Kelly Preston Movies
Actress Kelly Preston was first seen on a national basis in the last-billed role of a general's daughter on the weekly 1983 TV drama For Love and Honor. She established herself as an agreeable comedienne in such films as Mischief (1985) and Secret Admirer (1985), then became lost in the turgid melodramatics of 52 Pick-Up (1986). Her big movie break was supposed to have been her co-starring stint with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny De Vito in Twins (1988), but the role was too nondescript to engender any enthusiasm. Nonetheless, Preston persevered, delivering great performances in such offbeat fare as the 1993 made-for-cable movie Arthur Miller's The American Clock. In the latter half of the 1990s, Preston's perseverance began to pay off, first with a substantial role in Cameron Crowe's widely acclaimed Jerry Maguire. She continued to do comedy, appearing in Nothing to Lose (1997), Addicted to Love (1997), and Holy Man (1998), before switching back to drama in 1999 as Kevin Costner's girlfriend in For Love of the Game. On April 3, 2000, Preston gave birth to a daughter, her second child while married to Travolta. Her career onscreen barely missing a beat after the bith, Preston appeared opposite husband Travolta in the notorious 2000 bomb Battlefield Earth before taking a turn back to comedy with roles in View from the Top and The Cat in the Hat. Though it had been quite some time since Preston had appeared on television with any frequency, a return to the small screen with roles in both Joey and Fat Actress provided semi-regular work in 2004 and 2005. In 2005 Preston could also be seen as a superpowered mother in the family oriented adventure comedy Sky High, with a role as a grieving sister who returns home to mourn the death of her brother in Broken Bridges serving well to remind audiences of her dramatic abilities after a series of more lighthearted roles. She continued to work steadily in projects such as The Possibility of Fireflies and The Tenth Circle. She appeared in her husband's hit comedy Old Dogs in 2009, and played the wife of a corrupt lobbyist in Casino Jack on year later. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 2014
The story of John Gotti and his family is brought to life in this Barry Levinson-directed production starring John Travolta as the infamous Mafioso who headed up a New York crime syndicate before ending his life in a prison sentence. Ben Foster co-stars as John Gotti Jr., with James Toback and Leo Rossi providing the screenplay. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Al Pacino, (more)
- 2005
One should not be accused of making slurring remarks if one observes that former Cheers and Veronica's Closet star Kirstie Alley played the title character in the satirical "reality" series Fat Actress. In point of fact, this largely improvised and unscripted half-hour series was created by Alley (in concert with Brenda Hampton of 7th Heaven fame), and it was she who came up with the title. The actress was seen as "herself," a former TV favorite whose popularity and job prospects diminished as her weight increased. Although she was outraged by Hollywood's double standard, which dictated that a male star can put on the pounds without losing work, while a female star is judged merely by the svelteness of her appearance, Alley was determined to put her career back on track, and to go to any lengths to convince people that she was the same Kirstie Alley as before, only more so. Of course, she also worked herself to a frazzle to burn off the excess weight that had caused her dilemma in the first place. Like Larry David's similar Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fat Actress featured a number of celebrities in cameo roles (usually mocking themselves in the same manner as the leading lady), and was also a veritable cornucopia of "inside" showbiz jargon. Viewers and critics were strongly divided about the series' merits, usually along the old "you love it or you hate it" lines, but one could not fault the star for valiantly poking fun at herself and her career and personal setbacks in a manner that totally charmed and disarmed all those who might have been inclined to dislike her personally simply on the basis of her "overindulgent" reputation. Fat Actress made its Showtime cable network debut on March 7, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kirstie Alley, Bryan Callen, (more)
This irreverent comedy focuses on a group of nine single people in their thirties who've gotten into the habit of hitting the same three bars in Los Angeles every weekend; most of them are looking for love, but that's the last thing any of them are likely to find. The cast includes Tom Arnold, Scott Baio, Kelly Preston, Sally Kellerman, and Charlene Tilton. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1994
