Gary Ross Movies
The son of blacklisted screenwriter Arthur Ross, creator of Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954), Gary Ross was born in Los Angeles in 1956 and received an Ivy League education at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught a course on Film and Social History. However, intending to gain real-life experience, Ross dropped out before graduation to work on a fishing boat. He also studied acting under the legendary Stella Adler, but his attention ultimately turned to filmmaking and writing.Initially, Ross concentrated on writing novels. His first was not a financial success. After spending his advance for a second novel without completing it, Ross appeared as a contestant on the TV game show Tic Tac Dough and won $50,000, enabling him to live while he completed the project.
His brief career as a novelist led Ross to Paramount Pictures, where he was hired to write a treatment and made the acquaintance of producer Leonard Goldberg, who hired him to pen a script. That screenplay and two others were never produced.
Ross' fourth screenplay would end up earning Oscar and Writer's Guild nominations. He wrote the script for the blockbuster hit Big (1988) with a neighbor, Anne Spielberg, sister of director Steven Spielberg. The film's success transformed Ross into an A-list screenwriter.
Ross subsequently took assignments as a rewriter and polisher on several high-profile productions including Short Time (1990), Mr. Baseball (1992), Beethoven (1992), Little Big League (1994), The Flintstones (1994), and Lassie (1994). He also produced the comedy Trial and Error (1997) and formed his own company, Larger Than Life Productions.
However, Ross' most significant project in subsequent years was his next original script, Dave (1993), a story steeped in the writer's passion for politics. His political resumé is impressive: Ross spent a summer as a teenager working for a Congressman in 1972, participated in Ted Kennedy's 1980 campaign for president, and wrote speeches and jokes for Michael Dukakis and Bill Clinton, among other prominent Democrats.
Finally getting a shot behind the camera, Ross' next project was writing and directing the comedy-drama Pleasantville (1998), a seriously underrated effort that was unfortunately hamstrung by its similarity to that year's creepier, more Twilight Zone-vibed The Truman Show.
Ross is the father of twins, Claudia and Jack, born May 26, 1995. His wife is Allison Thomas, a one-time Carter Administration employee. Ross has been awarded for his philanthropic efforts to strengthen the Los Angeles Board of Library Commissioners, which he has served as president. For Dave, Ross won the Paul Selvin Award from the Writers Guild of America, an annual award given to the WGA member whose script "best embodies the spirit of the Constitution's call for civil rights and liberties." ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
Typical teenager Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) embraces his incredible destiny after uncovering one of his father's most carefully guarded secrets as Columbia Pictures reboots the Spider-Man franchise with the help of director Mark Webb ((500) Days of Summer) and screenwriter James Vanderbilt (Zodiac). Sally Field, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, and Emma Stone co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, (more)
Based on the best-selling books by Suzanne Collins, THE HUNGER GAMES is the first film in the franchise. Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. 16- year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her younger sister's place and must rely upon her sharp instincts when she'ÂÂs pitted against highly trained Tributes who have prepared their entire lives. If sheÂ's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
- 2009
Seabiscuit's Gary Ross brings audiences a driver's seat view of NASCAR action-packed drama as never seen before with this Universal Pictures production. Sopranos screenwriter Terence Winter pens the story, which follows a young driver's rise in the circuit under the mentorship of a former idol. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- 2009
Two teens involved in a devastating car accident awaken to find that they have been transported to a strange world known as Everlost in director Gary Ross' screen adaptation of Neal Shusterman's popular novel. Unable to determine whether they are alive or dead, the two adolescents set out to explore their supernatural surroundings while encountering numerous other youngsters from various historical periods. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2009
Sahara director Breck Eisner brings the 1954 creature feature classic into the modern era with this updating of the tale that sets the action in the present day. Original Creature from the Black Lagoon director Arthur A. Ross' son, Gary Ross, is set to produce the film and pen the screenplay. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A diminutive mouse strives to make a mammoth change in his troubled kingdom in this adaptation of author Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal-winning children's book. A long time ago, in the distant kingdom of Dor, a horrible accident broke the heart of the king, left a beautiful princess crestfallen, and filled the townspeople with despair. As the sun disappeared from the sky and the flowers were drained of color, the laughter slowly ceased in this once-magical land. It was into this darkened world that a tiny mouse named Despereaux Tilling was born, and while this virtuous little rodent may have been short in stature, his bravery was ultimately too big for such a small world to contain. An unlikely hero with oversized ears and a discernible wheeze, Despereaux was taken with tales of chivalry, and longed to one day become a noble figure among his people. Sometimes in order to realize their true destiny, heroes must first experience great hardship, however, and when Despereaux fails to adhere to the rigid rules of his society, he is banished from Dor.
