As Good As It Gets

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The film opens with a rather strange juxtaposition of two scenes. One features a group of grieving parents discussing how they have dealt with the loss of their children. The other features a topless stripper playing with fire. The Crossing Guard at its heart is how people deal with grief differently and the consequences those choices have for all. Some parents would prefer to pour their heart out. Others choose more destructive outlets, like patronize strip clubs. Jack Nicholson, the father of a girl killed by a drunk driver, spends some of his nights at strip clubs, while Anjelica Huston, the mother of that girl and Nicholson's ex-wife, spends time listening to those grief stricken parents pouring their hearts out. Like that opening juxtaposition the film's points are hit with all the nuance of a sledgehammer pounding in a nail.Therefore, little attention is paid to how Huston's character attempts to come to terms with the death of her child; instead, the focus is on how Nicholson destructively grieves for his daughter. Of course he wants revenge. And of course this quest for revenge, the film tells us, doesn't solve anything but only further eats away at him.Nicholson, who still seems to be in Joker mode from his stint in that role in the Batman franchise, is as over the top as one might expect. The character he's saddled with is a difficult one to play to be sure, but Nicholson makes his character so over bearing and indignant that his presence soon becomes toxic. Instead of exploring his character's inner grief and psychology the film would rather just show his temper tantrums. David Morse, as the drunk driver who killed Nicholson's daughter, is, by contrast, and surprisingly, shown as some kind of repentant saint. He knows what he did, feels terrible about it, and tries to communicate it to an obstinate Nicholson. But in general Morse isn't given much to do other than stare into space stoically. Huston, however, it must be said is quite good even if the film doesn't really care about her and only utilizes her to show how crazy Nicholson's character has become.The middle part of the film, where Nicholson parties with some strippers (including Three's Company's Priscilla Barnes) and Morse's character meets up with some bohemians, is a total bore. Another subplot of Morse falling in love with Robin Wright Penn adds nothing to the plot other than act as filler so the film can reach the standard 120 minute run time. Finally, the closing sequence of the film, which includes a chase (or in Nicholson's case a fast walk) through LA and ends with a kumbaya moment in a graveyard as the sun is slowly rising and the tedious score swelling, is totally ridiculous. What's most disappointing here is that at its core The Crossing Guard could have been a good film. Sean Penn has directed other fine films (especially Into the Wild) and Nicholson, at least prior to the '90s, is a first-rate actor. But totally lacking nuance in performance and story and weighed down by a miserable second half and a hokey conclusion renders this film instead largely a failure.

Cannot say enough about this film. Never even knew it existed until it popped up on Netflix and I could not believe a Jack Nicholson film existed that I had not watched at least once. Wife and I watched this at home without interruption and really enjoyed it since we both had recently lost parents, friends and our dog, Scooter. But I never thought a movie could blend such emotion , suspense and action in such a way as "The Crossing Guard". And I admit I am quite a movie snob when it comes to quality movies. Just a great movie all around but you do need to be in the mood for a real actor's movie and not looking for a crash bang thing. I would highly recommend for anyone over 16.

