The Crossing
The Crossing
| 18 October 1990 (USA)
The Crossing Trailers

A single day. To challenge the past. To accept the present. To decide the future. Sam arrives in his home town after 18 months away, hopeful that Meg, the girlfriend he abandoned, will go back with him to the city. His return brings the outside world into the parochial confines of the town, provoking mixed reactions which fuel conflict. Meg, heartbroken when Sam left her, has begun an affair with Sam's friend Johnny. On the eve of Sam's arrival, Johnny asks Meg to marry him. The marriage proposal, along with Sam's unexpected return, forces Meg to choose not only between the two men but also the type of life she wants. The conflicting loyalties and emotions generated by the triangle provide the focus for an array of inter-related characters enmeshed in the life of this country town. There is a feeling of impending tragedy as night falls and Johnny becomes increasingly desparate.

Reviews
Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict
Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
Alistair Olson After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.
Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
supergenome I disagree with the previous reviewer about the quality of the film's photography. I think it is excellent. Evocative. And very expressive. I am impressed with the sharpness and vibrant colors of the images on screen.The direction is intelligent and sensitive. And then, of course, there is the excellent acting from everyone. I didn't expect much from Russsell Crowe at this point in his early career but he sure knows how to make love with the camera and display a range of emotions that will soon make him a big star. A big poseur some would hastily add, but that is another story to CROWE about.
Boyo-2 The movie itself is pretty lightweight and a little dated. Could have easily been a Natalie Wood vehicle in the 50's, with Troy Donahue and John Saxon as the guys. However, we do get a small taste of what Russell Crowe will be bringing to the screen. A nice mixture of emotional intensity and good looks and more than a little talent. His current significant other, Danielle Spencer, is also very good. Very understated when she should be but quite hysterical, also when she should be. Can't say there were any surprises. Plot is very basic. Boy and girl are happy together. He has a resentment of his father who died a hero. She is being kept under lock & key in some ways as well. Enter her ex-boyfriend. Throw in some car races, and like I said, where's Natalie? I don't want to sound like its not enjoyable, but if it hadn't been for Russell, I might never have taken a look.
lizswinden Life in the '60s but this time as experienced in a small Australian town in the middle of nowhere. The story isn't new - Sam comes back to the town he left and the girl he left behind,Meg, now seeing his best friend Johnny. But the way it is filmed with unusual shots, great atmosphere and soundtrack and excellent performances all round make it a real treat. Russell plays Johnny who cracks up when he thinks his girlfriend is leaving him, with tragic consequences. You can easily see how this performance put him well on the track to playing Hando, Cort, Bud White and Maximus.
Jay Harris This good Australian film is a combination of elements from PICNIC & REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE . Russell Crowe in his first starring role is a stand out & you are able to see the beginning seeds of the great actor he is today. Robert Mannone (whatever happened to him) also is a standout.\ we have seen this story many times before. I do recommend it for all of Russell's fans. It also has a great music score, a good *** rating from meas alwaysJay Harris