CrissCross

I saw this in theaters when it was first released. (Based on the box office sales totals, apparently I was one of very few to do so.) I'll admit it was my date's choice, not mine. While I have to agree with other posters that the location, mood, and feel of the movie created a very believable setting, I disagree about some other aspects. I found this movie to be very depressing, with the adult characters being very unsympathetic, and the boy's character coming across as a kid going bad. He gets into fights at school, he's about to have sex with a girl and only stops when her parents come home early, and he tries to sell the drugs he's found. This is a 12 year old we're talking about!!! Overall, it was a difficult movie to watch and relate to. I don't mind films that don't have happy endings if the characters have some redeeming qualities, but there simply weren't any in this one. I wish I could get those two hours of my life back!

Young boy in the Florida Keys in late 1969 keeps tabs on his exotic dancer mom while mourning their separation from his Vietnam-scarred father. A curious choice for star Goldie Hawn, who must've seen this as an opportunity to stretch a little bit without verging too far from her proved persona; newcomer David Arnott is well-cast as Hawn's son and has an amazingly deep voice, a forthright manner and an easy gait (he's really the star who is born here). The script, which is likably littered with beach bums and hotel-residing characters, isn't particularly pointed, nor does it leave us with much at the end, but Chris Menges' direction pulls every ounce of beauty from it. When Goldie's car breaks down, it's on a concrete bridge overlooking a melancholy stretch of ocean; when Hawn and sports-writer Arliss Howard have a heart-to-heart, it's on the beach during a brilliant red sunset. This great-looking picture is a real beauty, although it is lackadaisically paced, extremely low-keyed and takes a while to expose its heart and reach its audience. *** from ****

The boy tells his story well and from his point of view, which helps save it from it's cliches. I did find it interesting for it's depiction of beach life circa 1969. I didn't find it boring, just sort of slow paced like a sleepy summer afternoon.

It's 1969 in Key West. Against a backdrop of the Moon landing, 12-year-old David Arnott tries to be an adult to get his mother, Goldie Hawn, out of her job of stripping It's all very low key, with Miss Hawn quite obviously trying to establish herself as a serious actress is what is essentially a supporting role, based on a novel and with a screenplay by Scott Sommer. As with most coming-of-age stories, it attempts to say something universal, but whatever it is, it's obscured by the careful attention to detail as to the moment and place, and low-key performances Perhaps it's a meditation on the futility of trying to be a hero, as the father returns from Vietnam to run away and be a gardener at a monastery, Miss Hawn takes up stripping to provide a life for er son and her, and David Arnott gets involved with drugs to bail her out of her job. Thoroughly depressing.

I was 11 in the summer of 1969 and our family was camping near Cape Canaveral during the moonwalk. We sat outside near the bathhouse watching the moonwalk on a portable b&w TV. So this movie takes me back to that time. When I go to Key West now, I can relate to this movie. The place I stay in Key West is just down the street from Eden House. I get this weird but good feeling every time I walk past Eden House, half expecting Goldie or David to come popping out the door. Yes I am drawn to this movie. It takes me back to my youth and lets me relive it just a bit each time I watch it. Despite all of the tourists, Key West is still a simple fun place to visit and you can walk all over the Island, and the Key Lime Pie ain't bad either. This film may not be a classic but my childhood was. And this movie helps me relive it.

Of course it was no blockbuster, but just a nice, unglamorized story from a page out of the life of this fractured family. You could really get a feel for the time, and the soundtrack served that well, as well as the backdrop of the moon landing. It really brought back those sweet, sultry memories of long, carefree summers and young love. I think almost every note was true to life, even if the ending was a little too pat. Goldie Hawn did a great job with this more dramatic role (and still looked great!) and her co-lead, David Arnott, gave a realistic yet understated performance. David Carradine's part was brief and somewhat shallow, but still effective in conveying the emotional fallout from the Vietnam experience, however; it certainly wasn't a "Jacknife" caliber role. The scenery and atmosphere of the movie was beautiful and really made you feel like you were right there. It made for a nice Sunday afternoon viewing.