The Crossing Guard

The commentary is equally arduous, with Morse and Penn competing to see who can be the most ramblingly pretentious. Freddy Gale (Jack Nicholson) is a grief-ridden jeweller who lost his daughter to a drunk-driver six years ago. ... Full Review

the actor's most convincing characterization.... ... Full Review

Jack Nicholson, hanging out in a strip joint, surrounded by naked beauties.... ... Full Review

The Crossing Guard'' isn't great film making -- in fact, it's a little reckless - Two cases in point: In their first scene, Huston kicks Nicholson out of the house and upbraids him for neglecting their two sons. ... Full Review

SEAN PENN HAS A REPUTATION for being an emotional, erratic and dark guy, so it's no surprise that he's written and directed an emotional, erratic and dark movie, "The Crossing Guard. "Crossing Guard': (not so) good grief Sean Penn's dark movie too black and white to be real ... Full Review

The scene in which these old lovers relive old times is easily the most sublime movie moment of the year. During that time, Penn draws us deeper and deeper into the private miseries of these survivors. As good as Nicholson is, Huston matches him. ... Full Review

In movie symbolism, anyone whose gun fails to go off has a manhood problem. Penn compulsively fills the movie with cliched, lyrical passages and other directorial pretensions. ... Full Review

Writer-director Sean Penn, whose show-biz career has been primarily as an actor, of course, proves with "The Crossing Guard" that he knows a lot about the art of creating believable characters on film. Riddled with pointless and gratuitous touches (especially the scenes in the strip joint) and dialogue that belies the pretentiousness of it all, the film meanders aimlessly and endlessly. ... Full Review

Penn orchestrates a mood of brooding naturalistic languor that owes much to the psychodramatic cinema of the early '70s, and he shows a rare gift for working with actors. Jack Nicholson gives a powerful performance as Freddy Gale, a Los Angeles jewelry-store owner who has been living in hell ever since his 7-year-old daughter was killed by a drunken driver. ... Full Review

Beneath this dead-wood The Crossing Guard is at least sincere. However, this connection and the overall tone of The Crossing Guard suffers from being pushed too hard by director Sean Penn. ... Full Review