CrissCross

Almost no other motion picture so deftly captures the look, water, grit & sensibility of Key West in 1969. Excellent camera work (Ivan Strasburg), coupled with inspired lighting lend the true taste of America's southernmost island on film. Chris' (David Arnott) despair that his mother (Goldie Hawn) sells her sexiness at a local strip bar, plays counterpoint to his emerging manhood shared with girlfriend, Termina (Christy Martin). The crafty screenwriter (Scott Sommer) use the first rocket to land a man on the moon, as an effective time in which to set the story. It becomes a powerful phallic symbol as the boy growns to manhood. Another terrific use of symbolism is seen when the automobile carrying Chris and his mother across the Seven Mile Bridge breaks-down. The image is a visual metaphore for the of the pair in opposition. The Chris fixes the car represents his growing ability to control the world around him. The scene is also visually stunning. There are plenty of other symbolic touches used in this sweet and somewhat overlooked film.

Criss Cross takes place in Key West, 1969. The biggest success of this movie is creating a realistic sense of time and place. You can practically feel the humidity and smell the ocean in this movie.

Goldie Hawn plays a divorced mother raising her 12 year old son, played by David Arnott. I don't know the full story, but I have read that quite a few critics made rather vicious comments about David's performance. Without even taking into consideration that this was his acting debut, I thought his acting was quite good. He was likable and charming. For once, we see a kid who actually acts and talks like a kid. When you see him working (three jobs, no less), it really looks like he is working, not just going through the motions.

It might have taken some work by the acting coaches to produce the performance we see on screen, but the end result is excellent.

David also narrates the movie. I liked his relaxed, laconic speaking style. It really set the tone for the movie.

Criss Cross is a movie that stays with me because it shows a vanished world, a place and time that can't be reproduced. It is a world of living simply. Life is hard, but there is a pervasive sense of hope. It reminded me of the first time I visited Spain's Costa del Sol in 1983. The "outside world" hadn't made a dent in many of the smaller towns. You could walk into a small, family run store and see merchandise that must have been on the shelves for many years. The pace was slow, and in retrospect the days all seemed sunny and warm.

That is how this movie will make you feel.

Considering that the story-line sounds like the typical fodder for the women's movie networks, this film is quite well done. The characters and performances are pretty believable, the kids are fairly kid-like, and for those of you who have written off Goldie Hawn, she's quite nicely un-Goldie-Hawn-ish. This is not a great film, but it's a pretty good probability that there is nothing better on cable at that moment.

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 ****

Slow paced as mentioned in another comment like a sleepy summer afternoon, the depiction of life in Key West in the late 60's rings true. It isn't polished and glitzy or glamorous. You can see this play out in your life or the life of friends.

the film centers around young David Arnott in the title role. The awkwardness and naturalism works in making it more real.

If you are looking for whizbang Hollywood value type of action here, this isn't the place. what you get is a true to life drama that can happen anywhere, at any place. David's moral choices are based on how he sees things as a real kid.

As a movie, it works well.