The Crossing Guard
Sean Penn directs the 1995 independent film The Crossing Guard, a tale about revenge and its crippling effects on the lives of people. Penn as an actor can often be pretty far up his own backside and he’s really no different as a director. His films tend to have an all-too-serious gait to them, which can be problematic when the plotlines venture into the absurd. The Crossing Guard ventures into the absurd for its final climactic moments and Penn’s pompously solemn direction does it no favours whatsoever.
Jack Nicholson stars as Freddy Gale. He is an alcoholic and is living under the burden of the passing of his daughter some five years ago. His daughter was killed by a drunk driver named, for some reason, John Booth (David Morse). Booth is getting out of jail in a day or so and Freddy eagerly awaits his release. Freddy informs his ex-wife, Mary (Anjelica Huston), that he intends to kill Booth. Mary throws Freddy out of her home again and he goes back to his life of hookers, strip clubs, drinking, and jewellery. When Booth is released, Freddy is confronted with the full force of his vengeance and eventually comes to realize the power of redemption, forgiveness, and compassion.
On paper, the plot is stimulating. It’s made all the more interesting by the idea that Booth has become a relatively well-adjusted citizen who feels remorse and is intensely sorry for what he has done. Morse plays him with a certain discreet range, allowing the viewer to gain a connection with Booth and to see beyond his dreadful mistake. The film gives the audience time to absolve Booth while pointing out that Freddy is not taking the same path as the rest of us. Instead of seeing Booth in a new light, Freddy is clouded by wrath and alcohol. The haze that has become his life is interfering with his interpretation of reality and, as such, he functions only for retribution.
The problem here is by and large related to two things: Jack Nicholson’s performance and Sean Penn’s direction. Starting with the former, Nicholson is simply the wrong choice for the role of Freddy. He looks aged (sorry, Jack), but he does not look weary or angry. Nicholson does not play Freddy like an alcoholic or like a man filled with rage. The performance is uneven, certainly, but it appears to be uneven in all of the wrong places. The subtle keys are missing and Nicholson simply moves Freddy along at two speeds throughout the film. As such, Freddy lacks the texture that such an interesting character should have. Instead, Nicholson seems forced into the role that would have very likely been suited for somebody else.
Penn’s direction leaves a lot to be desired. There are too many side trips, for one, that distract from the core focus of the film. Penn’s desire to develop things leads to an overdevelopment, as shots linger too long on unrelated pieces and camera appears to weirdly venture towards focal points that don’t exist. Because of this, The Crossing Guard feels crowded and thins out significantly. The filming and direction of the final sequence in which Booth and Freddy have their little “chase” is forced and blasts through the attempts at providing a provoking narrative.
In effect, the direction serves to bury the theme a little too well. While vengeance is certainly on the mind of Freddy and certainly appears to be the motivator here, the actual theme of the film is that of self-destructiveness. Freddy’s suffering is the focal point, by and large, and some scenes remain to hint at that but most distract from it. The idea of the standoff, for example, does little to further Freddy’s self-destructiveness and instead develops a formulaic point of reference. The film is simply too packed with these sorts of convoluted references to work all that well.
In the end, The Crossing Guard becomes very bland under the weight of Penn’s attempt to direct the story. A simpler approach would have worked better and a more understated performer would have capitalized on the real themes of the movie better than Jack Nicholson. Nicholson is a fine actor, to be sure, but this role seems built for someone else. Because of the crucial nature of the character of Freddy, the choice of performer is critical. Because the choice of performer seemed forced and the direction seemed overbearing, The Crossing Guard suffers.
Trailer:
