Crossing Over

The comparison between Crossing Over and Crash begins and ends with the style of the film in that there are several stories or in this case about ten that weave and interweave together.MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS: Max Brogan(Harrison Ford) is a Border Immigration Field Agent and his partener Hamid(Cliff Curtis)is of Iranian descent. They commit raids on sweat-shops,factories and similar to trace illegal immigrants and send them back across the border.
Cole Frankel(Ray Liotta) working in the Immigration Office,sees his chance to use his position to abuse a young girl who'll do virtually anything to get a Green Card, while his wife Denise (Ashley Judd)does her best to find new foster parents for a young African child while at the same time trying to keep together a family of recently discovered illegal immigrants? Keep together?Half the family have been told they can stay in the USA without further harassment on condition the other half leave - forever? Who stays and who goes? A young Iraqi girl, too Westernised is bringing shame on her family and they have to find a solution to stop this? How far will they go?
A Chinese youth is another led astray while awaiting Naturalisation and becomes involved in a robbery which could lose him forever his opportunity to become an American Citizen, something his father has worked and sweated for.Will he make it or not? These queries will ALL be answered in this brilliant film by Wayne Kramer when it all comes together.

The story opens (and closes) with immigration dept police officer Max Brogan (Harrison Ford) and his team raiding a sweatshop for illegal, mainly Hispanic immigrants. One of those is a young mother, Mexican Maria Sanchez, whose plight strikes a chord with him and the good cop gets personally involved.

Most of the other stories are equally compelling in their own way, with foreign nationals of many different countries coming to terms with their impending US citizenship or just trying to attain it. There is the pretty Australian actress who finds herself on the casting couch of fantastically sleazy Ray Liotta in return for her green card. The African toddler, still waiting for her new mommy whilst her real one dies of AIDS. The atheist "Jew" pretending to be an Orthodox to qualify on religious grounds. The Korean student dragged into an armed robbery the day before his citizenship ceremony. Brogan's partner himself is caught up in his own tragedy when his Iranian family take action against the black sheep of the family, the daughter who is too Western for the father's liking. He has a choice to make and is not an easy one.

Probably most dramatic is the Iraqi daughter who stands up in class to express her "understanding" of the 9/11 terrorists. It is not a hundred per cent clear whether she is a Jihadist supporter or just a Muslim who wants to understand more - we have to make up our own minds but the results are tragic and if you're a movie cryer you'll need a full box of tissues for that one.

Ford carries the film extremely well, trying hard to "out-gruff" Clint Eastwood's Walt Lebowski at times. There are other similarities to Gran Torino here but this is no bad thing and if you enjoyed that film you will love this. He does not need his whip and hat or even a Wookie to make great movies as this proves. You know what you are getting with Liotta, and despite some dodgy looking facial work, his smaller role is just as watchable as he takes advantage of his position while his immigration lawyer wife works on the good side.

Some get their card, some don't. Some who already have "status" find it is not the answer to all their problems. It is a fragile web of human life that depicts all the emotions and desperation of people who want to better themselves, who make mistakes or just plain want to survive. This is no popcorn movie, it is sometimes slow and often tragic. It tells the stories without preaching, is fantastically made and I loved it.

The movie story line is well covered in the reviews above but I felt compelled to add my own review as this is totally thought provoking from excellent performances from all involved & the way the story lines of which there are many tie up leaves you with a better appreciation of the different racial & sociological back grounds of people going to the US.
Where this film is commendable is that this movie could have been a Red,White & Blue flag waving movie but that is very much not the case but it is a movie about people wanting a better life by living in America & the people that catch the Illegals & the people that help those trying to obtain this new life.
The cast of the movie is excellent with Harrison Ford being brilliant as per usual,Ray Liotta who can actually play anything well,Ashley Judd Brilliant,Cliff Curtis Brilliant but it's the other 2 that perform really well & that is Alice Eve who is an English Actress (check out She's Out Of My League) is really a versatile actress who I think is amazing & Jimmy Sturgess who is another exceptional English actor that really hold their places exceptionally well in this huge line up.
Buy it as it really is one that every now & then you will more than likely bring out to re watch.