Eric Roberts stars as Jack Hart, a police photographer who finds a photo of toothsome Jean (Kelly Preston) in his locker. Though he's never met Jean, Hart has no qualms about declaring his fascination with this mystery woman. Thus, when Jean turns up murdered, guess who's the Number One suspect? If nothing else, Love Is a Gun proves that Eric Roberts, despite his well-publicized private travails, can still carry a picture. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1993
This made-for-cable version of Arthur Miller's play The American Clock was adapted for television by Frank Galati. Inspired partly by Studs Terkel's oral history Hard Times, and partly by Miller's own recollections, the film is set at the beginning of the Depression. When the stock market crashes, the well-to-do Baumler family (John Rubinstein, Mary McDonnell, Loren Dean) loses everything. The Baumlers are forced to move from their plush penthouse apartment to the less-attractive Brooklyn digs of Mrs. Baumler's sister (Joanna Miles). Twelve-year-old Lee Baumler (Dean), the Arthur Miller counterpart, hits the road to find out how others are coping with the Long National Nightmare. The alternately depressing and uplifting storyline moves along briskly to a surprisingly abrupt climax. Kelly Preston, David Strathairn, Eddie Bracken, Darren McGavin, and Estelle Parson co-star in The American Clock, which premiered over the TNT Cable Network on August 23, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
In this made-for-cable TV psychological thriller, a sister must prove that her brother's new girl, a nurse, is a deeply troubled psycho-killer who would rather see her lovers die than fall into another woman's clutches. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Self-professed "super-lobbyist" and double-dealing high roller Jack Abramoff (Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey) watches in vain as his highly lucrative empire starts to crumble thanks to one fateful mistake in this high-energy comedy inspired by real events from director George Hickenlooper (The Man from Elysian Fields, Factory Girl). When Jack and resourceful businessman Michael Scanlon (Barry Pepper) team up to exert their influence over some the biggest players in Washington, D.C., their bid to strike it rich pays off, big time. But somewhere between the high-profile deals, high-roller hotel suites, and million-dollar yachts, the profit-loving pair makes the mistake of recruiting a motor-mouthed mob flunky (Jon Lovitz) to earn some extra income under the table. At first the cash is rolling in, but when word gets out that Jack and Michael have ties to the Mob, the resulting scandal turns their life of luxury into a living hell. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, (more)
Part vigilante drama and part psychological thriller, the James Wan-directed Death Sentence stars Kevin Bacon as Nick Hume, a deceptively passive exec whose wife and children are attacked in a sadistic, gang-related hazing rite, and his oldest son killed. Hell-bent on cold-blooded vengeance, Hume pulls a Bronson by tagging each of the perpetrators, then tracking down and rubbing out each one, with the help of formidable, blue-steel artillery. Aisha Tyler co-stars as the homicide detective who first agrees to assist Hume in his mission, then begins to edge up to the conclusion that the unstable father himself might be responsible for the nasty crimes against his family. Kelly Preston co-stars as Bacon's wife, Helen Hume; the cast also features John Goodman (The Big Lebowski), Leigh Whannell (Saw), and Matt O'Leary. Ian Jeffers loosely adapted Brian Garfield's popular 1975 novel. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Garrett Hedlund, (more)
Charlotte Cory, the main character in the thriller Convicted, has only days left until she is executed. Her lawyer discovers information that was kept out of her trial, and must race against time in order to save his client. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Connie Nielsen, Aidan Quinn, (more)
Writer/director Michael Clancy makes his feature film debut with the black comedy Eulogy. Zooey Deschanel plays Kate Collins, an unhappy college student who is made even more unhappy when her grandfather (Rip Torn) dies. Even though the entire family hates each other, they reunite at the home of Grandma Collins (Piper Laurie). Among other family members, Kate observes a war between her washed-up actor dad, Daniel (Hank Azaria); her lesbian Aunt Lucy (Kelly Preston); her wound-up Uncle Skip (Ray Romano); and her strict Aunt Alice (Debra Winger). Tensions escalate and family secrets are ultimately revealed. Kate is also inundated with the eulogy-writing duties, as she's the only one capable of such a task. Meanwhile, she reunites with old flame Ryan Carmichael (Jesse Bradford). Eulogy premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hank Azaria, Jesse Bradford, (more)