Later, while exploring the outer realms, the lonely Despereaux is joined by a kindhearted rat named Roscuro. Roscuro, too, has been excommunicated from his homeland, and still cannot stand to look into a mirror lest he be reminded of his painful past. Later, as Despereaux embarks on a treacherous quest to rescue the endangered Princess Pea, Roscuro is set down the path of self-destruction after receiving a painful rejection from his highness. Now, on their way to realizing their extraordinary destinies, these two unlikely heroes will face off against the malevolent leader of the sewer rats, who is plotting revenge on humans from his subterranean kingdom; befriend a common serving girl who longs to become princess; and meet a whole host of colorful characters that they will never forget. Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, and Tracey Ullman lead a powerhouse cast in this animated feature produced by Gary Ross and Allison Thomas. Also lending voices to the project are Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, William H. Macy, and Christopher Lloyd. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Later, while exploring the outer realms, the lonely Despereaux is joined by a kindhearted rat named Roscuro. Roscuro, too, has been excommunicated from his homeland, and still cannot stand to look into a mirror lest he be reminded of his painful past. Later, as Despereaux embarks on a treacherous quest to rescue the endangered Princess Pea, Roscuro is set down the path of self-destruction after receiving a painful rejection from his highness. Now, on their way to realizing their extraordinary destinies, these two unlikely heroes will face off against the malevolent leader of the sewer rats, who is plotting revenge on humans from his subterranean kingdom; befriend a common serving girl who longs to become princess; and meet a whole host of colorful characters that they will never forget. Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, and Tracey Ullman lead a powerhouse cast in this animated feature produced by Gary Ross and Allison Thomas. Also lending voices to the project are Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, William H. Macy, and Christopher Lloyd. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Matthew Broderick, Robbie Coltrane, (more)
For his sophomore effort, director Gary Ross re-teams with Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy, stars of his directorial debut Pleasantville, for this depression-era sports drama about the legendary racehorse, Seabiscuit. Unlike 1949's fictionalized The Story of Seabiscuit starring Shirley Temple, this version attempts to present a factual account of the story, which centers around the three men who saw the famed horse to victory. Jeff Bridges stars as Charles Howard, an entrepreneur who owns the unlikely racehorse. Howard teams with partially blind boxer-turned-jockey Red Pollard (Maguire in his first performance since annihilating the 2002 box-office in Spider-Man) and horse trainer Tom Smith (Chris Cooper fresh off his best-supporting actor Oscar for Adaptation). Together, the three work to help the famed horse to several symbolic victories that helped to inspire a downtrodden 1930s America. The supporting cast, headed by Macy, includes Elizabeth Banks (Spider-Man) and real-life jockeys Gary Stevens and Chris McCarron. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, (more)
Gary Ross, Oscar nominated for his Dave and Big screenplays, made his directorial debut with this comedy. The cheerful '50s TV sitcom "Pleasantville" is revived in the '90s for a loyal cable audience. One devoted fan is shy suburban teen David Wagner (Tobey Maguire), who has an almost obsessive interest in the series. Living with his divorced mother (Jane Kaczmarek), David sometimes has disputes with his ultra-hip twin sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon). She wants to watch MTV just when a Pleasantville marathon is about to begin. They struggle over the remote control, and it breaks. A strange TV repairman (Don Knotts) supplies their new remote, a potent high-tech device which zaps David and Jennifer inside Pleasantville, where their new sitcom parents are businessman George Parker (William H. Macy) and wife Betty (Joan Allen). As "Bud" and "Mary Sue," the teens take up residence in a black-and-white suburbia where sex does not exist and the temperature is always 72 degrees. Life is always pleasant, books have no words, bathrooms have no toilets, married couples sleep in twin beds, the high school basketball team always wins, and nobody ever questions "The Good Life." David revels in Pleasantville's Prozac-styled peacefulness. He fits right in, but Jennifer's 1990s attitude upsets the blandness balance, painting parts of Pleasantville in "living color." Repressed desires surface, cracks appear in the '50s lifestyles, and the Pleasantville populace finds their lives changing in strange, wonderful ways. It's liberating -- but there's also a darker side. This film breaks an all-time record with more than 1700 special effects shots. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, (more)
This comedy features TV's Seinfeld regular Michael Richards in his first starring role, opposite Jeff Daniels. Daniels plays Charlie Tuttle, an up-and-coming attorney engaged to Tiffany Whitfield (Alexandra Wentworth), the daughter of the law firm's boss (Lawrence Pressman). His boss sends him to a small Nevada town to represent a down-and-out relative, Benny Gibbs (Rip Torn). Benny has been charged with fraud for bilking people in a mail-order scam. At a bachelor party that Charlie's future father-in-law arranges for him in the small town, Charlie gets plastered. A small-time actor, Richard Rietti (played by Richards), agrees to switch places with Charlie for a simple hearing that day. The judge and prosecutor think he's Tuttle. As the trial begins, Charlie tries to pose as his associate, but the judge won't allow that. Charlie is forced to send signals to Richard during the trial by honking on a car horn in the parking lot. In the meantime, Charlie finds a new kind of happiness with a free-spirited local waitress, Billie Tyler (Charlize Theron). ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Richards, Jeff Daniels, (more)
A 12-year old boy inherits the Minnesota Twins in this baseball comedy that is aimed toward younger viewers. Young Billy, a normal twelve-year old, is nuts about baseball and knows almost everything there is to know about the game. He should, his grandfather owns the perennial losers, the Minnesota Twins. When grandpa dies, he leaves the Twins in Billy's hands. Naturally the players are skeptical, especially after Billy designates himself as team manager. But with a combination of guile, knowledge and determination, Billy earns their grudging respect and the team begins a winning streak. Initially, Billy reminds the team that baseball is supposed to be fun, but he soon forgets that as he becomes increasingly involved in the adult world of competition, management and team politics. His three friends are angered that he no-longer has time for them. Billy gets made when the first baseman starts going out with his mom. Eventually the burned out Billy must again learn how to be a kid. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield, (more)
The story of an intelligent, heroic collie and his young owner, previously featured in numerous films and a successful 1950s television series, was updated for the 1990s in this family feature. This time, Lassie is determined to help a cynical city boy named Matt (Thomas Guiry), who turns even more resentful when his family relocates to a small town in rural Virginia. Soon after this move, a bright collie enters the family's life and winds up with the name Lassie because of the television show, which Matt's younger sister (Brittany Boyd) watches passionately. Lassie sets out to cheer Matt up and introduce him to the wonders of nature, while also helping the family stand its ground against rich, unpleasant neighbors. There are also run-ins with vicious wild animals and a daring rescue over river rapids, but the main focus remains on the emotional relationship between Matt and the dog, a story that will seem old-fashioned and charming to some viewers while familiar and sentimental to others. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Guiry, Helen Slater, (more)
The good (if not fully evolved) citizens of Bedrock make their way to the big screen in this live-action adaptation of the popular animated series of the 1960s. Fred Flintstone (John Goodman) and his best friend Barney Rubble (Rick Moranis) work together at the Slate and Company Rock Quarry. When Fred loans Barney some money that allows him and his wife Betty (Rosie O'Donnell) to adopt a child, Barney is looking for a way to show his gratitude. Barney thinks he's found one when the executives at Slate and Company announce that they're giving all their employees intelligence tests to help determine future promotions. When Barney switches his high-scoring test with Fred's, his plan works -- but not quite the way he had hoped: Fred is deemed executive material and given a big promotion, complete with a sexy secretary (Halle Berry) who makes his wife Wilma (Elizabeth Perkins) jealous, while Barney is soon out of a job and can't pay his bills. Bill Hanna and Joseph Barbara, who created the original television series, make cameo appearances here; Elizabeth Taylor gives a fine comic performance as Wilma's nagging mother, and Harvey Korman provides the voice of the Dictabird. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Goodman, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
- 1993
- PG13
- Add Dave to Queue Add Dave to top of Queue
The ghost of Frank Capra must have smiled when he saw Dave, an amusing and effective update of one of Capra's favorite themes -- the scrupulously honest little guy who becomes a force for good against a corrupt system. Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) runs an employment agency and seems to genuinely enjoy finding work for people who need it. He also bears a striking resemblance to the president of the United States, Bill Mitchell (also played by Kline) and occasionally gets work as a Bill Mitchell impersonator. One day, Dave gets a call from the Secret Service -- for security purposes, they want to hire him to act as a decoy for an upcoming appearance by the president. All goes well, but later that evening President Mitchell suffers a massive stroke while in bed with his mistress. Wanting to keep the matter a secret, two of the president's top advisors appeal to Dave to stand in as Bill Mitchell until he regains his health. One of the men behind this scheme, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), hopes to use Mitchell's absence to promote his own right-wing political agenda, but after a few weeks "in office," Dave decides it's time to promote some changes of his own that will help increase employment and keep homeless shelters open. Dave also finds himself growing fond of Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver), the President's wife, while Ellen sees in Dave the idealism her husband left behind years ago. Dave features numerous cameo appearances by politicians, Washington insiders, and journalists; Oliver Stone also appears to explain a conspiracy theory regarding sudden changes in Bill Mitchell's behavior. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, (more)
Feeling that something is lacking in their lives, the family of suburbanite Charles Grodin adopts a stray St. Bernard puppy. The cute lite beast grows up to be the less-than-cute Beethoven, a sloppy, slobbery, oversized and extremely destructive animal. Beethoven also brings with him a lot of hidden baggage in the form of evil veterinarian Dean Jones, who'll stop at nothing to steal Beethoven for the purposes of his insidious lab experiment. Several sequels followed, beginning with 1993 Beethoven's Second. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, (more)
When has-been baseball player Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck) is signed by a Japanese team, he is initially reluctant to take the game seriously. Elliot is very successful, though, as he teaches the team about American chutzpah, and they remind him of the value of respect. He must fight his way out from under a slump to show that he deserves the title. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Ken Takakura, (more)
- 1991
This historical drama with music examines the life and times of Emile Nelligan (Lorraine Pintal), one of the major Canadian poets of the 19th century who struggled through a difficult childhood with the help of his loving mother, only to see his career cut short by tragic circumstances. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1990
- PG13
Gregg Champion, the son of dance stars Marge and Gower Champion, made his feature film directorial debut with this sitcom-influenced cop comedy. Dabney Coleman stars as Burt Simpson, a police detective one week short of retirement, who is told he has a rare blood disease called Wechsler's Curtain and that he will be dead within two weeks. Before receiving the dire news, Burt was the kind of guy who made it a point to be cautious when in pursuit of criminals. He also was unable to tell his wife (Teri Garr) that he loved her. But now that he has only two weeks to live, Burt undergoes a complete personality reversal -- much to the shock of his partner Ernie Dills (Matt Frewer). Burt throws his well-known caution to the wind and volunteers for double-duty in the city's most dangerous neighborhood to take on the notorious psychotic Carl Stark (Xander Berkeley). The reason for this sudden turnaround? Burt figures that if he is killed in the line of duty, his son can go to Harvard on the $320,000 worth of department insurance, rather than die after retirement and collect a paltry $22,000 on his regular insurance policy. Paradoxically, Burt finds that comedy is easy but dying is hard. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dabney Coleman, Matt Frewer, (more)
More than anything else, 13-year old New Jerseyite Josh (David Moscow) wants to be "big". That's the wish he makes at an odd-looking amusement pier fortunetelling machine. The next morning, Josh wakes up-only to discover that he's grown to manhood overnight! (At this point, the part is taken over by Tom Hanks). Still a 13-year-old mentally and emotionally, Josh decides to hide out in New York City until he can figure out what to do next. He lucks into a job with a major toy company run by kid-at-heart McMillan (Robert Loggia). By cannily bringing a child's eye view to McMillan's business, Josh rises to the top-and in process, he falls in love with fellow employee Susan (Elizabeth Perkins). But he's still a kid, and he'd like to go back to his own world and own body. Written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg, Big proved a crucial success for budding director Penny Marshall, who'd work harmoniously with Hanks again on the radically different A League of Their Own. The cinematography was by Barry Sonenfeld, who went on to become a director himself with The Addams Family. That Big was heavily reliant upon the input of Tom Hanks and Penny Marshall was proven by the failed attempt to turn the property into a Broadway musical. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
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