Anjelica Huston, David Morse, Jack Nicholson

Sean Penn wrote and directed this character-driven drama about a divorced couple (Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston) whose relationship never recovered following the death of their daughter at the ha...( read more  read more... )nds of a drunk driver (David Morse). When the latter's character, a deeply regretful and changed man, gets out of jail, Nicholson, as the vengeful dad, decides to go after him. As a director, Penn is not so good with fluid storytelling and camera clichés, but he is amazing as an actor's director. The onscreen reteaming of former real-life lovers Nicholson and Huston is more than just a voyeuristic exercise: Penn ingeniously uses the duo's palpable friction to bring an often horrifying reality to the pain of a dead relationship. --Tom Keogh

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59% liked it

1,376 ratings

R, 111 min.

Directed by: Sean Penn

Release Date: November 16, 1995

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DVD Release Date: July 3, 2001

Stats: 208 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (208)


  • September 22, 2009
    Sean Penn is as good a director as he is an actor. Jack Nicholson & David Morse are fantastic in this powerful and touching drama!
  • July 25, 2008
    For such a director and cast, it was weak.
  • December 5, 2006
    Intersting character driven study of loss and guilt that contains some quality performances, but ultimately it's too slow-moving.
  • September 11, 2009
    "Some lives cross, others collide."
    This is one of nicholson best performances.He was so different in this role.
  • July 27, 2009
    A great Nicholson performance, but some of the movie is a little wonky.
  • June 12, 2009
    What a waste of a great cast !!! SLOW and BORING ... it almost felt like nothing was going on most of the time !

    The conversations just dragged on and on, sometimes pointlessly, some scenes I couldn't even figure out the reason behind..

    I kept hoping that at some point it wo...( read more)uld pick up and get better but that never happened !!
  • May 29, 2009
    Terrific. Intense performances...
  • April 17, 2009
    Beautifully acted and directed, with interesting off-screen dynamics, but the whole thing is just melodrama. An inauspicious start.
  • February 24, 2009
    lifeless, disjointed, poorly developed. TERRIBLE soundtrack. and i kind of think i have never liked david morse.
    the story was OK, but the presentation was sorely lacking.
    the chase scene at the end was appalling. if it had gone on one more minute, my neighbors would have heard m...( read more)e screaming. even thinking about it now makes me feel angry and claustrophobic.
    total blargh.
  • December 10, 2008
    no thanks not my kinda thing

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  • Sean Penn has directed two movies starring Jack Nicholson. Which are they?  Answer »
  • Who played Freddy Gale's (Jack Nicholson) wife in 'The Crossing Guard' (1995)?   Answer »

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