Agnes Bruckner Movies
With strawberry blonde hair and an innocent smile, actress Agnes Bruckner has a strangely familiar face that seems to make her more sympathetic and identifiable than most of her onscreen contemporaries. Her stunning breakout performance as a troubled young girl who seeks escape from her downbeat life through poetry in Karen Moncrieff's Blue Car earned Bruckner an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, pointing to a bright future for the magnetic and unusually assured young actress. Born to a Russian father and Hungarian mother in Hollywood, CA, the bilingual aspiring actress found her first role in the little-seen short film Girl (1997). That same year, the then-12-year-old Bruckner landed a role on the popular daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, and the following year, she took her first lead as a young girl who dedicates herself to saving the residents of a miniature city found beneath a construction site in The Shrunken City. As Hollywood came calling, Bruckner played a supporting role in the thriller The Glass House in 2001, though her true breakthrough wouldn't come until the release of Blue Car the following year. 2002 proved a productive and exciting year for the ascending young star, with roles in the Columbine-inspired teen drama Home Room and Barbet Schroeder's Murder by Numbers making her an increasingly familiar face to moviegoers. A role in the harrowing drama Rick (2003) found Bruckner the target of an Internet predator who just happened to be her father's sleazy boss, and in 2004, following supporting roles in Stateside and May director Lucky McKee's girl-school chiller The Woods, Bruckner could be seen in the high-profile Hollywood adventure Haven. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Iron Jawed Angels director Katja von Garnier and the producers of Underworld team to adapt author Annette Curtis Klause's tale of a teenage werewolf who must choose between love and loyalty to the pack when she falls for a handsome young human. Vivian Gandillon (Agnes Bruckner) is a 19-year-old girl living in modern-day Bucharest. After spending her entire life running from the truth, Vivian is forced to come to terms with her lycanthropic origins when her growing affections for a visiting American artist threaten to reveal her family's dark secret. For centuries, Vivian's family has been involved with an ancient secret society. Now, in order to be with the one she loves, Vivian will be forced to betray an age-old vow that could bring about the downfall of her entire race. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Agnes Bruckner, Olivier Martinez, (more)
A teenage girl is drawn into the path of the unknown in this tale of terror. Heather (Agnes Bruckner) is a teenage girl whose father (Bruce Campbell) and mother take little interest in her. Heather's parents enroll her in a private boarding school for girls located deep in a remote forest; Heather isn't happy with this turn of events, and she doesn't get along well with her classmates or the head mistress, Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson). As she struggles to make the best of her situation, Heather notices that slowly but surely the other students at the school have been vanishing, and there seems to be a mysterious force in the nearby woods which has been claiming the lives of the young women -- and will soon be coming after Heather. The Woods was the first major-studio feature from director Lucky McKee, who earned enthusiastic notices for his independent film May. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Agnes Bruckner, Patricia Clarkson, (more)
A selfless teen who has always put the needs of others before her own experiences a personal crisis after setting her best friend up with her handsome new neighbor in an affecting coming-of-age drama starring Agnes Bruckner, Kelli Garner, and Justin Long. Ever since Audrey's (Bruckner) mother died, the compassionate 18-year-old has dedicated her life to caring for her still-grieving father (John Corbett). Despite her desire to go to college and get an education, Audrey remains at her father's side in the remote New Mexico desert community, and passes her free time away in the company of her best friend, Calista (Garner). Calista wants nothing more than to become the next Miss America, though her dreams of continental acclaim are soon sidelined by a sudden, life-changing illness. In the lazy summer following her high-school graduation, Audrey is surprised to see a couple named Mary (Gina Gershon) and Herb (Chris Mulkey) move in to her neighborhood along with their handsome teenage son, Mookie (Long). Though at first Audrey sees Mookie's arrival as a chance to bring a little romance into the life of her friend Calista, after setting the pair up on a date and getting to know her new neighbor a little better, the young matchmaker soon begins to develop feelings for her best friend's new boyfriend. When you've dedicated your entire existence to bettering the lives of others, how do you find true happiness when the only way to be true to your feelings is to go against everything you've ever stood for? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Agnes Bruckner
