Jeb Brown Movies
Director Phillip Noyce teams with screenwriters Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium) and Brian Helgeland (Mystic River) to craft this thriller starring Angelina Jolie as dedicated CIA officer Evelyn Salt, who is accused by a defector of being a Russian spy. With each attempt Salt makes to prove her innocence, her mentor, Winter (Liev Schreiber), only grows more suspicious of her true motivations. The longer she eludes capture by ambitious CIA agent Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the higher the stakes get. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, (more)
- 1999
Crazy for You, Ken Ludwig's 1992 adaptation of George and Ira Gershwin's 1930 musical comedy Girl Crazy, had already won a Tony award when this PBS TV adaptation was taped at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse. As if it matters, the plot concerns Bobby Child (Jim Walton), the son of a prominent East Coast banker. Though he'd rather be a song-and-dance man, Bobby is forced to enter the family business -- and his first assignment is to foreclose on the Gaiety Theater in Deadrock, AZ. But when he falls in love with Polly Baker (Stacey Logan), daughter of the Gaiety's owner (Larry Linville), Bobby dedicates himself to saving the theater. And how does any self-respecting musical comedy hero accomplish this task? By staging a fabulous show, naturally, with Bobby himself in the lead. Of course, the plot is a mere peg upon which to hang some of the Gershwins' best-loved songs, including "Embracable You," "Bidin' My Time," and the show-stopping "I Got Rhythm," belted out con brio by Stacey Logan. Crazy for You was first telecast on October 20, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1996
A young couple works to stand firm in the face of those opposed to their blossoming romance, one that transcends social and racial boundaries in this drama. Blue collar Renny meets dashing young professional C.J. in a blackened, stalled elevator. As they wait, the slowly get to know each other. Flirtatious sparks fly. Suddenly the lights come on and Renny sees that C.J. is black and he sees that she is not. Still, they go out for dinner and the seeds of romance are sown. Unfortuantely, C..J. upper middle-class family strongly disapproves, not only because she is white, but also because of her upbringing. Renny's family voices similar objections. But as the affair continues, Renny's red-necked brothers get increasingly uptight until a single violent action that brings the story to its resolution. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1996
While accompanying Dr. Bashir on a mercy mission to a battle-scarred Federation colony, Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) experiences the horror of war on an up-close and personal level for the first time in his life. As the dedicated Bashir tends to the wounded and dying, Jake, nervous over an impending Klingon attack, panics and runs off, which serves to put him even further in harm's way. Cowardice ultimately gives way to unexpected reserves of courage, when Jake is himself besieged by marauding Klingons. Scripted by Rene Echevarria from a story by Brice R. Parker, ". . .Nor the Battle to the Strong" was first telecast October 21, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
James L. Brooks' showbiz comedy I'll Do Anything is "The Musical That Almost Was" (after test screenings Brooks removed all the musical numbers in the film, turning the film into a songless romantic comedy). Matt Hobbs (Nick Nolte) is a hardly working actor who finds himself raising his 6-year-old daughter Jeannie (Whittni Wright) after her mother Beth (Tracey Ullman) is sent away to prison. Since Matt now has to support a daughter, he has to develop more regular work habits. As a result, he takes a job as a chauffeur for a William Castle-inspired schlockmeister named Burke Adler (Albert Brooks). As Adler develops a relationship with divorced test-marketing researcher Nan Mulhanney (Julie Kavner), Matt becomes romantically attached to beautiful development executive Cathy Breslow (Joely Richardson). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nick Nolte, Whittni Wright, (more)
- 1989
A young Amer-Asian gang member named Ben Tran (Joon B. Kim) is the prime suspect when an attempt to hijack a car ends in murder. While investigating the case, Hunter (Fred Dryer) becomes convinced that Ben is actually his own teenage son, conceived during the Vietnam war. In his efforts to clear the boy and expose the real culprit, Hunter hopes against hope that he can make amends for his misspent past and form a loving bond with his son. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
