videorama-759-859391
In one way, I actually see The Crossing Guard as a nifty orchestrated masterpiece with a simple plot and a very believability of story and situations, with some almost too real moments, if you can grasp that. The movie has a very real life scenario, yet simple, potent dialogue, where the film is left to the real and flawed characters to drive it. It's the way the story is manipulated by the two mains understandable intentions, and I felt this all through the movie. Loss is a horrible thing, and this is what has driven a womanizing/seedy jeweller Freddy, (Nicholson, great as always) onto a path of alcoholic destruction. The day has finally arrived, when the man, John Booth (Morse, in one of his best ever performances) who accidentally ran down his daughter, is coming out of the pen. This is the day he's been dreaming about, where he has vowed to kill this guy, with a frightening determination, and Jack has the gun to prove it. He even gives Booth a prior three day warning, what's about to ensue, that death is near, where this makes for Booth's uneasiness, and handling of his situation. Booth, who's dirty unshaven look, reminds of Kiefer's ex con one in An Eye For An Eye. Booth is not a bad man. He's polite, courteous, well spoken, and loves his adoptive parents, as frankly says "more than anything in the world". A funny conversation between the three in the car, when coming home from the pen, where a few expletives are freely dropped, leads you to momentarily think they're not your ordinary family. Nicholson's frank revelation to his ex wife (Huston, who does the role solid) with the line, that he's gonna kill Booth, is one of my favourite bits, where it's unintentionally funny, but you do feel, especially in the first viewing that it's a much more serious situation. Booth's one real savour is a girl (Robing Wright Penn) at a party, where, she even feels out of his reach, with his self punishing, she being the only one he told about Jack's nasty little visit. He even crashes her place, his first words to her "Define Guilt". What kind of was annoying, a little bit, was the continuing switch of scenes between Booth and friends, and Jack and his lady friends. He's even doing a much younger girl, Mia, an unrecognizable Kari Wuhrer, where she became a little known, in the years that followed. Sean Penn, of course, better actor than director (I mean he's a great director, but his acting quality is so high) makes good films with real stories. It becomes real fun, knowing what the next move of the two will be, Booth kind of accepting of his murderous fate, where Jack's fate becomes increasingly dangerous, as in the last fifteen minutes of the film, which are electric. The film had an ending I really appreciated, and admired, and again was believable. It made sense, as nearly everything else in the film does too. Yes, there are kind of some over the over the top or unbelievable moment's like Morse's decisions to protect himself, playing cowboy, but this is a good movie and a good drama, thanks to real characters with real and believable motivations. Underrated, yeah, definitely, where I felt that with The Indian Runner. A few cool great slo mo shots of Jack exiting a few bars, strip clubs, whatever. What I like about Penn, is he doesn't get experimental or over indulge with his films. Bruce Springsteen's soundtrack is dynamite. The gay Asian who works at his jeweller is, a cute and funny touch too. Watch for John Savage's great cameo at the start.
Robert Levy (levybob)
Any film featuring Jack Nicholson is worth a look. So too Robin Wright. Add Angelica Huston and how can a film go wrong? And for quite a ways into the film, The Crossing Guard definitely holds the viewer's attention. Nicholson is fine as the grief-stricken father who knows only one way to assuage his grief and that is with violence. David Morse plays against type; there is a softness to his portrayal, a quality I had not seen in his more recent appearances. Robin Wright plays what might be the most interesting of characters, the woman sympathetic to her lover's situation, but unwilling to live with his sorrow.The story, in quite a subtle way, keeps the viewer shifting his / her sympathy between two of the main characters (played by St. Elsewhere's David Morse, and Nicholson); I was never certain about for whom to root. But in the final third of the movie, a definite moral tone takes over; the film became, for me, a message movie. It's earlier edginess is lost.
Richard Virga
I really don't understand why this movie didn't go further. I'm really missing the point of view of the negative voters and commenters. They all seem so harsh and cold. This movie should be FLOODED with emotional viewers and reviewers! Penn proved his chops as both writer and director here. You don't get these actors doing such a great job without great writing and directing, no matter who they are. You have to get the movie as a vehicle for the last minute of the film. You have to give the movie enough time-rope and attention-rope to let it hang you at the end. This is a punchline movie and you have to be the kind of person who is willing to be punched. You have to not get captured in Freddy's negativity. It's part of the setup. His lifestyle, part of the setup. Booth's flatness of affect, part of the setup. Just sit back, register it, allow yourself to be set up by it. Give it the time the movie deserves And let yourself get sweetly punched and redeemed at the end.I once had a friend who said they Hated Pulp Fiction. Near the end of the pawnshop scene she was cheering "get him, kill him" After, she said she hated it. She got SO involved with the movie and the characterizations that the hated to be so manipulated. She loved the movie, but she didn't know it.
disdressed12
this film was amazing.it's basically a story of loss,revenge,redemption and forgiveness.there are two main characters, for both of whom redemption and forgiveness seem impossible.both have suffered loss,but only one seeks revenge.the movie tells the story of how our main characters get to the point of redemption and forgiveness,and it's not how you'd think.at least it wasn't for me.Jack Nicholson puts in what i would call a career performance here,as does David Morse.Sean Penn wrote the script and directed the movie.he did a masterful job in both areas.it's emotionally very powerful,and i shed some tears in some scenes.the only downside i can think of for this film,is for me,there was a bit too much unnecessary nudity.i realise that there had to be some to give.us an idea of one of the main characters,but i think it went a bit overboard.still the rest of the movie is so well done,that i give it a 10/10
