Karen Young Movies

A handsome yet sexually awkward young man becomes caught up in the dysfunctional web of a Cedar Rapids family in director Jeff Lipsky's caustic satirical drama. Jeff (Jonathan Groff) has had a crush on Mel (Portia Reiners) ever since high school, and now he's finally mustered the courage to chat her up. Unfortunately for Jeff, Mel isn't really interested in romance. Later, at a local party, Jeff hits it off with Mel's chaste, withdrawn older sister, Maura (Mamie Gummer), who proves unexpectedly responsive to his not-so-subtle advances. Though at first it may have seemed like a mere coincidence that Jeff was involved with both sisters, his motivations begin to seem suspicious when he allows himself to be seduced by their sexually frustrated mother, Vivian (Karen Young), whose bisexual husband, Martin (Reed Birney), left her for another man, but occasionally drops by for a quickie. Lately, Martin has been feeling like a failed father, but his ongoing efforts to reestablish a functional relationship with his daughters are continually iced by Maura, who makes no attempts to hide her distain for his lifestyle. Little do Jeff and Martin realize that they're currently on a collision course with one another, and once they meet head-on, nothing will ever be the same again. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A man seeking to escape the past realizes that he'll first have to confront the present after receiving a desperate call from a friend on his deathbed. Harry Sweeny (Jamey Sheridan) is an aged but handsome divorcée with a grown son and a small business. He lives a comfortable life in a small town, where his main source of entertainment is stopping by the local diner to flirt with pretty waitress Muriel (Karen Young). But Harry's life hasn't always been this easy, and after getting a call from Tom Kelly (Steve Buscemi) he starts to remember why. Tom isn't long for this earth, and before he goes he seeks forgiveness from David Kagan, a fellow crewman that he and Harry knew from their Navy days. Unable to say no to an old friend, Harry sets out on a reluctant search for David, visiting old friends and drudging up painful memories in the process. Why does Tom feel like he needs David's forgiveness to pass on, and whose redemption is Harry searching for anyway? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Years after moving to American in order to pursue his fame and flee from the responsibilities of parenthood, an ambitious novelist discovers that no matter how far he runs, his past will always catch up. Moshe was a moderately successful Israeli novelist who believed he never received the fame that he was due. Fed up with work and feeling trapped after the birth of his son, Moshe abandoned his wife and child in order to seek his fortune in America. Tzach joined with an elite unit of the Israeli army and rose through the ranks by fearlessly facing any challenge that came his way - no matter how deadly. It always seemed as if he were challenging fate, or perhaps trying to live larger than life in order to fill some long empty void. One day, after his mother dies, Tzach discovers the address of his long lost father buried among his mother's paperwork. As the pent up anger of never knowing his father blasts like a cork off a champagne bottle, the enraged young man decides to make contact. The moment Moshe realizes that his son has finally tracked him down, the runaway father's delusion of denial comes crashing down all around him. Now, as father and son become locked on a confrontational collision course, Moshe is about to discover just how futile it is for a man to run from his true fate. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A hard-drinking, hard-living cop assigned the task of transporting a small-time criminal to the nearby courthouse finds that a simple, 16-block drive can be the longest ride of his life in director Richard Donner's urban action thriller. Hung-over, has-been cop Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) has seen better days, and all that the force expects out of him these days is to stay out of trouble while he's on the clock. Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) is set to testify before a grand jury at 10:00 a.m., and it's up to Mosely to make sure that Bunker makes it to the courthouse in one piece -- a job that Mosely estimates will take a maximum of 15 minutes. A black van has been trailing the pair unnoticed, though, and after stopping off at a nearby liquor store to pick up some breakfast, Mosely emerges from the store just in time to save Eddie from the lethal bullet of a determined assassin. When backup arrives in the form of Detective Frank Nugent (David Morse), Mosely quickly realizes that the detective on Nugent's team is the same cop that Bunker is set to testify against. Now faced with the tough task of dodging bullets and eluding a massive onslaught of corrupt cops, Mosely must keep Bunker alive long enough to get him before the judge and ensure that justice is served. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A trio of lonely, middle-aged American women finds their growing disillusionment with stateside men leading them to seek emotional comfort and sexual gratification in the arms of young Haitian man in Time Out director Laurent Cantet's emotionally incisive adaptation of Haitian-Canadian author Dany Laferrière's acclaimed short stories. Competing for the attentions of beautiful young Haitian native Legba (Ménothy Cesar) are 55-year-old Wellesley professor Ellen (Charlotte Rampling), sexually frustrated Canadian factory worker Sue (Louise Portal), and fortysomething Georgia blonde Brenda (Karen Young). The Hotel Petite Anse is a haven for older women seeking the companionship of younger men, and doyenne Ellen has come to establish herself as something of the queen bee of the popular island establishment. Despite the constant threat of Baby Doc Duvalier's thuggish henchmen, these lonely women risk their livelihoods to bask under the sun and forget the troubles of their daily lives as the line between exploiter and exploited becomes increasingly blurred. