The Crossing Guard

1995 Drama

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. more..

Director: Sean Penn

Starring: Jack Nicholson, David Morse,Anjelica Huston, Robin Wright, Piper Laurie

Reviews

  • Some scenes ramble and go on too long, dialogue occasionally turns awkward and adolescent, and the film threatens to collapse from its own unchecked anger.

    Edward Guthmann - The San Francisco Chronicle

    27 April 2013

  • His emphasis on acting is welcome at a time when shallow, smirkingly self-referential performances threaten to become the Hollywood norm, but the film's slack pacing and narrative indiscipline undermine its intensity.

    - TV Guide

    27 April 2013

  • Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston give mature performances as the bereaved parents, and David Morse brings an offbeat touch to the basically decent man who traumatized their lives.

    David Sterritt - Christian Science Monitor

    27 April 2013

  • The Crossing Guard is a work of talent and, on occasion, raw passion, but it's also a willed exercise in purgative alienation (imagine "Death Wish" remade by Michelangelo Antonioni).

    Owen Gleiberman - Entertainment Weekly

    27 April 2013

  • What is good about this film is very good, but there are too many side trips, in both the plot and the emotions, for the film to draw us in fully.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

    Golden Globes (1996)

     
  • Best Supporting Male

    Independent Spirit Awards (1996)

     
  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

    Screen Actors Guild Awards (1996)

     
  • Sean Penn

    Venice Film Festival (1995)