Billy Bob Thornton wrote, directed, and starred in this serio-comic look at the trials (literally and figuratively) of an eccentric Arkansas family. Struggling musician Claude (Thornton) and his wife Ruby (Laura Dern) get the news that Claude's uncle Hazel (Jim Varney) has been accused of murder and is in jail awaiting trial. Claude and Ruby head for the Alabama town where they grew up, and, before long, there's a friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) war of words among the factions of the family, including Claude's mother Jewel (Diane Ladd), father O.T. (Andy Griffith), and sister Rose (Kelly Preston). Daddy and Them's supporting cast includes Jamie Lee Curtis and Ben Affleck as a pair of married attorneys, Brenda Blethyn as Hazel's wife Julia, and Jeff Bailey, and John Prine as Claude's brothers. While Daddy and Them was shot in 1999 -- and would have been his first directorial effort after his breakthough hit Sling Blade -- the film stayed in the editing room for several years, and wasn't released until after his third feature, All The Pretty Horses. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Bailey, Billy Bob Thornton, (more)
In this slightly dark comedy about romantic obsession, Sam (Matthew Broderick) is an astronomer who likes his life in the small New England town he calls home and loves his fiancée, Linda (Kelly Preston). But one day, Linda tells Sam that she's moving to New York because she has found a new job -- and a new boyfriend. Sam is shocked and doesn't want to give Linda up, so when she moves to Manhattan, Sam follows her. Moving into an empty loft across the street from Linda's new apartment, Sam constructs a camera obscura that allows him to watch what she and her new beau, a French restaurateur named Anton (Tcheky Karyo), are up to. Sam's convinced that Linda is just going through a phase, and when she gets tired of Anton, he'll be there to pick up the pieces. But Sam soon has company in his obsessive watch over Linda's new flat: Anton's former girlfriend, Maggie (Meg Ryan), crashes Sam's hideout and joins him in his spy mission. While Sam just wants Linda back, Maggie is seething with rage against Anton after he dumped her and now she's out for revenge. Addicted to Love was the directorial debut of actor and producer Griffin Dunne; he cast his father, noted author Dominick Dunne, in a small role as a food writer. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Meg Ryan, Matthew Broderick, (more)
Two men with nothing in common become unlikely companions in this comedy. Advertising executive Nick Beame (Tim Robbins) is not having a good day when he comes home from work to discover that his wife Ann (Kelly Preston) is having an affair with another man -- who, adding insult to injury, happens to be his boss, Phillip Barrow (Michael McKean). Deeply depressed, Nick hops into his SUV and starts driving aimlessly. He ends up in a rough neighborhood where a carjacker, T. Paul (Martin Lawrence), pulls a gun and jumps in the passenger seat. Nick grumbles "Boy, did you pick the wrong guy on the wrong day," and, thinking he has no reason to live, heads out to the desert over T. Paul's objections. Nick learns that T. Paul is actually a family man who has turned to crime because he can't get a job. Nick offers to help T. Paul, though crime is not one of his strong suits, and things get even more complicated when a pair of crooks, Rig (John C. McGinley) and Charlie (Giancarlo Esposito), start following them. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Tim Robbins, (more)
Combining drama, comedy, and romance, Jerry Maguire was a critical and commercial success built on an original script by writer/director Cameron Crowe and an Oscar-nominated performance by Tom Cruise. Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is an agent with a major sports management firm. He's enthusiastic, successful, a great negotiator and people like him. But it begins to dawn on Jerry that there's something wrong with what he's doing, and not long after a troubling encounter with the son of an injured athlete he represents, Jerry has a serious crisis of conscience. In the midst of a sleepless night, Jerry writes a memo calling on himself and his colleagues to think more about the long-term welfare of the clients they represent and less about immediate profits. While everyone around him applauds the sentiment, Jerry's superiors think his ideas are bad for business; Jerry is fired, and, rather than standing in solidarity with him, his "friends" in the firm scramble like sharks to claim Jerry's clients. At the end of his last day, the only people willing to join Jerry as he strikes out on his own are staff accountant Dorothy (Renee Zellweger), a single mother secretly in love with him, and Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a football player whose pride and arrogance have gotten in the way of his reaching his potential. Jerry Maguire earned an Academy Award for Cuba Gooding Jr.'s performance as Tidwell and provided a breakthrough role for Renee Zellweger; it also made "Show me the money!" an unavoidable catchphrase for several months. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding, Jr., (more)
