Saturday, April 21, 2007
One scene in particular was tough for the actor to shoot.
By KATHY BLUMENSTOCK
WASHINGTON POST
Dean Cain's character turned a quest for retribution into a personal journey toward forgiveness.
"He was so angry, of course he was bent on vengeance. I would be, too," Cain said of his role in "Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness" (9 p.m. tonight, CBS) as Bruce Murakami. "Where else are you going to put all that emotion?"
The film was inspired by the true story of Murakami, a Tampa man whose wife, Cindy, and daughter, Chelsea, were killed in 1998 when their car was hit by a street-racing teen-ager.
Eventually, the real-life Murakami did put aside his rage. Instead of seeking prison for Justin Gutierrez, the driver responsible for the crash, Murakami requested that the boy speak to other high school students about driving responsibly -- and about how the lives of two families had changed tragically because of careless behavior behind the wheel.
The movie dramatizes events surrounding the incident, including the day Cindy (Chelah Horsdal) and Chelsea (Katie Pezarro) died and the joint appearances by Murakami and Gutierrez (Shiloh Fernandez) to draw attention to dangerous teen driving.
Hallmark trademark
Hallmark Hall of Fame, which produced "Crossroads," has a record of making films based on the theme of forgiveness.
"If you went back in our history -- which is 56 years -- and asked what is most often the topic of our movies, you'd see that it's forgiveness," said Brad Moore, president of Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions. "We may not promote or name them that way, but it's about people who forgive others and, thus, forgive themselves as well. The real Bruce Murakami said that being able to forgive saved his own life."
Cain said he was most worried about filming the scene depicting Murakami arriving at the accident. Unsure of what has happened, Murakami instinctively fears his wife and daughter are involved in the crash, which is marked by plumes of smoke from a burning car.
"I dreaded it from day one, and it was my least favorite," said Cain, who was relieved the scene was accomplished in only two or three takes.
"The subject matter was so heart-wrenching," said Cain, who has a 6-year-old son, Christopher. "And being a father, you have to play those emotions through your heart and your head."
Cain hopes parents will watch the film with their children.
Carrying a message
"That's a big part of the message, and everybody can learn from it," he said. "People don't realize how many children are killed in automobile accidents. It's the leading cause of death in kids under 18."
The film also stars Peri Gilpin as Murakami's lawyer, Erin Teller. She works with him, first to prove the accident was not the fault of Cindy Murakami, who had reportedly pulled out into traffic without looking, and then to bring the at-fault driver to justice.
Teller initially is surprised by Murakami's choice to forgive the teen driver after her efforts to build a legal case against him, but she supports Murakami's decision, as do his sons (Landon Liboiron and Ryan Kennedy).
"Making that decision to forgive and heal is an incredible journey, and it's one I am not sure I could take," said Cain, who said he felt a responsibility in the role not to trivialize Murakami's real life.
"It was a bad trip for me to have to live it for six weeks -- but for Bruce, this is every day."