The Crossing Guard (1995)

Freddie Gale is a seedy jeweler who has sworn to kill the drunk driver who killed his little girl.

Director:

Sean Penn

Writer:

Sean Penn

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Nicholson	...	Freddy Gale
David Morse	...	John Booth
Anjelica Huston	...	Mary
Robin Wright	...	Jojo
Piper Laurie	...	Helen Booth
Richard Bradford	...	Stuart Booth
Priscilla Barnes	...	Verna
David Baerwald	...	Peter
Robbie Robertson	...	Roger
John Savage	...	Bobby
Kari Wuhrer	...	Mia
Jennifer Leigh Warren	...	Jennifer
Kellita Smith	...	Tanya
Richard C. Sarafian	...	Sunny Ventura (as Richard Sarafian)
Bobby Cooper	...	Coop

Storyline

After his daughter died in a hit and run, Freddy Gale has waited six years for John Booth, the man responsible, to be released from prison. On the day of release, Gale visits Booth and announces that he will kill him in one week. Booth uses his time to try and make peace with himself and his entourage, and even finds romance. Gale, whose life is spiralling down because of his obsession towards Booth, will bring himself on the very edge of sanity. At he end of the week, both men will find themselves on a collision course with each other.

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Plot Keywords:

girl | hit and run | jeweler | obsession | prison | 

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Taglines:

Some lives cross, others collide.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Acerto Final

Filming Locations:

Long Beach Harbor, Long Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$832,910 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie concludes with a dedication to "My friend, Charles Bukowski. I miss you, S.P." Sean Penn was a close friend of the writer and poet.

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Goofs

When Freddy gives John Booth three more days he marks it on the calendar in red and the square he draws is not even, later when he crosses the day in the calendar the square drawn is perfect.

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Quotes

[after being released from prison]
John Booth: I think freedom's overrated. What you're talking about. You know, if there isn't something bigger than, uh, than freedom, then freedom is just entertainment.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of David Spade (2005)

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Soundtracks

"King's Highway"
Written and Performed by Joe Henry

User Reviews

Outstanding Film!

I puzzle at those reviewers criticizing this film, which to my mind is a tour de force. Of course, I do volunteer work with dying folks and help train aspiring grief counselors to deal with the traumas that life all too often brings us. I can only assume that those who so quickly dismiss this powerful meditation on grief and remorse have yet to experience these real life emotions. Something by Schwarzenegger may be more to their taste, or one of the ubiquitous comic book recreations we encounter most summers with cardboard characters and pseudo emotions.

Sean Penn is plumbing much deeper regions of the human psyche, and doing so with actors of rare talent, fully capable of sharing with us their heart rending vulnerabilities. Few actors have the courage to go to the places these actors visit as they face suffering almost too great to bear. I'm reminded of the more recent Mystic River for which Sean Penn received an Academy award for best actor, a movie that explores equally traumatizing events. It was heartening to watch the joy with which this award was greeted by his fellow professionals who have long acknowledged this man's genius both in front of and behind the camera. This movie deserves a much wider audience of discriminating movie viewers.