Synopsis for
The Crying Game (1992) More at IMDbPro »

British soldier Jody (Forest Whitaker) is taken captive by Fergus (Stephan Rea), Jude (Miranda Richardson), Maguire (Adrian Dunbar) and others. He is held to be exchanged for a IRA prisoner the British are holding. During the three days Jody is held, he and Fergus become friends as they talk about their lifes. Jody tells Fergus about his girlfriend back in London named Dil. Jody says she is his type of woman. Jody tells Fergus he won't shoot him when it's time because it's not in Fergus' nature. He tells him a parable about the scorpion and the frog. The scorpion asks the frog to take him across the river because the scorpion can't swim. The frog says no because you'll sting me. The scorpion says trust me. Half way across, the frog feels a sharp sting and says to the scorpion as they sink, why did you sting me? Now we'll both die. I couldn't help it, said the scorpion, it's in my nature. Finally, when it becomes time to shoot Jody, Fergus takes him out into the woods, takes off the hood, but can't shoot him. Jody breaks his bonds and runs away from Fergus. Just as he's getting away, Jody runs unto a road and is run over by a British armored carrier. The carrier and assault troops who are attacking the house where Jody was being held. All the IRA members are killed in the attack except Fergus. Fergus decides to go to London and find Dil. He arranges to get to London and begins working as a day laborer. He goes to the place where Dil works as a hair dresser and then follows her to "The Metro," a corner bar. Col (Jim Broadbent) is the bartender and he begins the discussion between Dil and Fergus, who is now using the name Jimmie. But soon the two of them are talking to one another. Another man comes up to Dil and drags her out and down the street. Fergus follows them as they go to Dil's apartment and he sits outside and watches the shadows in her flat. Another time Fergus is in the bar and talking with Dil and again this rude man comes up. He grabs Dil and they go outside and down an alley. Fergus follows them and he defends Dil and knocks the other man down and tells him to leave her alone. Gradually, Dil and Jimmie (Fergus) become closer. Jimmie asks Dil about the man in the pictures in her flat. The man is Jody and Dil says he is a soldier and he is different from the others. Jimmie and Dil begin making out and Jimmie begins to run his hand up Dil's skirt, but she stops him and then performs oral sex on him. Their relationship begins to grow and Jimmie finds himself becoming more and more fond of Dil. She seems wonderful to him. Finally as their relationship as evolved, they go to Dil's flat and lie down on the bed. Dil goes into the bathroom and changes into a robe. She returns and Jimmie removes the robe and starts down her body. He reaches the genital area and discovers that Dil is a male with a penis. Jimmie is repulsed and runs into the bathroom and vomits. He then runs out of the flat while Dil pleads with him to say something and don't go. After thinking about Dil for a bit, Jimmie realizes he still cares and writes a letter of apology to Dil and puts it in the mail box. Dil shows up at Jimmie's work site and they talk and reconcile. Jimmie still has strong feelings for Dil. Upon his return to his flat, Fergus discovers Jude waiting for him. He thought she had been killed in the attack. She said they were going to kill him for messing up, but he had one more chance and that was an assasination assignment on a man in London. Almost certainly a suicide mission. Fergus realizes he has no choice. Jude makes it clear they are watching Dil, and if Fergus messes up, she will be killed too. Fergus (Jimmie) goes to Dil's flat and talks her into cutting her hair and disguising herself in order to get away to a hotel. But when he leaves the next day to wait for his mission, Dil gets and bottle and heads back to her flat. Jimmie intercepts her and they go upstairs. They fall asleep and when Dil awakes, she ties Jimmie to the bed to prevent him from leaving after she finds a gun in his coat. Jude and Maguire are waiting for Fergus to show and when he doesn't, Maguire tries to do the mission himself and is killed. Jude drives off and heads for Dil's flat. Just as Dil unties Jimmie (Fergus), Jude bursts into the flat with the intent of killing everyone, but Dil gets off the first shots and kills Jude. Jimmie tells her to leave right now and he sits down to wait for the police. The closing scene is in the prison where Jimmie is doing time for the murder (although I would think he could claim self defense). Dil comes to visit him. She asks why he took the rap for her. He begins to tell her about the scorpion and the frog. He ends by saying, it's in my nature.