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.

zetes Jack Nicholson stars as a man who lost his daughter five years ago to a drunk driver. The driver (David Morse) is just now getting out of prison, and Nicholson has sworn that he will kill the man. That's pretty much the entire set-up. There really isn't much plot to the film - it's just a contemplative look at two lost souls as they struggle to get on with their lives. Many seem to find it boring. I thought it was quite powerful, though it doesn't work 100% of the time. Nicholson's performance is uneven - he has a lot of good to great scenes, but there are times when he overacts, as well. Morse is the stronger of the two main performers - he's absolutely outstanding. Anjelica Huston is also strong as Nicholson's ex-wife - she's dealt with her pain much more healthily than Nicholson has, and she tries to talk him out of it (notably, though, she never informs the police of his plans, though, frankly, from what I know of her character I don't find it believable that she wouldn't). Huston was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes. Robin Wright (before she hyphenated her last name) also co-stars as Morse's love interest. She doesn't have much to do, but she does do a sexy dance to Salt 'n Pepa's "Whatta Man". Penn's direction is quite great, as is the editing. It is a little slow, and there are a few bits that don't work (most involve Nicholson overacting), but I really liked it.

markymark70 First of all, I wanted to like this movie. I like Penn (in both his acting roles and 'some' as director - 'Into The Wild' was fantastic), I like Morse and Nicholson is a good addition as well. The subject of the movie resonates with me too - a father wanting to exact revenge on the drunk-driver killer of his little girl. What father wouldn't feel like that? However, mashing all this together for a film - it just doesn't work.Why? For me - the story was too meandering, too off-the-beaten-track to hook in the viewer. Nicholson's erratic behaviour as a drink-guzzling, topless bar frequenting Lothario - although giving us a look into how his life has become empty and shallow - does not give us much sympathy for him. He tracks down his daughter's killer and gives him 3 days grace. After such time, he will come and shoot him dead. The first question in my mind was why? Why not kill him there and then - get it over with - after all he had been waiting 7 years already.Morse - who had obviously pumped iron for the intervening time in jail - plays his part as best as he can. He's not given much in the way of a script to flesh out his character but he does well to personalise and internalise the pain. Nicholson does okay too - his acting a little spotty at times but in the main he holds it together quite well. A decent turn from Angelica Huston adds to the film. Robin Wright-Penn though does not. It's not entirely her fault as her part is completely irrelevant as Morse's not-quite-love-interest. (In one scene - which I had to replay to see if I saw it properly the first time - I thought Morse had broken her neck for no apparent reason. But it turned out to be a cuddle. Strangest cuddle ever if you ask me.) So the movie meanders through a series of not very exciting moments until we end up at the end of the 3 days with a chase between Nicholson and Morse. This, although leading to some redemption, is almost laughable. First of all Nicholson is an old man, coming off the back of a night of beer and cigarettes and generally out of shape. Morse, on the other hand, looks like a clean-living, hard-working, in-shape perfect human specimen - but yet cannot outrun his predator. A preposterous chase from his trailer through the streets of downtown (where Nicholson has umpteen opportunities to kill his prey and doesn't) ends up in the graveyard where the little girl is buried. Causing both men to finally find some solace and finality.Poor.Don't get me too wrong here - there are some nice scenes, some good dialog too but it is ruined by an unfocused script and an ending that has to be seen to be dis-believed. Penn has had worse outputs than this and he is clearly learning his craft as he goes along but this does go down as a thumbs down rather than up.I'll give it 6/10 for an honest effort at telling a well-worn story in a different way but it was a disappointment at the end of the day.

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