A good Samaritan becomes the victim of voodoo spells in this horror story produced by Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson. When an aged Creole woman is caught in a car wreck in a remote section of Louisiana, Ray (Rick Cramer), the owner of a nearby filling station, speeds to the scene of the accident to help. However, Ray doesn't know that the woman is a voodoo practitioner whose vehicle holds a case full of magic talismans. The magical spirits lead Ray to an unexpected death, and then they take over his body, turning him into a bloodthirsty monster. As the reanimated Ray makes his way into town, a group of teenagers including Eden (Agnes Bruckner) and Tammy (Bijou Phillips) find themselves running for their lives from the supernatural creature, while Deputy Turner (Method Man) looks for a way to keep the strange menace under control. Venom went into release in the fall of 2005 -- only a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the state of Louisiana, making the film seem unfortunately topical. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Jeepers Creepers director Victor Salva takes a break from the horror to offer an inspirational tale about the remarkable power of the human spirit as the pages of Dan Millman's best-selling autobiographical novel come to life onscreen in this life-affirming film starring Nick Nolte, Scott Mechlowicz, and Amy Smart. A talented college gymnast with serious Olympic aspirations, Dan Millman (Mechlowicz) leads a charmed life of first-place trophies, fast girls, and rowdy parties until a career-threatening injury and a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger named Socrates (Nolte) show him how little he truly knows about living. In the months that follow his tragic injury, both Socrates and elusive beauty Joy (Smart) impart to the growing young man the wisdom that he needs to leave the past behind and follow the path of destiny and fulfill his transformation into the peaceful warrior. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Mechlowicz, Nick Nolte, (more)
Directed by Reverge Anselmo, Stateside revolves around the unique love story of two very different teens -- namely, the rich but lonely Mark Deloach (Jonathan Tucker) and Dori Lawrence (Rachael Leigh Cook), a schizophrenic singer and actress -- whose lives spiral out of control in separate but nonetheless connective ways. After Mark's prank on a local girl (Agnes Bruckner) results in a deadly drunk-driving accident, and Dori's mental health continues to deteriorate, Mark is forcibly sent to the Marines as Dori is admitted into a mental hospital. Despite the state of havoc in their lives, however, Dori and Mark are drawn to each other -- it would appear that their mutual need for love and some semblance of understanding has bonded them more tightly together than all of their more traditional relationships combined. Of course, those very relationships are insisting the young couple stay as far apart as possible; Mrs. Hagen (Diane Venora), head of Dori's halfway house, is particularly insistent. When Mark is deployed to a combat unit overseas, it looks as though Mrs. Hagen's wishes have been granted. Unable to forget each other, Mark and Dori do their best to heal one another in spite of the distance between them. Stateside features supporting performances from Ed Begley Jr., Carrie Fisher, Val Kilmer, and Joe Mantegna ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachael Leigh Cook, Jonathan Tucker, (more)
When a corrupt Miami businessman flees to the Cayman Islands with his daughter and a million dollars in dirty money, the resulting inferno threatens to consume father, daughter, and even a few unsuspecting innocents in a sun soaked crime drama starring Bill Paxton, Orlando Bloom, and Agnes Bruckner. Carl Ridley (Paxton) was desperate to escape the law when he boarded an airplane for the Cayman Islands, but as the heat starts to rise in paradise, he's about to realize that there are some fates far worse than prison time. As Carl attempts to cleanse his ill-gotten gains with a little help from crooked British investment banker Mr. Allen (Stephen Dillane), his resentful daughter Pippa (Bruckner) sets out to explore her exotic new surroundings on the arm of native bad boy Fritz (Victor Rasuk). A low-level thug whose connections to a powerful local crime lord threatens to spell doom for all involved, Fritz draws Pippa in to disastrous chain of events sparked by the forbidden desires of unsuspecting lovers Shy (Bloom and Andrea (Zoe Saldana). Now, as the West Indies threatens to explode into violence, Carl must choose between the safety of his daughter and fortune he's trying to hide. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orlando Bloom, Bill Paxton, (more)
A mother haunted by the decade-old disappearance of her gifted but troubled son travels from Los Angeles to St. Petersburg after learning that her son may currently be living abroad in director Nikolai Lebedev's emotionally turbulent drama. In the years following the inexplicable disappearance of her son, Sarah Hathaway's dreams have been filled with images of the missing boy, and her waking hours filled with grief at not knowing whether he is alive or dead. When Sarah receives a clue that her son may be residing in Russia, she immediately travels to St. Petersburg in hopes of finding out the truth after years of uncertainty. But beneath the stark beauty of St. Petersburg lies a great many dangers, and in order to get the answers that are now within her grasp, Sarah will have to face both the lingering pain of the past and the increasingly dire dangers of the present. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Archer
The amoral world of a handful of Wall Street businessmen is delineated in this black comedy written by Lemony Snicket creator Daniel Handler. Rick takes as its central character a mid-level manager (Bill Pullman) working in a nameless corporation for a boss, Duke (Aaron Stanford), who's nearly half his age. Duke and Rick are constantly one-upping each other around the office; compounding their contentious relationship is the fact that Duke is pursuing Rick's daughter, Eve (Agnes Bruckner), a teenager who frequents Internet sex-chat rooms. Rick thinks he has found the solution to his work problems in Buck (Dylan Baker), an old college buddy who's become a paid hitman; for a fee, he'll take care of anyone who comes between Rick and his climb up the corporate ladder. But when a jilted job interviewee (Sandra Oh) puts a hex on Rick, it seems his good fortune may come to an end. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Aaron Stanford, (more)
American independent filmmaker Paul F. Ryan makes his feature debut with the psychological drama Home Room. The students of Valley High School try to get on with their lives in the aftermath of a traumatic school shooting in which nine students were killed. Even though the perpetrator is dead, the townspeople still want to find some answers. Detective Martin Van Zandt (Victor Garber) decides to interrogate high school student Alicia Browning (Busy Philipps), who was present during the attack. Because of her cynical attitude and dark fashion choices, she is viewed as a possible threat. Principal Robbins (James Pickens Jr.) sentences her to regular hospital visits with the pretty and popular Deanna Cartwright (Erika Christensen), who was seriously injured in the attack. Alicia and Deanna overcome their initial differences and develop a nurturing friendship with psychological help from Dr. Hollander (Holland Taylor). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Busy Philipps, Erika Christensen, (more)
- 2003
Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) is battling heroin addiction after going undercover to bust Ramon Salazar (Joaquim de Almeida). Chase (James Badge Dale) is the only one who knows that Jack is going through withdrawal as CTU addresses the biological terror threat. Wayne (D.B. Woodside) tells Tony (Carlos Bernard) that the president will not give in to the terrorist demand to free Ramon, but promises that CTU will have all the resources they need. Wayne tells David (Dennis Haysbert) that he might be able to get a copy of their opponent's playbook for that night's debate. David rejects the offer, but Wayne does it anyway, and later tells David that the opposition intends to use some new information about Anne (Wendy Crewson) against him. Kim (Elisha Cuthbert), going against Chase's wishes, decides to tell Jack about their relationship. Jack later expresses his displeasure to Chase. Jack explains that the job has ruined every relationship he's ever had. Later, Jack sends the resentful Chase back to CTU to conduct a routine interrogation, in order to keep him out of harm's way. CTU discovers that the virus might be in powder form, which leads them to pursue Kyle Singer (Riley Smith), who has just returned to Los Angeles from Mexico with what he thinks is a bag of heroin. And, in a surprise twist, Hector Salazar (Vincent Laresca), running the operation from Mexico, and his brother have an inside link to CTU. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
