On DVD: 'Crossing Over'

'Crossing Over' (R) **

Writer and Director: Wayne Kramer
Starring: Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess, Cliff Curtis, Alice Braga, Alice Eve, Summer Bishil, Jacqueline Obradors, Leonardo Nam

"Crossing Over" is in the form of Oscar winner "Crash" and the epics "Traffic" and "Amores Perros" interlocking multiple stories exploring one hot button topic. "Crossing Over" deals with immigration as it follows agents Harrison Ford and Cliff Curtis, an aspiring Australian actress trying to get a Green Card and two small stories about an Arab American teenager and a Korean teenager and some other side stories. The movie's intentions are good and there is great acting and compelling situations but some of the stories are very good and the others lackluster. The movie as a whole just doesn't come together as a complete powerful piece. My favorite deals with that Arab American girl who wears a Burka to class, lives with her family who is illegally working in the States and gets in trouble in school which leads to more problems with the parents. She reads an essay out to the class telling that she understands why 9/11 happened and that the perpetrators had the right ideal but went about it wrong. This leads to complications with her family and the result is heartbreaking and powerful and Summer Bishil is amazing as the girl! My other favorite deals with a beautiful Australian actress with similarities to Naomi Watts who gets tangled up with a creepy immigration officer played by Ray Liotta and blackmail. Alice Eve plays the actress and she gives a great memorable debut performance and being naked through most of the movie might help out her career.

The weak links in this movie are stories about a British singer played by Jim Sturgess trying to pass himself off as a Rabbi to get a Green card and surprisingly the Harrison Ford story. Ford is good again as always and Cliff Curtis has become an effective actor but the story lets them down. It deals with a family murder and Ford taking care of a child whose mother can't be found after Ford busts her as an illegal immigrant and she escapes. There is also the murder mystery involving the partner played by Curtis that has a laughable and preposterous ending. The movie slightly fails but the acting is good and Alice Eve and Summer Bishil give amazing performances and have announced their arrival. "Crossing Over" is now available on DVD.