The divisive issue of abortion is at the center of Citizen Ruth, a political satire that attempts to subject both pro-choice and pro-life forces to equal ridicule. Laura Dern portrays Ruth Stoops, an irresponsible, unemployed woman who's addicted to inhaling household chemicals and has becomes pregnant, for the fifth time. After she is arrested for substance abuse, the judge offers to lessen her sentence if Ruth chooses to abort her child. Ruth agrees, but that night she encounters a group of pro-life activists. They take her under their wing, promising to help her, while secretly planning to make her case public as a symbol for the pro-life movement . When Ruth discovers the deception, she takes refuge with a pro-choice group, sparking a media frenzy. Yet Ruth soon finds her new friends are also only interested in her value as a media icon. Realizing she has been used as a pawn in the abortion rights battle, the apolitical Ruth turns the tables, offering to join whoever will give her the best deal. What results is a frantic, comedic session of wheeling-dealing which argues that activists on both sides have become more concerned with waging political warfare than helping women. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, (more)
In this action-horror flick from director Robert Rodriguez and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, Tarantino stars with George Clooney as a pair of bad-to-the-bone brothers named Seth and Richie Gecko. After a string of robberies that left a river of blood in the Geckos' wake, the sadistic siblings head to Mexico to live the good life. To get over the border, they kidnap Jacob Fuller, a widowed preacher played by Harvey Keitel, and his two children, Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu). Once south of the border, the quintet park their RV at a rough-and-tumble trucker bar called The Titty Twister, where Seth and Richie are supposed to meet a local thug. After a couple of drinks, they realize that they're not in a typical bar, as the entire place begins to teem with vicious, blood-sucking vampires. With the odds stacked greatly against them, the Fullers and Geckos team together in hopes of defeating the creatures of the night. Makeup artist Tom Savini and blaxploitation star Fred Williamson appear as allies against the vampires, and Cheech Marin fills three different roles. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, (more)
- 1995
- R
This psychological drama was based on the novel by Ella Leffland. After the death of her husband, Rose Munck (Diane Ladd), needs a job and takes a position looking after local business tycoon Patrick Leary (Bruce Dern), who has grown old and infirm and can no longer care for himself. However, revenge is higher on Rose's list of priorities than tending to Leary or earning a living; years ago, when she was a teenager, Rose (played in flashbacks by Kelly Preston) was seduced by the married Leary, and when she became pregnant, he threatened to have the child taken away from her unless she had an abortion. Rose chose to have the child against Leary's wishes, but the baby was killed during an altercation between Rose and Leary, and she has never forgiven him for it. Now, with Leary abandoned by his family, Rose takes her opportunity to slowly torture the old man who ruined her life. Mrs. Munck was the directorial debut for Diane Ladd; she was once married to co-star Bruce Dern, and their daughter, Laura Dern, directed a documentary about the making of this film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Diane Ladd, Bruce Dern, (more)
- 1994
- R
This made-for-TV western stars Kelly Preston as Rebecca Carver, who is travelling west with her husband Matthew (Charles Powell), trying to outrun the draft for the Civil War. Needing to rest for the night, they stop at a trading post run by Barkley (Dan Haggerty), where they encounter a pack of buffalo hunters as well as several Cheyenne braves who seem to know Barkley well. Worried that there could be trouble and afraid of the Indians, Matthew warns the hunters about the Cheyenne, which soon leads to a furious battle leaving only two survivors -- Rebecca and Hawk (Pato Hoffmann), a Cheyenne warrior who was severely injured in the fighting. With no one to protect her, Rebecca realizes that her survival may depend on Hawk, so she nurses him back to health; the two make their way across the prarie as they try to escape the bitter onset of winter, and find that their mutual distrust soon grows into love. Roger Corman served as executive producer. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kelly Preston, Pato Hoffmann, (more)
- 1991
- R
An innocent law student gets accused of murdering a mob chief's son when a casino poker game turns into a fistfight that ends with a fatality. Soon the mob and the corrupt local police are after the kid whose only respite in this film is a short romance with a new-found sweetheart. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Kelly Preston, Ken Pogue, (more)
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