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Nice girl falls for bad boy and lives to regret it in this independent coming of age drama. Katie (Megan Wilson) is a high school student who's bright, pretty, and has never been in any serious trouble. That changes when she meets Boyd (Brian Vaughan), who is handsome and charming, but also a magnet for trouble, often on the run from the police and a bit reckless in his use of drugs. Despite his dangerous side, Katie finds herself infatuated with Boyd, and they strike up a friendship that soon grows into a romance. However, the more deeply Katie becomes involved with Boyd, the farther she's drawn into the dark side of his world, and it becomes obvious that she needs to give him up for her own good. Winner of the Golden Starfish award at the 2000 Hamptons Film Festival, Falling Like This also features John Diehl and Patricia Clarkson. Ani DiFranco contributed to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Actor Frank Whaley makes his directorial debut with Joe the King, a downbeat drama about a 14-year-old boy coming of age in an abusive and uncaring environment. When he was nine, Joe Henry (Noah Fleiss) lied to his friends about his father's job because he was ashamed that his father was the school janitor; in turn, he was humiliated in front of his class. Five years later, things are much worse; his father (Val Kilmer) has become a violent alcoholic who can't hold a job, while his mother (Karen Young) is harsh and unloving. Joe works illegally as a dishwasher to help support the family, but resorts to petty theft when it's clear his salary alone won't pay his father's debts. Eventually Joe attempts to steal the restaurant's cash box to get his father out of the red -- with tragic results. Whaley, who claims this story is "loosely autobiographical," assembled a strong cast for his first turn behind the camera, including Ethan Hawke, John Leguizamo, and Austin Pendleton. Joe The King premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Former documentary filmmaker Rocky Collins made his feature directorial debut with this dark comedy-drama about suburban adultery. After schoolteacher Barry Grogan (Neil Maffin) and first-grade teacher Julie Hammer (Christy Baron) pull off a covert sexual liaison despite possible discovery by nearby students and staff, they go for another risky quickie in a station wagon parked by the school. Julie is married to deputy district attorney Max (Harry O'Reilly), who's hoping to be elected D.A. Barry, with two children, is married to Dierdre (Karen Young), and when he tells her about his affair, she kicks him out of the house. When Julie tells Max, he wants to stay together to work it out. Julie agrees to stay for three months, but nevertheless continues to visit Barry, who's staying at a motel. Max loses the election, and fraud charges put him in jail. During Thanksgiving dinner, Max tells Julie's parents about Julie's way of life, and other emotional twists follow in this film influenced, according to Collins, by Douglas Sirk's Imitation of Life (1959), Max Ophuls' Caught (1948), and Nicholas Ray's Bigger Than Life (1956). Shown at the 1998 LA Independent Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

In this rare Sunday-night telecast of Law & Order, the detectives investigate when a woman is shot in her sleep. The clues lead to Lonnie "Nacho" Rickman (Adam B. Zolotin), the son of crack addict Cassie Rickman (Karen Young). An additional layer is added to the mystery when it is learned that Cassie left Nacho in the "tender" care of her drug dealer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Two dysfunctional marriages are dissected during an impromptu dinner party in this drama. Just as New Age therapists Rita and Jack are preparing to eat dinner they are interrupted by Cosmo, their patient, and his flighty wife Arlie. Jack and Rita are uncomfortable about breaching their professional relationship, but they invite them to stay. Arlie is unpredictable and unstable. Her behavior causes Cosmo untold embarrassment. Jack and Rita have their own problems as Rita desires more closeness and he desires space. As dinner progresses, the four begin discussing intimate and dark secrets from their past and present about their marriages. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The life of powerful union leader Jimmy Hoffa is the subject of this biographical drama. The focus is strongly on Hoffa's public and political life, from his early days as a labor organizer to his later conflicts with the Federal government -- and, eventually, his mysterious disappearance. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Meticulously researched and elaborately produced, the two-part TV movie Drug Wars: The Cocaine Cartel is based on a true story. In addition, to quote the original print ads, "This is the one we won!" Incorruptible agents of the DEA declare war against Colombia's Medelin drug lords. To undermine the enemy, the Feds launch an undercover operation, targeted at the cartel's refineries. Alex Farina, Dennis Farina and John Glover head the enormous cast, which includes Julie Carmen in a standout performance as a Colombian judge. Filmed in Spain and Florida, part one of Drug Wars debuted January 19, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi