Main Cast: Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston, Robin Wright Penn, Piper Laurie
Release Year: 1995
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Sean Penn wrote and directed this tale of loss, guilt, and revenge. The daughter of Freddy and Mary Gale (Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston) was killed by a drunk driver, John Booth (David Morse). The death of their child took a heavy toll on the Gales; their marriage broke up, and, while Mary has remarried and attempted to put her life back together, Freddy has become an embittered alcoholic, seething with directionless rage and searching for a purpose in life. Freddy intends to kill Booth as soon as he's released from prison, as he believes that jail was not a severe enough punishment for his daughter's death. But Freddy discovers that Booth is still wracked with guilt for his crime and can barely live with himself. He tells Booth that he has three days left to live; Booth tries to find solace in the arms of artist Jojo (Robin Wright), while Freddy continues to wallow in alcohol and self-pity at a strip club. The Crossing Guard also features an original song by Bruce Springsteen; Penn's previous directorial outing, The Indian Runner, was loosely based on a Springsteen song from his album Nebraska. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Sean Penn's occasionally preachy, but ultimately complicated and challenging, take on the repercussions of drunk driving, both for the victims and the offenders, is a dark study in anguish and redemption. Talented actors were clearly eager to work with the mercurial second-time director, and Penn gets harrowing performances out of Jack Nicholson and Angelica Huston, as well as a touchingly chastened one from David Morse as the paroled drunk driver. A simpler film would have demonized Morse as an unrepentant sinner, but Penn is more interested in shades of gray in this brooding look at characters who have randomly developed a regrettable relationship with each other. In fact, Nicholson, as the grieving father, is the film's most unbalanced and least sympathetic element, while the halo above Morse's head is almost visible. The lingering impact on all of their lives is achingly rendered, and Penn deserves credit for dramatizing the festering anger and resentment rather than the predictable hopeless sadness that would have dominated had the narrative started right after the accident. Some critics chided Penn for choosing an issue more commonly befitting an after-school special, but the deep performances excuse the topical subject matter, and the execution hints at Penn's promise beyond the field of acting, which he apparently dislikes. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Richard Bradford - John Booth's father; Priscilla Barnes - Verna; Nicky Blair - Himself; Joseph Bottoms; Hadda Brooks - Piano Player; Angie Dickinson; Elizabeth Gilliam - Little Asian Girl; Jason Kristofer - Bus Passenger; Karen Medak; Jeff Morris - Silas; Eileen Ryan - Woman in Shop; John Savage - Bobby; Grant Show - Jake Hanson; Joe Viterelli - Joe at Bar; Lindsay Wagner; Kari Wuhrer - Mia; Erin Dignam - Peter's Guest 1; Dennis "Chicago" Fanning - Cop; Gene Kirkwood - Swinger; Leo Penn; Robbie Robertson - Roger; Richard Sarafian - Sunny Ventura; Matthew Ryan - Twin Boy; Jennifer Leigh Warren - Jennifer; Penny Allen - Woman on Bus; Jeremiah Birkett - Jefferey's Boyfriend; Michael Ryan - Twin Boy; David Baerwald - Peter; Kellita Smith - Tanya; Michael Abelar - Bum; Buddy Anderson - Buddy; Bobby Cooper - Coop; Lisa Crawford - Cop; Dr. William Dignam - Crossing Guard; Christel Ehde - Dancer; Ryo Ishabashi - Jefferey; Dr. Edward L. Katz - Eddie; Jay Koiwai - Asian Man; Ruby McKoy - Deputy Sheriff; Randy Meadoff - Bus Passenger; Daysi Moreno - Freddy's Chicana; Hanna Newmaster - Little Girl; Kamala Petty - Dancer; Millicent Sheridan - Dancer; Joi Travers - Dancer
Credit
Don Phillips - Casting, Jill M. Ohanneson - Costume Designer, Sean Penn - Director, Jay Lash Cassidy - Editor, Richard N. Gladstein - Executive Producer, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, Jack Nitzsche - Composer (Music Score), Bruce Springsteen - Composer (Music Score), Jack Nitzsche - Songwriter, Michael Haller - Production Designer, Vilmos Zsigmond - Cinematographer, Sean Penn - Producer, David Shamroy Hamburger - Producer, Per Hallberg - Sound/Sound Designer, Mario Roberts - Stunts, Sean Penn - Screenwriter
Freddy Gale (Nicholson) has been tormented for five years after the death of his daughter Emily costs him his family, happiness, and morality. Now the drunk driver who killed her, John Booth (Morse), is released from prison. Freddy immediately reveals to his ex-wife Mary (Huston) his plot to kill him in revenge for taking his daughter and life away from him.
John Booth is now living in a trailer outside of his parents' house and merely plans to go on with his life, despite the fact that he is forever haunted and changed after killing Emily Gale. At night Freddy arrives at the Booth residence, armed with a pistol. He clumsily breaks into the trailer trying to shoot, but he forgot to load a magazine. John calmly tells him he won't call the police and will let Freddy kill him, but asks for some time to savor his freedom. Freddy is enraged but he accepts and gives John three days to live.
John tries to live his life as best as he can before the third day arrives. He meets an artist named JoJo (Wright Penn) at a friend's party and he has a brief romance with her before she realizes that he can't let go of the mistake he made. He reveals to her that when he hit Emily Gale, he came to her side as she was dying and she apologized to him for "not looking both ways".
Freddy is now even worse off then he was before, he drinks excessively and starts sleeping with more prostitutes than usual. He even gets up in the middle of the night and goes to a club to find a hired dancer. Everyone around him, even a prostitute who truly cares for him, is shut off due to his lust for vengeance.
Near the end of the film, it is the third day where Freddy will kill John. Freddy calls Mary and breaks down in tears as he tells her of a terrible nightmare he had. In the nightmare, he is driving by his daughter's school and stops at a crosswalk where children (including a living Emily Gale) wait. He sees that John Booth is the crossing guard. Freddy then sees himself run over all of the children, even Emily. They meet at a diner where they both talk about the past, how Freddy used to be a strong man until Emily was killed and how they made a good husband and wife. Though when Mary tells him he is beyond help, he angrily curses her. After Mary leaves, Freddy drunkenly starts to drive to John's house. John awaits in his trailer preparing himself, he stands waiting and applauding Freddy's imminent arrival. Freddy is however pulled over by the police; after a series of tests that he passes they begin to arrest him for drunk driving anyway. Freddy however grabs his gun and runs away. He breaks into a home and hides in a little girl's room. The girl guides the police away, Freddy sees his daughter in her and tells her goodnight.
Freddy arrives at John's trailer and waits before he enters. John abruptly jumps from a corner with a rifle in hand. Freddy tells him since he is on the run, on his property, and armed, John should be able to get away with killing him. There is a standoff as they point guns at each other. John however drops his gun and runs away; Freddy follows him. After a lengthy chase across the city, Freddy catches John climbing a fence and fires at him. For a moment it looks as if John is dead, but he was only grazed and continues on. Even though he has had enough, Freddy follows him. John has led him to a graveyard and to Emily's grave. Freddy had never had the courage to visit his daughter's grave and John couldn't visit earlier when he saw Mary there. John talks silently to the grave and finally says "Your daddy's coming". Freddy gives John the gun and cries over the grave apologizing to his daughter. Freddy and John reconcile as the sun rises.
The film received generally positive reviews with the review tallying website rottentomatoes.com reporting a score of 73% based on 26, and giving it a certification of "fresh".[1]
