Special Coverage 2008 Fall MoviesThe Must List2008 Fall TV2008 Emmy Awards2008 Fall Music
  • --

Credits

Writers: David Rabe, Sean Penn; Genre: Drama

THE CROSSING GUARD David Rabe (Miramax Books/Hyperion, $22.95) Sean Penn writes a star vehicle for Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston. He gets prestigious playwright David Rabe to write a novel based on the screenplay. In the entertainment industry, it's called synergy. In the republic of letters -- if such a place exists -- it's called a scam. You can see what, besides the money, drew Rabe to this joint venture. The plot's a solid one, as old as Homer: The father of a murdered child seeks revenge and finds redemption. There's just one problem. Rabe hasn't made a real character out of the grieving father. He doesn't come across as an individual, and he sure isn't Everyman. He's aging sex symbol Jack Nicholson, hanging out in a strip joint, surrounded by naked beauties. Hard-edged screen images translate into overblown prose: ''A flame of adrenaline ignited John's nerves.'' This pseudo-novel is a lethal nest of language used not to entertain but to bludgeon the reader into acceptance of a celebrity- driven fraud. D


Posted Dec 08, 1995
 

Add Your Comments

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. You must have javascript enabled to submit a comment.
--
Change/Edit your grade
characters remaining