Crossed Over (2002) (TV)

Director:

Bobby Roth

Writers (WGA):

Beverly Lowry (book)
John Wierick (written by)

Release Date:

3 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A woman on death row finds a reason to hope... and gives a total stranger a reason to live.

Plot:

Based on the book Crossed Over: A Murder/A Memoir by Beverly Lowry, Crossed Over tells the true story of a woman...

Plot Keywords:

Death Row | Pick Axe | Inmate | Based On Book

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Diane Keaton	...	Beverly Lowry
Maury Chaykin	...	Ethan Lowry
Nick Roth	...	Peter Lowry
Karl Pruner	...	Henry Quinn
Patrick Galligan	...	Dana Brown
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Karla Faye Tucker
Alexa Gilmour	...	Kari Tucker
Mika Ward	...	Deborah Thornton
Richard Eden	...	Joe Magliolo
Tye Tyukodi	...	Cory (as Tyson Tyukodi)
Sean Bell	...	Danny Garrett
Jake Simons	...	Doug Garrett
Matthew Cooke	...	Jackson
Pragna Desai	...	Nurse
Terry Harford	...	Surgeon

Also Known As:

Destins croisés (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

Argentina:90 min | USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Leeching off tragedy

Leaving aside the tired and seedy clichés of the death row genre, which this film wallows in, and the unpleasant evocation of the crucifixion, this film is just plain inaccurate, a bit-part player's parasitic exploitation of her tiny role in a bigger story. What is missing is more important than what is here. Where is the female victim's brother who was a regular visitor and friend to the murderer? Where is Newt Gingritch, where is Pat Robertson? Both actively campaigned for commutation of the death sentence. Where is any mention of the key Larry King interview given two weeks before her death? The overwhelming impression is that this woman had one source of support and friendship, when the reality was very different. It can't even get right the nature of the barrier in the visitor's room, or the marriage-by-proxy, opting instead for the romantic death row ceremony.

This is a movie which enjoys its misery, a pornography of redemption and death. If the book has the same tendency to self-promote at the expense of the truth, then the movie is true to the book. And then neither are true to the facts.