Crossing Over (2009)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Wayne Kramer

Writer:

Wayne Kramer (written by)

Release Date:

26 February 2009 (Bahrain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Every day thousands of people illegally cross our borders... only one thing stands in their way. America.

Plot:

Crossing Over is a multi-character canvas about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles...

Plot Keywords:

Fraud | Green Card | Immigration | Racial Slur | Liquor Store

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Max Brogan
Ray Liotta	...	Cole Frankel
Ashley Judd	...	Denise Frankel
Jim Sturgess	...	Gavin Kossef
Cliff Curtis	...	Hamid Baraheri
Summer Bishil	...	Taslima Jahangir
Alice Braga	...	Mireya Sanchez
Alice Eve	...	Claire Shepard
Jacqueline Obradors	...	Special Agent Phadkar
Justin Chon	...	Yong Kim
Melody Khazae	...	Zahra Baraheri
Merik Tadros	...	Farid Baraheri
Marshall Manesh	...	Sanjar Baraheri
Nina Nayebi	...	Minoo Baraheri
Naila Azad	...	Rokeya Jahangir

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, some strong violence and sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

USA:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44822) | Singapore:M18 | Norway:15 | Finland:K-15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Germany:16 (f)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

C.O. Films

Trivia:

Director Wayne Kramer's original cut was 140 minutes long, but despite having the right to final cut he agreed to be involved in editing the film down to two hours when Harvey Weinstein allegedly threatened to release the film straight to DVD, and bypass theatrical altogether.

Movie Connections:

References Shrek the Third (2007)

Soundtrack:

Mistake the Enemy

A Good Movie

I understand why people compared this movie to Crash and found it lacking. It wasn't as gut-wrenching, gritty or clever as Crash, nor did it have the mesmerizing atmospheric music, realism and huge talent. Comparisons aside, I enjoyed it. Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess, Summer Bishil and supporting characters put in decent performances. The plot was somewhat predictable but I don't always have to be surprised to enjoy a movie. I liked all the "good" guys, felt empathy for the "bad" guys, and felt moved and entertained from the opening scene. And, yes, some of the Americana that Cliff Curtis' character delivers, seems a little stilted and tired, but I know that, in reality, what he was saying about the thrill of the Americanization ceremony is true. People who emigrate from war torn, impoverished, stultifying countries are grateful to be welcomed into The States, where they have the hope and possibility for a better life. Hey, I'm a Canadian and wouldn't want to be anything else, so I'm not waving the US flag. But there are millions of people who would do anything, within and without the law on their side, to better their lives and the lives of their families. This movie brings that into focus across different cultures, not focused solely on the Latino/Latina population (as is usual when dealing with US immigration issues). Having an Australian and a Brit use their wiles to gain entrance offers something a little different, as does the Asian gang caper. Those tweaks make the movie stand on its own two feet despite some similarities to Crash. Definitely a solid 8.