The Crossing Guard Movie

The Crossing Guard
Rating:
Run Time: 120 min
MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1995
Directors: Sean Penn
Genre/Type: Drama
Psychological Drama
Addiction Drama
Urban Drama
Producers: Sean Penn
David Shamroy Hamburger
Plot Synopsis by Mark Deming
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.

Back to the top Images of The Crossing Guard

Popular Products on The Crossing Guard

Back to the top Top Questions about The Crossing Guard

Freddie Gale is a seedy jeweler who has sworn to kill the drunk driver who killed his little girl. full summary | add synopsis
yes. jewel was sean pean (director of this movie) girlfriend and she was getting famous with her first cd pieces of you. sean pean asked her to compose this song.
5 th grade students are the crossing guard patrol. Students in the 5 th grade are trained the spring of their 4 th grade year. Current 5 th grade students volunteer with the 5 th grade teacher at the beginning of the school year. Schedules ...
1 2 3 4 »

Cast

Actors Character Born
Jack Nicholson Freddy Gale Apr 22, 1937 in Neptune, NJ
David Morse John Booth Oct 11, 1953 in Beverly, MA
Anjelica Huston Mary Jul 8, 1951 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, CA
Robin Wright Penn Jojo Apr 8, 1966 in Dallas, TX
Piper Laurie Helen Booth Jan 22, 1932 in Detroit, MI
Richard Bradford John Booth's father
Kellita Smith Tanya
Jennifer Leigh Warren Jennifer
Eileen Ryan Woman in Shop
Nicky Blair Himself Jul 26, 1926
Jeff Morris Silas
Karen Medak
Michael Abelar Bum
Erin Dignam Peter's Guest 1
Penny Allen Woman on Bus
John Savage Bobby Aug 25, 1949 in Old Bethpage, Long Island, NY
1 2 3 4 »

Back to the topReview

Review by Derek Armstrong
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.
Table of Contents
Plot
Images
Products
Top Questions
Cast
Review