Movie Review: Crossing Over (2009)

Genre: Mosaic Drama  

Director: Wayne Kramer  

Starring: Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta, Jim Sturgess, Alice Eve, Mahershala Ali  

Running Time: 113 minutes  

Synopsis: In Los Angeles, illegal immigrants either evade the law or do what they can to obtain legal status: 

• Veteran Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Max Brogan (Harrison Ford) reluctantly arrests Mexican factory worker Mireya (Alice Braga), who gets lost in the system while he has to care for her young son.

• Brogan's partner Hamid has a sister Zahra, whose behaviour clashes with her immigrant family's traditional values.

• Australian wannabe actress Claire (Alice Eve) falls into the clutches of corrupt immigration officer Cole (Ray Liotta), whose wife Denise (Ashley Judd) is a well-meaning lawyer trying to find a home for a Nigerian girl held in a detention centre. 

• Claire's notionally Jewish musician friend Gavin (Jim Sturgess) tries to exploit his religion to secure a visa. 

• 15-year-old Taslima is from a Bangladeshi family, and causes a stir at school for an essay about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. FBI agents descend on her home and identify Taslima's parents as illegal aliens.

• South Korean teenager Yong Kim comes from an immigrant family, but falls in with gang members and jeopardizes his future.

What Works Well: This brisk and engaging multi-story drama tackles the desperate plight of illegal immigrants from various corners of the globe, living at society's margins and unified by the desire to make the United States their new home. Without sacrificing emotional depth, writer and director Wayne Kramer's excels in keeping the wide-ranging and cross-cutting plot lines coherent. Families at risk of being torn apart and individuals willing to sell their soul all interact (reluctantly) with an imperfect, strained, and at times exploitative system, as the mini-stories work their way to a satisfying range of resolutions.

What Does Not Work As Well: With six worthwhile stories unfolding simultaneously and within a relatively short running time, it is understandable that most of the characters are drawn quickly and remain confined to limited arcs. 

Key Quote:

Claire (to Gavin): We can't make a go of it without status. I've got to get legal and so do you.

All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.

Movie Review: Twisted (2004)

Genre: Psychological Crime Thriller  

Director: Philip Kaufman  

Starring: Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy Garcia, David Strathairn  

Running Time: 97 minutes  

Synopsis: In San Francisco, police officer Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) is promoted to a homicide detective under the tutelage of Commissioner John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson), who has mentored her ever since she lost her parents in shocking circumstances. Now she partners with Detective Delmarco (Andy Garcia), and they start investigating a series of murders with one thing in common: the victims are men who have had one-night stands with Jessica. As she grows closer to Delmarco and attends sessions with a therapist (David Strathairn), Jessica experiences blackout episodes and starts to suspect she may be a murderer.

What Works Well: This is an engaging-enough psychological mystery, with a flawed but worthwhile protagonist grappling with more questions than answers. Ashley Judd is serviceable in the main role and receives strong support from Samuel L Jackson (confident), Andy Garcia (weary), and David Strathairn (thoughtful). Director Philip Kaufman demonstrates interest in both character-building and investigative machinations, throwing enough clues and red herrings into the grisly-past-casting-a-shadow-on-the-present premise to sustain momentum.

What Does Not Work As Well: Not much distinguishes the script from countless slick 1990s thrillers, and despite the twists and turns, the evil mind behind all the murders is not difficult to guess. The motive and timing of all the killings are at best questionable, and the final act stretches the limits of logic and is more frantic than considered.

Key Quote:

Jessica: Everyone who kisses me... turns up dead.

All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.

Movie Review: Kiss The Girls (1997)

Genre: Crime Thriller  

Director: Gary Fleder  

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd  

Running Time: 117 minutes  

Synopsis: Washington DC detective and forensics specialist Dr. Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) travels to Durham, North Carolina upon learning that his niece Naomi has been abducted. He finds local detectives and the FBI on the trail of a serial kidnapper and murderer known as Casanova, who targets high-performing women. The next victim is medical intern and amateur kick-boxer Dr. Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd), but she fights back and teams-up with Cross to track down the assailant.

What Works Well: The adaptation of James Patterson's book introduces a complex case of missing and murdered women in forested terrain, and carries some good echoes from The Collector. A smooth Morgan Freeman performance adds a sheen of quality, and Dr. Cross' personal emotional involvement to try and rescue his niece elevates the stakes. Director Gary Fleder maintains brisk pacing with regular doses of suspense-filled action.

What Does Not Work As Well: The police work is often rogue and always leaves a lot to be desired. The second half descends into a murky muddle with a poorly defined antagonist, divided narrative attention, and ridiculous decisions that expose victims to further threat. Beyond Freeman and Judd, the supporting cast members (including potential suspects) are interchangeably stranded without prominence.

Conclusion: A promising case is undermined by sloppy inattention to detail.



All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.

Movie Review: She Said (2022)

Genre: Investigative Journalism Drama

Director: Maria Schrader

Starring: Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan, Patricia Clarkson, Jennifer Ehle, Ashley Judd, Andre Braugher, Samantha Morton

Running Time: 129 minutes

Synopsis: In 2016, New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) start to investigate decades-long allegations of abusive behaviour by Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. They hear from actresses Ashley Judd (as herself) and Rose McGowan as well as ex-employees, who all claim to have been sexually assaulted. But Weinstein's influence and the chilling effect of non-disclosure agreements discourage the victims from speaking on the record. Prodded by their editor Rebecca Corbett (Patricia Clarkson), Jodi and Megan doggedly pursue the story while juggling young family responsibilities.

What Works Well: Based on actual events chronicled in Kantor and Twohey's book, She Said provides an eloquent voice for women exploited, suppressed, then ignored by powerful men, their lawyers, and a system eager to sweep away inconvenient stories. Writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz and director Maria Schrader keep the tone low-key by studiously avoiding sensationalistic incident recreations, and instead build the drama by focusing on the victims' harrowing stories in their own simple words. The reporters' ordinarily messy personal lives allow Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan to round them into real women.

What Does Not Work As Well: The film is essentially a series of meetings and conversations, and the many testimonials at times threaten to merge into an unwieldy bundle.

Conclusion: Courage and words can topple malevolent mountains.

All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.

Movie Review: Double Jeopardy (1999)

A murder and revenge mystery thriller, Double Jeopardy offers attractive locations and a willing cast, but far-fetched plot points.

In Whidbey Island, Washington, Libby Parsons (Ashley Judd) is devoted to her young son Matty and believes she is happily married to businessman Nick (Bruce Greenwood). But after a passionate night with Nick on board a luxury yacht, she wakes up to a nightmare: Nick is missing and the boat is covered in blood. With overwhelming circumstantial evidence lined up against her, Libby is convicted of her husband's murder and imprisoned.

While serving her sentence she stumbles upon evidence Nick is still alive under a new identity, and has run off with her supposed best friend Angie Green (Annabeth Gish) and Matty. Seething with rage, she plots revenge after learning she cannot be re-tried for killing Nick again. Once released, Libby tangles with parole officer Travis Lehman (Tommy Lee Jones), who has troubles of his own and interferes with her quest to locate her husband and child.

Adopting a very generous definition of a legal principle preventing a defendant standing trial for the same case twice, Double Jeopardy adopts a full-speed-ahead, look-good-and-don't-worry-about-the-details stance. Director Bruce Beresford just about makes it work. A magazine shine coats the action, a bit of humour is sprinkled into the mix, and on-location beauty and colour all distract from the many logic holes.

Everything happens within a proverbial blur. Libby's trial is over before it begins. Her incarceration lasts six years, but the prison hardships presented in the script (courtesy of David Weisberg and Douglas Cook) resemble, at worst, a bad day at summer camp. Once she sets her mind on revenge Libby embarks on a physical training regime: it consists of one lap around the prison courtyard in the rain, and a couple of lifts on a weight machine.

All the in-built fast-forwarding is necessary to introduce Travis Lehman and allow Tommy Lee Jones to enter proceedings as the crusty parole officer. Jones is here to complicate Libby's revenge agenda with his pre-established chase-the-fugitive credentials. But unfortunately this coincides with the narrative losing steam, Beresford prolonging the middle third with plenty of relatively docile side-chases, until Travis and Libby catch up with Nick (now pretending to be hotelier Jonathan Devereaux) in a picturesque New Orleans.

The final act benefits from Bruce Greenwood oozing evil smarm and completing the triangle of Libby's determination and Travis' character restoration. Double Jeopardy glosses over the law, but doubles down on the gloss.

All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.

Movie Review: Good Kids (2016)

An end-of-high-school comedy, Good Kids is about 35 years behind the times.

Four brainy 18 year old friends who have emphasized academic achievement over having fun throughout their school years arrive at their final summer before college. Suddenly, they decide to let loose for a few weeks. Andy (Nicholas Braun) becomes a toy boy tennis pro servicing the sexual needs of club cougars, including Gabby (Ashley Judd). Nora (Zoey Deutch) seeks romance and starts a relationship with a 30 year old Australian man. Aspiring chef Spice (Israel Broussard) goes looking for a straightforward sexual release. And Lionel (Mateo Arias), better known as the "The Lion", starts experimenting with drugs.