The coming-of-age drama Blue Car is the directorial debut feature from actress Karen Moncrieff. Played by newcomer Agnes Bruckner, quiet high school student Meg lives in an apartment complex where she takes care of her troubled little sister, Lily (Regan Arnold), while her emotionally unavailable mom (Margaret Colin) is busy at work or school. Since her dad left, the family has been under financial strain and Lily suffers from starvation, delusions, and self mutilation. Meg maintains a calm demeanor and endures her responsibilities but unleashes her frustrations and pain through her poems, which she shares with her supportive English teacher, Mr. Auster (David Strathairn). With his encouragement, she wins a regional poetry competition and makes it to the finals in Florida. However, she is faced with repeating hardships as her sister's condition intensifies, she gets fired for stealing, and her mom kicks her out of the house. Temporarily staying with her friend Georgia (Sarah Beuhler), she meets the delinquent Pat (A.J. Buckley) and gets involved in some petty crime. Agnes eventually goes to Florida by herself, where she meets Mr. Auster's intelligent yet discontented wife, Delia (Frances Fisher), and she finds her relationship with him becoming more complicated. Blue Car premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Agnes Bruckner, David Strathairn, (more)
When a pair of bright-but sociopathic teens conspires to commit the perfect murder, a troubled cop teams with her eager new partner to solve the case that left the community in fear and the police without a clue. High school ladies' man Richard Haywood (Ryan Gosling) and outcast Justin Pendleton (Michael Pitt) have no motive to commit murder, but they soon conspire to choose a random victim and pin the crime on local pot dealer Ray (Chris Penn), under the guise that the police will never suspect them of such a brutal act. Determined Det. Cassie Merriweather (Sandra Bullock) is assigned to the case, and quickly becomes suspicious of the elusive teens despite the doubts expressed by her superiors and her lack of solid evidence. Soon entering into a dangerous test of wills with the increasingly desperate and dangerous teens, her investigation leads her down a disturbing path that will test her skills as a detective and her will to survive. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling, (more)
- 2002
In this first episode of a two-part story, Sydney (Jennifer Garner) tries to come to terms with the revelation that her late mother, Laura, was a KGB assassin. This emotional upheaval, however, is forced to take a back seat when ex-SD-6 operative McKenas Cole (Quentin Tarantino), seeking revenge for having been betrayed by his own organization, captures the agency's Credit Dauphine headquarters. Cole intends to break into the headquarters' explosive-wired vault -- and give master torturer Sloane (Ron Rifkin) a brutal taste of his own medicine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Sydney (Jennifer Garner) and her father, Jack (Victor Garber), team up to rescue the SD-6 agents held hostage at the Credit Dauphine headquarters by vengeance-seeking former agent McKenas Cole (Quentin Tarantino) -- a mission that will require them to save the life of the hated Arvin Sloane (Ron Rifkin). Syd and Jack are aided by Vaughn (Michael Vartan), who defies CIA orders not to take a hand in the rescue efforts. Meanwhile, Will (Bradley Cooper) is on the verge of putting all the pieces together in the mystery of David's murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Aspiring teenage photojournalist Jason Harris (Ryan Merriman) begins assembling a picture profile of his father Will (Tom Irwin), a highly respected opthamologist. But while snapping candid shots of Will, Jason discovers to his chagrin that his father is having an affair with his receptionist (Angela Lambert)--and when Will begs his son to keep his indiscretions a secret from wife Renee (Christine Healey), Jason completely loses his faith and trust in his father. Before long, the boy's bitterness has spread to everyone and everything he cares about, like a disease. Ultimately, Jason has an accident which may render him permanently blind--but he angrily refuses to let his father operate on his eyes. Clearly, Monica (Roma Downey) has a truly daunting "forgiveness and redemption" assignment ahead of her! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This teen psychological thriller marks the feature film debut of respected television producer and director Daniel Sackheim. Leelee Sobieski stars as Ruby Baker, a high school student who is devastated when her parents Grace and Dave (Rita Wilson and Michael O'Keefe) are killed in a tragic car accident. With her younger brother Rhett (Trevor Morgan), Ruby is sent to live with the legal guardians chosen by her parents, their best friends Terry (Stellan Skarsgård) and Erin Glass (Diane Lane). The Glasses live in an opulent Malibu mansion where Ruby and Rhett are promised all of the finest luxuries money can buy and a lavish new rich-kid lifestyle. Before long, however, Ruby begins to suspect that her new caretakers are not what they appear on the surface and that the couple's financial woes may force them to harm her or Rhett in order to cash in on their sizable life insurance policies. The Glass House was written by Wesley Strick, screenwriter of Cape Fear (1991), Wolf (1994), and The Saint (1997). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leelee Sobieski, Diane Lane, (more)
