DOUBLE-CROSSED
US, 1991, 111 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Hopper, Robert Carradine, G.W.Bailey, Adrienne Barbeau.
Directed by Roger Young.
Double-Crossed is a telemovie for the home box-office network. It was directed by Roger Young, a veteran of this kind of telemovie.
The film offers a tour de force performance by Dennis Hopper as a manic pilot, smuggling drugs, arrested and then agreeing to work in photographing Central America for the CIA, his being double-crossed by the government and going to trial, his eventual death. Hopper gives his manic performance as usual but has more moments for quieter, more dramatic acting. The supporting cast includes Robert Carradine and Richard Jenkins as drug enforcement officers and G.W. Bailey as Hopper's friend. Adrienne Barbeau has a small role as Hopper's wife.
There are a lot of action sequences. There is also the excitement and exhilaration of Hopper's work as Barry Seary, a real-life pilot whose memory is vindicated by this film but who was ignored by the DEA and the CIA.
1. Interesting and entertaining telemovie? A portrait of an American drug-runner turned government man?
2. The title, the focus on Barry Seary, his drug-running, his turning for the CIA, the DEA and the CIA abandoning him in the courts and leading to his death? His role not being acknowledged in supplying surveillance material about the Contras and Nicaragua? The final images of President Reagan speaking?
3. Aerial photography, Central America, Louisiana? Action sequences? Latin- American jails? Washington? Musical score?
4. Dennis Hopper's screen presence and style as Barry Seary? The exhilaration of the flying? The arrests, the experiences in prison, his palling up with his associate and their work together? The drugs and his conscience? The arrest, the deal with Washington? Going to Miami and meeting Jim and David? The nervous reaction of them all? His decision to fly for the government, the photography of key areas of Central America? His arrest, the trials, the sentence? The vindictive judge? His relationship with his wife, children? The final surveillance with the Salvation Army? The tax people taking his furniture? In the abandoned home? David's visit? The assassination?
5. David and Jim, their work in drug enforcement, the encounters with Seary, the proposals, collaborating with him, his helping them? Their absence from the trials? Seary's death? Dave having visited Seary, wanting to go to the funeral, Jim forbidding him? Jim's final, the car? The comment on the agencies and their using people?
6. Seary's friend, meeting in prison, their collaboration, working together, his support, the trial? The lawyer and his dealings with Seary, friendship with him, manipulation and deals with the government? In the courtroom? The final court sequence and the double-cross and his reaction?
7. Seary's wife and children? Love, not knowing what he did, their support?
8. The film as an action thriller? Audiences agreeing with the court's comments on drug-runners? The value of the person who turns, does a deal, works for the government and contributes to national security? The critique of government agencies, their secrecy, their ability to use people and then discard them?