As the previously good kids go wild, Andy realizes that he harbours feelings for Nora, but things get more complicated when his dishy online pal Danya (Tasie Lawrence) arrives for a visit from India.

Written and directed by Chris McCoy, Good Kids is astonishingly bad. Apparently oblivious that this sub-genre of sexual high jinx by high school kids was thoroughly chewed and spit out in the early to mid 1980s, Good Kids spends its entire running length in the putrid landfill of old garbage ideas. McCoy does not offer a single original reason for this film to exist, as his characters behave with plastic predictability and spout recycled dialogue on their way from one over-familiar situation to the next.

Kid caught naked in the open? Run-in with the local cops? Suddenly falling in love with a friend? Drugs impairing work? Clueless parents? An older man playing a teen for a fool? And the ever original final party that ends in a brawl? All the boxes are ticked as Good Kids revives one moribund cliche per scene with spiritless monotony.

Ashley Judd gets a couple of scenes as an oversexed rich bored wife looking for a cheap thrill with a teen, and it is sad to find a once-classy actress reduced to an appearance in this bilge. Elsewhere Zoey Deutch (daughter of Leah Thompson and director Howard Deutch) reveals hints that she deserves better material.

The Good Kids want to dabble with being bad, but instead stumble into thoroughly dreadful territory.

All Ace Black Blog Movie Reviews are here.

Movie Review: Where The Heart Is (2000)

A drama about life and love, Where The Heart Is finds most of the right notes in the story of an underprivileged young woman determined to carve a life for herself.

Seventeen years old, penniless and pregnant, Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) is abandoned by her scummy boyfriend Willy Pickens (Dylan Bruno) at a Sequoyah, Oklahoma WalMart. The kindly Thelma Husband (Stockard Channing), a recovering alcoholic, extends a welcoming hand, but with nowhere to go Novalee surreptitiously starts to sleep at the WalMart by night while wandering around the community during the day. She meets store photographer Moses Whitecotton (Keith David) as well as town librarian Forney Hull (James Frain), an awkward young man whose college education was interrupted.

Novalee gives birth to a daughter she calls Americus, with Forney instrumental in the midnight delivery at the WalMart. While recovering at the hospital she meets nurse Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd), a vivacious unmarried mother of four who easily attracts all the wrong men. Meanwhile, Willy heads to Nashville in search of a music career and connects with talent agent Ruth Meyers (Joan Cusack). After an unsavory encounter with her no-good mother Lil (Sally Field), Novalee moves in with Thelma to start assembling something that resembles a life, and there are plenty of ups and downs ahead in the pursuit of happiness.

An adaptation of the Billie Letts novel of the same name, written for the screen by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, and directed by Matt Williams, Where The Heart Is establishes a methodical one-crisis-per-10-minutes pace and does not stray far from the formula. And yet the film executes its mandate with admirable proficiency, and wins its audience with a heartfelt and well-intentioned portrayal of the human spirit hard at work.

Films populated entirely by relatively poor people are few and far between, and there is no knight in shining armour or rich saviour of any kind in Where The Heart Is. Nor is this a class warfare story glamorizing the poor but morally upright masses. Rather, this is a tale of gaining inches in the marathon of life. Novalee starts with literally nothing and the deck stacked against her, and works her way to something through sheer force of will and an always positive disposition.

Along the way she meets women of the same ilk, Thelma and Lexie fighting their own battles (against various addictions and insufferable men respectively) but just as determined as Novalee to fight back on their own terms of kindness.

Williams energetically works the film through the obstacle course of abandonment, poverty, abuse, natural disasters and awkward relationships, sprinkling enough small wins and moments of love and laughter to ensure Novalee always has the motivation and glimmers of hope to carry on. The outcome is a film that despite its sentimentality capably mirrors life's ups and downs.

All of 18 at the time of filming, Natalie Portman holds the film together and convincingly portrays Novalee from 17 to 22, adding textures of experience as the character ages. Ashley Judd is equally irresistible as Lexie, smiling at a life that serves her up a succession of adorable children but also a series of less than useless sperm donors.

Where The Heart Is finds a place that is honest and comfortably familiar, rich soil to help a young woman grow.

All Ace Black Blog Movie Reviews are here.

The Movies Of Ashley Judd

All movies starring Ashley Judd and reviewed on the Ace Black Movie Blog are linked below:

Heat (1995)

A Time To Kill (1996)

Kiss The Girls (1997)

Double Jeopardy (1999)

Where The Heart Is (2000)

Frida (2002)

Twisted (2004)

Crossing Over (2009)

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

Good Kids (2016)

She Said (2022, as herself)

All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.
The Movie Star Index is here.