The Crossing Guard (1995)

Jack and Anjelica together again

Nicholson and Huston were a very happy couple for a long time back in the eighties into the early nineties until Jack had to tell her that he had gotten someone else pregnant ending the relationship. I bring that up because that background info makes their scene in the diner towards the end of the film very autobiographical. Watching that scene you feel like you are watching Jack and Anjelica talking about the plans and hopes never realized for their relationship and not reciting dialogue written for fictional characters. Anyway with that being said I find this film written and directed by Sean Penn to be a bit too heavy handed and think that there are many moments where the actors over emote and over act. Freddy Gale (Nicholson) is a lost man. His daughter has been killed by a drunk driver and his marriage ended since he took to the bottle himself and spends all his nights at a strip club where he has affairs with many of the dancers. His life is given new meaning when the man responsible for his daughter's death John Booth (a super buff David Morse) is released from prison after serving a six year sentence. Gale makes it known to his ex (Huston) that he plans on killing Booth. He pays the man a visit in his trailer the night of his release and tells him that he has no idea what his life has become after losing his daughter and that he has waited for this day for six years. He is surprised to learn that Booth is accepting of his fate. He admits that he has suffered nothing but guilt and isn't sure if he wants to live anymore with that on his conscience. He does ask Gale to give him a few days in the hopes that he may reconsider. In those three days Booth begins a relationship with an artist named JoJo (Robin Wright). This subplot went nowhere and felt more like Penn casting his wife in a small role. She is beautiful no doubt but her scene dancing to Salt N Pepa while Booth watches before putting her in a headlock is ridiculous. A prime example of the overacting that some of the cast is guilty of. I think a better film to see is Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant since both films concern lost men who are self medicating with booze, broads, and violence and are questioning the existence of God as to why he would let people suffer like this. The biggest problem I had with the film was the last act as Gale makes his decision and seeks out his revenge. That night of vengeance ultimately becomes hypocritical of the movie's message in terms of what happens to the Nicholson character and goes against his reasons for revenge. As I say the movie is worth seeing for Nicholson and Huston's amazing scenes together but I think its a flawed effort from Penn. April 16, 2008

About Redemption

I saw brilliant movie from Penn 'The pledge' which has some similiarities to this ...a man with obsessed goal. However this one turns out to be a movie of 2 guys who have to deal with their tribulations. Jack Nicholeson who looses his 7 yr old daughter and obsessed in killing the guy (David morse). David kills his daughter in an dunken driving accident and comes of prison but still plagued by Guilt. The plot turns out with an ending where two people give up their irrationality and accept themselves.
This movie potrays deep emotions traumatized souls (as all sean movies) in a symbolic way but however suffers with poor script. David is not suited for this role and doesn't play the emotions of guilt.The way he acts shows as if his personality doesn't have emotions at all. Forget guilt. The romance between David and Robert Penn is not developed properly. Surprising that the romance is not focussed in the movie when movie revolves around Jack who spends time with young girls without any drama involved.
Inspite of poor script, Jack gives great performance..as good as it gets on would think. Jack's ex-wife plays her role with ease. The audience can get the taste of melodrama of troubled souls finding peace at the end. All in all, it is average movie with simple plot.
This movie is no match for 'The pledge' which is chilling and brilliant thriller although theree are some similarities. August 11, 2007

Grieving dad gets a little twisted.

The Crossing Guard DVD version great on screen, makes good use of entire screen...
This one is a little different, a little twisted..dark. A grieving dad loses sight of reality because of his grief...In the end it's his little girls killer who makes him face it..
The dad is the bad guy, the killer is the unfortunate good guy, but you'll connect with them both...Emotional, especially if you're a parent..Good watch.. September 12, 2005

Wow! I, For One, Was Surprised

Sean Penn (writing/directing duties and a bit more, but not acting) and Jack Nicholson team up for "The Crossing Guard" -- a surprisingly touching film that will stick with any viewer for quite some time. Here's the plot:

(The following contains some spoilers to the storyline, as it is a summarization of most of the film)

