Synopsis
Rilke, an auctioneer, comes upon a hidden collection of violent erotic photographs. He feels compelled to unearth more about the deceased owner who coveted them. What follows is a journey of discovery, decadence and deviousness.
The Washington Post
Strong, perhaps outlandish, stuff. But Welsh's willingness to foreground such big, unsettling questions makes The Cutting Room much more memorable than the usual ambient noir fare. As Rilke goes through his appointed plot contrivances -- the self-interested deceits of some influential minor players, a few drunken beatings and abortive sexual adventures, unwelcome brushes with the law and a big final-act revelation -- you remain as haunted as he is by that one awful photo and what it may mean. That alone is worth the more uncomfortable confinements of The Cutting Room. — Chris Lehmann