Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- harrowing
- melancholic
- intimate
- late night character drama
- serious film discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's powerful performances and Sean Penn's direction while finding Jack Nicholson's star presence somewhat overpowering.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Freddy waits six years for John Booth's release, announces a one-week death sentence, and organizes his life around the planned killing.
Freddy's daughter's hit-and-run death continues to govern his behavior and pushes his life toward psychological collapse.
Freddy tells Booth he will kill him in one week, creating a defined period of escalating psychological pressure.
The diner conversation between Freddy and Mary and the characters' damaged routines lend everyday environments an eerie, mournful atmosphere.
Films like The Crossing Guard, and why
Mystic River
shared themes of grief, revenge, moral reckoning, and emotionally raw crime drama
The Sweet Hereafter
shared focus on bereavement, guilt, violence, and damaged men seeking emotional release
Affliction
shared neo-noir atmosphere, criminal guilt, and obsessive pursuit of personal justice
The Indian Runner
shared tragic revenge structure and psychologically intense male performances
Movie Details
- Director
- Sean Penn
- Release Date
- 1995-01-26
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (294)
Cast
- Jack Nicholson
- David Morse
- Anjelica Huston
- Robin Wright
- Piper Laurie
- Richard Bradford
- Priscilla Barnes
- David Baerwald
- Robbie Robertson
- John Savage
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Crossing Guard about?
- A bereaved father gives the man who killed his daughter one week to prepare for a revenge killing, forcing both men toward an agonizing moral reckoning.
- What is The Crossing Guard like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Crossing Guard as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Crossing Guard violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Crossing Guard as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Crossing Guard?
- Critics broadly praised the film's powerful performances and Sean Penn's direction while finding Jack Nicholson's star presence somewhat overpowering.
- Which films are like The Crossing Guard?
- Films with a similar feel include Mystic River, The Sweet Hereafter, Affliction, and The Indian Runner.
- How long is The Crossing Guard?
- The Crossing Guard runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Crossing Guard?
- In United States, The Crossing Guard streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
