46
Metascore
18 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The New York TimesJanet MaslinThe New York TimesJanet MaslinBut Mr. Penn mostly keeps a tight, impassioned grip on this material, preventing it from wandering too far afield. The influence of John Cassavetes is again clear in the characters' emotional sparring, which has energy and heart.
- 80Washington PostHal HinsonWashington PostHal HinsonThe current of bereavement never flags even when the dramatic flood becomes stagnant. In every scene, Penn seems to know precisely where the nugget of feeling is hidden, and he doesn't let up until its uncovered.
- 75Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittJack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston give mature performances as the bereaved parents, and David Morse brings an offbeat touch to the basically decent man who traumatized their lives.
- 75San Francisco ChronicleEdward GuthmannSan Francisco ChronicleEdward GuthmannSome scenes ramble and go on too long, dialogue occasionally turns awkward and adolescent, and the film threatens to collapse from its own unchecked anger.
- 63Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertWhat 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.
- 63ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliThe problem with The Crossing Guard is not the premise or core theme, but the manner in which director Sean Penn breathes life into the story. This film is horribly unfocused.
- 50San Francisco ExaminerBarbara ShulgasserSan Francisco ExaminerBarbara ShulgasserSo while at times, Penn's film is moving and insightful about the way the heart survives tragedy, at other times it seems to have been made by a gifted schizophrenic who thinks that weird behavior is perfectly normal.
- 40EmpireAngie ErrigoEmpireAngie ErrigoAlthough there are some great moments (one for Nicholson recalling the toast scene of "Five Easy Pieces"), Penn's intentions lose their way.
- 30Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonPenn, who also wrote the script, burdens the story with so many self-indulgent side developments that he loses emotional drive and Freddy's desperate obsession gets lost in the shuffle.
- 20Chicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumChicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumDavid Morse, who plays the driver, gives a relatively sharp and understated performance -- for me the only bearable thing in the movie.