This multi-character/story film presents a very liberal look at the U.S. Department of Immigration, as well as the plights several illegal (and legal) immigrants, each from a different part of the world.

CRITIQUE

Crossing Over looks at the lives of several immigrants.  Most of them are in the United States illegally, and each of them has their own touching story that evokes our compassion.

On the other hand, the United States has a set of laws and, unless we want to eliminate borders altogether, then these laws must be obeyed.  In other words, despite how the agency might be presented here, the U.S. Department of Immigration is not the villain. 

The primary problem with this otherwise exceptional film is the fact that it is too one-sided in its approach to the problem.  All of the “illegal” characters in this movie are very sympathetic.  As a viewer, we recognize that they are, essentially, good people who just want to get ahead.  We want them to be able to stay in this country…even though they have broken the law by being here.

For example, there is a struggling actress from Australia (Alice Eve) who has overstayed her visitor’s visa and has now been cast in a television series.  A crooked Immigration official (Ray Liotta) forces her to sleep with him in exchange for her “green card”.

Liotta is married to an Immigration lawyer (Ashley Judd), who wants to adopt an illegal African orphan girl whose mother died of AIDS.

There is also a Middle Eastern couple with three children, two of which were born in the United States.  Now, the family is being forever split up with one parent staying in America with the “anchor kids,” and the other being forced out of the country with the older child.

Interestingly, it is the film’s legal immigrants (or their children) who are breaking our criminal laws.

Harrison Ford headlines the cast, playing an Immigration agent who has tired of the human misery he has seen in his job and, on his own, investigates the case of a missing illegal (Alice Braga).

Wayne Kramer wrote and directed this well-acted drama, which would be much more compelling had the point-of-view been better balanced.  For instance, why couldn’t one of the illegals been a “bad guy”?

Jim Sturgess and Cliff Curtis are also in the cast.

THE AUDIO

The widescreen presentation has no significant flaws.

THE AUDIO

The Dolby Digital Sound has no problems.

THE EXTRAS

There are no extras.

FINAL THOUGHT