The Crossing Guard persists in it's somber mood almost entirely throughout. The story is a seemingly hopeless one. Freddy (Nicholson) plays a father who lost his daughter several years back, and as a result also lost his marriage. He's never even visited his daughter's grave. In short, his life is a wreck. Regardless, he refuses to let the past get a hold of him. He continues the lies and bitterness through the years, trying to push away the pain and live a normal life. Yet when he gets news of an inmate being released, things only get worse. You see, the inmate is John Booth -- the man who accidently killed Freddy's little girl by means of drunk driving. Freddy decides with practically no debate (hell, he's had years of anger to support the decision) that he is going to kill Booth. He tracks down the man (who isn't too far anyway) and after an awkward misfortune (I'll leave that near-humorous surprise for your own discovery) that prevents him from murdering Booth right away, he gives Booth three days to live. Then, after the three days are up, he's coming for him. John Booth is a bit confusing because he insists he won't call the police, and doesn't seem a bit shaken by the idea of this man killing him. He seems more sad and empty than anything. He, too, has lived a life of inner torment as a result of the accident -- although Freddy refuses to have any consideration to such things, only focusing on his blind anger. Now begins the majority of the movie: the three days in which one man awaits his death and another awaits a cold taste of revenge. This is what is so interesting about the film. We get to see the view from both ends. We follow both charaters in their mixed up and broken lives through what must be their last days. The viewer becomes almost as sad and confused as the characters. John Booth has always been (and still remains) torn apart by the accident with the little girl. He feels almost like he deserves it. He constantly struggles to find way to not only cope, but understand it all. Freddy remains ruthless and bitter about everything, only looking forward to what he feels he must do. Both men are faced with the assumptions of everyone else in their life that all is well. They know their upcoming destiny, but no one else does. These people oblivious to the madness unfolding right before them certainly seem small an unappreciative compared to the situation Freddy and John are faced with. Here, I feel Penn tried to stress how some of the "important" things in life are really quite insignificant. The world for both men is falling apart. As the day comes to do the deed, Freddy finds himself as an emotional wreck. He reunites with his ex-wife in a restaurant in need of a discusion after his conscience gets to him. She begins to see how the man who she thought had disapeared after the death of their daughter is still deep inside Freddy somewhere. But as fragile as the situation is, he snaps and storms out. Tonight is the night he must kill John Booth. But, on the way over, he is stopped for drunk driving. The officers want to take him in. Of course, this would be major damage to his plan, so he grabs his pistol and runs. After shaking the cops off his tail, he finally arrives at his destination: Booth's home. He is prepared to kill. But through yet another string of peculiar events, he -- with the assistance of the man he vowed to hate forever -- finds the higher reason for it all behind the tragedy. I'm not going to give this ending away, but I can assure you it is quite heart-warming and worth the wait.

The Crossing Guard is a web of pain and nihilism that life can sometimes pin on someone. And by the end, it all makes sense. Anger, apathy, love, hurt, recovery, heart-break and doing what is right are just a few examples of what this film has managed to squeeze into two hours. A truly remarkable piece. A must see for any fan of drama movies. July 29, 2005

A great film that evokes powerful emotion with incredible acting

This film shows what a great script and amazing actors can pull off. Penn does an amazing job pulling everything together to project a general feeling of despair. Few films send such a powerful emotion.

David Morse, who I believe makes every movie his is in (Green Mile, Contact, Hearts in Atlantis) much better, puts in an amazing performance as someone whose guilt is unshakable.

Jack of course is a living legend, but this is a performance that really transcends the typical greatness we have come to expect. He really makes you feel a piece of the powerful grief he lives with, and somehow makes you laugh.

Angelica Houston is just about the only actress I have seen steal a scene from someone like Nicholson with such subtlety. One of my favorite scenes is Nicholson and Houston in the dinner. At the conclusion, you can almost feel the door slam on their relationship.

And Robin Wright Penn gives the best performance of her career. Obviously the man and wife relationship helped Penn know how to best play her strengths. The scene when Morse confesses his worst secrets to Wright is amazing. She has few lines, but really shows volumes in her reaction.

I recently watched The Woodsman and felt that Sedgwick also did an amazing job in the same type of scene, but yet went in a completely different direction.

This film is often compared to The Pledge, and rightfully so. In my opinion though, The Crossing Guard is by far a better film. The fact that Penn had to wait until Mystic River to get his Oscar credit is a shame. This movie was overlooked. July 28, 2005

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