The Cutting Edge

M-G-M/Interscope. Director Paul Michael Glaser; Producer Ted Field, Karen Murphy, Robert W. Cort; Screenplay Tony Gilroy; Camera Elliot Davis; Editor Michael E. Polakow; Music Patrick Williams;; Art Director David Gropman

D. B. Sweeney
Moira Kelly
Roy Dotrice
Terry O'Quinn
Dwier Brown

The Cuttingedge it isn't, but this neatly formulaic romantic comedy has a sharp enough combination of teen-oriented elements and style. Pic pits frosty-tempered ice queen Kate Mosely (Moira Kelly) against brash, competitive Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney), a former star of the US Olympic hockey team who approaches figure skating with great misgivings.

Doug's rough-hewn relatives view figure skating as a sport for sissies, plus he must contend with Moira's tendency to chew up and spit out would-be partners. But Doug rallies to the challenge, and the pic proceeds with this combustible young pair firing off verbal assaults at each other as they dig in to train, sweat and go for the Olympic gold.

Sport's close physical contact provides some Directorty Dancing-style titillation, with interest heightened by the watchable actors. Director Paul Michael Glaser opts for an impressionistic, adrenaline-pumped style in the sporting segs. Filmmakers use a skate-mounted Pogo Cam to get the point of view down where the blades meet the ice and the frost flies.

(Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1992. Running time: 101 MIN.

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