The derivative CROSSCUT substitutes cinematic bravado for imagination and can be filed under generic mob movie.
Lamenting the good old days when his Dad was a powerful Mafia don, mob loyalist Martin Niconi (Costas Mandylor) toes the mark for the Trentillo Family. When the Boss's psychotic son Conni (Doug Spinuzza) shoots thick-witted Victor (Greg Collins) in a fit of pique, Martin blows heir apparent Conni
away. To escape mob vengeance, Martin hightails it to a family cabin in a Northern California hamlet, where his Uncle Leo (George Murdoch) agrees to wire funds. Posing as an itinerant logger, Martin befriends fatherless teen Jeff Hennessey (Allen Cutler), who has a plan to save his village from
environmental restrictions. He also falls for Jeff's mom, Anna (Megan Gallagher). Martin's desire to remain inconspicuous piques the curiosity of Anna's brother-in-law, Max (Cassey Sander), who delves into Martin's mob past.
After brutalizing and slaying Uncle Leo, the Trentillo enforcers hunt Martin down. Rolling into town, the Mafiosi blast away the village bartender, thus riling Sheriff Moreland (Zack Norman), who dies trying to corner the gangsters at Martin's remote cabin. As Martin and Anna fend off the big city
avengers, the townspeople rally to even the odds. Victorious, Martin and Anna survive and relocate, and Jeff saves the dying town with Martin's gift of Uncle Leo's cash transfer.
This Timberland GOODFELLAS (1990) is directed as if its excitement content had been strained through a sieve. Only the character of Uncle Max, with his paranoia about the Feds and his pseudo-incestuous interest is his sister-in-law, has any interesting creases in his personality. The other
half-baked players, especially Gallagher's pristine widow, are fashioned with dull cookie cutters.
Stalled in the same violent low gear throughout, CROSSCUT never kicks into high, although the number of homicides make an undisturbed sleep unlikely for viewers. Contributing to the boredom is Mandylor, who seems more preoccupied with standing in a flattering key light than in hitting histrionic
high notes. CROSSCUT possesses the thin flavor of Ragu poured over boxed pasta, a pale imitation of robust and unmistakably homemade Italian fare. (Graphic violence, sexual situations, extreme profanity, extensive nudity, substance abuse.) leave a comment