What a brilliant little gem of a movie! An emotional wallop to the weeping nerve.And no wonder - written and directed by Sean Penn, the King Of Weeping (and I say that in all respect to his talent of doing it on cue), who shows a directorial hand in THE CROSSING GUARD as controlled and powerful as Eastwood's, who would direct him years later in MYSTIC RIVER.John Booth (David Morse) is released from prison. Freddy Gale (Jack Nicholson) licks his chops; vows to his wife Mary (Angelica Huston) he's going to kill this killer of his daughter - Booth ran her down accidentally on a school crossing; his jail time was for that manslaughter. Freddy meets with Booth, gives him three days to get out of town before Freddy would come after him...It all seems like a nice setup for a popcorn B-Movie chase actioner. Which Penn righteously ignores, thank Christ! These characters are not Hollywood-ised in the least, even though the action takes place on those familiar streets. These are conflicted men, who deal with emotional aftershocks like swaying pendulums: David Morse gives the performance of a lifetime as Booth, all raspy voice, muttonchop sideburns and jail mullet; guilt-ridden and welcoming Death's imminent embrace one minute, then filled with fake bravado the next, black sunglasses on at night, taunting the air, "Come on!" and willing Freddy to burst through his trailer door to cease the suspense. Jack makes his dead eyes deader as Freddy, a jeweler by trade, now a shell, sublimating his ferocious weeping anger in hookers and booze, trying to alternately kill himself and make plans to kill Booth.Robin Wright Penn is the very picture of empathy, as a woman whose embrace Booth falls into, but who "can't compete with his guilt." Booth tells her of the accident, of how he knelt by Freddy's daughter after running her down and she was mouthing something - apologizing for not looking both ways.THE CROSSING GUARD makes the ground shift under our feet emotionally. We don't know whether to sympathize with a father's righteous anger or a manslaughterer's purgatorial guilt.It moves us in strange ways: there is a blackly humorous scene where Freddy is dining a Mexican hooker while a band performs Love Hurts - in Mexican; then the ground shifts as Freddy weeps inconsolably on the phone to his wife; then shifts again, as he meets with her in a restaurant, only to end up indignant that she would deign to feel sorry for him feeling sorry for himself, and telling her he "hopes she dies!" Then shifts again: Freddy hides from the police in the room of a little girl, whom he implores not to reveal him; she doesn't, the police leave, and he kisses her tenderly, "Good night, sweetheart." Excellent scene where Freddy is pulled over by police, who actually act like police, rather than Movie Police.When Freddy gets to Booth, Booth gets the drop on him - but both men are so conflicted that now it is Freddy's turn to welcome death, confessing that he's on the run from police, he's trespassing, he's got a gun and he was drunk driving. If Booth shot him now, he would walk away clean; Freddy almost begs Booth to put him out of his misery, in a masculine displacement gesture: "I guess I'm gonna try and shoot you." As Booth and Freddy aim at each other, it's like a John Woo moment - without the stupidity.But Booth has something deeper in store. He drops his rifle and takes off, with Freddy giving chase half-heartedly. With a gun in his hand, Freddy could easily shoot him down, yet allows himself to be led, with Booth just out of range - until the KIDS IN THE HALL moment, where they both board a bus and Booth pays for Freddie and they sit at opposite ends, waiting to resume the chase on foot.Where Booth is leading Freddy is this movie's beating heart. It is so poignant and surprising that the King of Weeping has got me doing it as soon as the chase starts, because I know where it leads.We realize only in the last frames that Freddy has never visited his daughter's grave.--Review by Poffy The Cucumber (for Poffy's Movie Mania)

What a well-directed film. Anyone who says Sean Penn is a hack is full of it. This guy knows how to direct, there is no question about it. But what he is directing? That's another matter."The Crossing Guard" has way too many 'hollywood' elements for it's own good. Kind of reminded me of "21 Grams" in that way. Where "21 Grams" was a Hollywood-version of addiction, "The Crossing Guard" is a Hollywood-version of crime and punishment. There is no clear villain and there is no clear victim. I guess we are all victims, aren't we Sean? Okay, first of all why did Booth get out of prison for killing a girl while drunk driving and his friends throw him a welcome home party with alcohol being served? Only in Hollywood. We are given a small glimpse of Booth's character but not enough to really feel bad for him. Nicholson's character, Gale, is a real creep. He makes it pretty tough to feel sorry for him at all. So the viewer is torn, right up until the end of the movie. The ending throws you for an emotional roller coaster that will make some people laugh and no doubt make others cry, but it is definitely strange. A frantic Gale shooting Booth, then handing his gun over to him.Fine acting, fine directing, just not a great story here. Then there was Robin Wright. We loved you in "The Princess Bride" but please Sean, cool it with the nepotism: the part was useless and your lovely wife did not fit into it.5 out of 10, kids.