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The Crossing Guard

Play trailer Poster for The Crossing Guard R Released Nov 15, 1995 1h 54m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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76% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
For six excruciating years, Freddy Gale (Jack Nicholson) has fantasized about taking bloody revenge on John Booth (David Morse), the drunk driver responsible for the traffic accident that killed his daughter. On the last day of Booth's prison sentence, a grief-stricken Gale informs his ex-wife, Mary (Anjelica Huston), of his intentions, then follows Booth to a mobile home in the suburbs. There, with hands shaking, Gale draws his gun -- and steps into a dark and uncertain future.
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The Crossing Guard

Critics Reviews

View All (29) Critics Reviews
Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: B- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review BBC.com Rated: 3/5 Oct 16, 2001 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 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. Rated: 2.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine Technically and structurally the film has a fair amount of problems, but as a venue for talented actors to express remarkable characters the film is second to none. Rated: 6/10 Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com The movie is dramatically shapeless and pretentious too, but as director, Sean Penn gets powerful performances from his central trio: Nicholson, Anjelica Huston, and David Morse. Rated: B- Jan 9, 2009 Full Review Steve Crum Video-Reviewmaster.com So-so character study directed by Sean Penn, featuring Jack Nicholson, Robin Wright. Rated: 3/5 Mar 22, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (255) audience reviews
KB B It was pretty good but the ending was amazing. It's worth the watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/16/24 Full Review Jelisije J A very realistic look at a father coming to terms with his daughter killer is sent free from jail and you get a film where the killer and they father grieve and are hopeless in their own individual lives. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/03/24 Full Review Nathan W After loosing his daughter to a drunk driving accident, a father hell bent on revenge confronts the man responsible for her death. Jack Nicholson's life is in shambles following the death of his daughter. His marriage is ruined, his kids estranged, and the only way to make things right is to take revenge. I found it interesting to show the tortured father, and the repentant killer side by side through out the film. All of this culminating in an emotional scene at the end, where father forgives killer, and killer forgives himself. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/23/24 Full Review Ravenswood R This movie was so bad I stopped watching it. Extra half star in case at some point it got better, but there were no signs of that happening. Conventional canned drama, over-acting, bad music score, very dated run of the mill 90s era production. You feel like you know exactly where it's going, and you do not want to go there. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/26/24 Full Review Ari V I liked it as a teen. E.g. The vacuum cleaner bit, it's insistence on not amking anyone look superhuman, Now I see that it aims at a type of effortless, poetic, earnest, kind, sweet genius, but stays closer to pretentious artsy silliness much of the time. Some of its partial successes however, are strong enough to've likely helped inspire more memorable works like Heat and Punch Drunk Love. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/17/23 Full Review Harold L It's an intense ride, Nicholson plays a father chasing down the guy who killed his daughter and did time for it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Crossing Guard

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Cast & Crew

The Crossing Guard

The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - Three Days The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - Three Days 2:13 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - Tender Child, Rest in Heaven The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - Tender Child, Rest in Heaven 2:13 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - She Was Apologizing to Me The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - She Was Apologizing to Me 2:11 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - I Hope You Die The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - I Hope You Die 2:10 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - I'm Gonna Try and Shoot You The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - I'm Gonna Try and Shoot You 1:59 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - A Perfect Seven The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - A Perfect Seven 1:06 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - The Crossing Guard The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - The Crossing Guard 2:13 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - At Close Range The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - At Close Range 2:13 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - That's My Job in Life The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - That's My Job in Life 2:13 The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - Love Hurts The Crossing Guard: Official Clip - Love Hurts 2:05 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis For six excruciating years, Freddy Gale (Jack Nicholson) has fantasized about taking bloody revenge on John Booth (David Morse), the drunk driver responsible for the traffic accident that killed his daughter. On the last day of Booth's prison sentence, a grief-stricken Gale informs his ex-wife, Mary (Anjelica Huston), of his intentions, then follows Booth to a mobile home in the suburbs. There, with hands shaking, Gale draws his gun -- and steps into a dark and uncertain future.
Director
Sean Penn
Producer
Sean Penn
Screenwriter
Sean Penn
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Miramax Films
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 15, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$771.7K
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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