The star quality of Cuba Gooding, Jr. is not really enough to carry this crime drama to the finish line. Director Kevin Bay tries his best I'm sure, because there is some redeemable action in LINEWATCH. The former Academy Award winner plays Mike Dixon, a Border Patrol Officer in New Mexico who seriously needs a promotion or transfer. The well loved family man suddenly has his world threatened by secrets from his past...he was once a member of a savage Los Angeles gang that has tracked him down to force him into a drug smuggling trip across the border. The law is what you make it. Who draws the line? Who dares to step over it? Cast also features: Sharon Leal, Omari Hardwick, Dean Morris and Evan Ross.

"Linewatch" is one of those movies whose plot doesn't excite you. It started off compelling enough, but then it devolved into something rather basic.

Michael "Mad Dog Mike" Dixon (Cuba Gooding Jr.) was a border patrol agent who stumbled upon a box truck full of dead immigrants. His search for the coyote responsible brought him to a honeycomb hideout of felons. His partner Luis (Omar Paz Trujillo) was shot at the location while Mike was able to take out three of the four bad guys. The fourth bad guy got away, but not before a pause and a gander at Mike as if he knew him.

It turns out that the criminal known as Cook (Malieek Straughter) did know Mike and he took that information back to his boss Kimo (Omari Hardwick). What we would come to learn is that Mad Dog used to roll with Kimo, Cook and the rest of the gang. We don't know the terms of Mike's departure from the gang, but it doesn't seem like he was able to retire with a warm send off. Kimo paid Mike a visit at his home and demanded he help restore the damage he caused. Apparently, Mike killed three crucial connections Kimo needed for his drug running venture, and Mike, being a border patrol agent, was uniquely suited to help reboot his pharmaceutical empire.

Mike wasn't all that motivated to help smuggle drugs across the border now that he was a border patrol agent and all, but Mike was a family man and Kimo did the cliche thing and threatened Mike's wife and daughter.

As I said, the plot wasn't very inspiring. I watched with very little interest. I don't know if this movie was going for exciting, thrilling, or intriguing, but it was none of those. It was a pedestrian plot that failed to register.

One wonders when Cuba Gooding, Jr is going to find roles that are equal to his talent. LINEWATCH is a sleepwalk/phone-in role written for him by David W. Waterfield and directed by Kevin Bray in a story that attempts to take on a few too many problem situations in one session - illegal immigration, the human manipulation and abuse by the Coyotes and those involved in the crime industry of illegal transportation, Los Angeles ghetto crime life, across the border drug trafficking, family values in gangsters who turn to an honest life, etc. Not that these problems don't deserve our being reminded of serious situations constantly present, but the story has been told many times in better ways.

Michael Dixon (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is an ex-gang member living close to the Mexican border with his beautiful wife Angela (Sharon Leal) and daughter as he serves as a US Border Patrol Agent. His heart is in the right place and when he discovers a van full of expired immigrants the pain of his job surfaces. Simultaneously he discovers a band of drug smugglers who work to find a way to transport drugs across the border in to the US - a gang comprised of Michael's old gang. His 'friend', near psychotic Drake (Omari Hardwick - very impressive in this role),makes threats to Michael cajoling him into working with Mike's ex-gang to route the drug smuggling trucks across the border using Mike's affiliation with the US Border Patrol information. The stress that Michael feels under the threat of the gang's violence to his family leads him to act in a manner that brings the story to an end.

Gooding remains a fine screen presence: had he been given a better script and story it would be a pleasure to see him again. The supporting cast is fine, the cinematography by Paul M. Sommers is dirty and gritty as it should be and the musical score by Jeff McIlwain all but smothers the dialogue. The reason this film didn't make it in theaters is very obvious.

Grady Harp