The Crying Game: A Complex Story of Love

The notions of deception and masquerade are apparent throughout Neil Jordans’ complex story of love, The Crying Game. The subterfuge enters the story on a number of levels and this allows for determining the characters within the film as well as the narrative itself. There are obvious ways in which Jordan has used the idea of deception throughout the film and I will cover these subsequently in this essay, namely through the famous ‘twist’ of the story, as well as costume and perhaps more obscure ways such as language. These means to show the concept of deception, allow the audience to be introduced, wholly, to the characters as well as cleverly playing out the story and its themes. Jordan also cleverly deceives us all through his clever use of ironic language and music.

From the very beginning of The Crying Game we are setup through Jordans skilful use of ironic music, Percy Sledges’ ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ backs the opening credits. This sets us up to believe this romantic thriller will be a convention heterosexual story. Only during the closing credits of the film, while Lyle Lovett sings ‘Stand By Your Man,’ is the humour and irony apparent to the audience, for the reason that we are now aware the character Dil is in fact a man and that the narrative was indeed far removed from that of a conventional girl meets boy love story. This use of subtle irony is one of the ways in which Jordan implicates the concept of deception within the film.

As a result of using music as a way to juxtapose against the action our ideals and conventional opinions of sexuality and love are reevaluated. Jordan tricks us into the belief we are engaged in a conservative love story with a background of political unrest. However, when it is revealed to us Dils’ true identity the ironic use of music becomes amusing.

The beginning of The Crying Game has Jody and Jude at a carnival together. This is the first instance of masquerade in the film, with Jude pretending to be