders targeting women. Admittedly, the story told in the film isn't anything we haven't seen before, but the way Campion twists the familiar narrative and style is really fascinating. Years later, it's easy to see In the Cut for what it really was—not just a strikingly sensual cinematic piece, but a precursor to the contemporary direction the genre cinema is taking towards female perspective and agency. And Ryan's casting, while surely unexpected and original, is actually well-thought-out and bears a meaningful connection to her previous roles.