Jean LaPointe Movies
- 1996
- PG
Residents in a retirement home band together to thwart the thievery of the home's crooked director. Woody, Joseph, Olive (Cloris Leachman) and Peter were a bridge foursome. The film opens at Peter's funeral where Joseph (Jan Rubes) is attempting to recruit Rose (Olympia Dukakis) to fill Peter's spot at the bridge table. Acting on a prior understanding with Peter, Woody (Jean Lapointe) goes to the home's director, Carl (Matt Craven), and tries to get the money Peter allocated to cover the costs of his funeral. Carl claims Peter left the money to the home, and nothing is available for the funeral. Woody knows perfectly well that Peter would do no such thing, and his suspicions are aroused. The four bridge players begin to notice other, equally shady, things going on, and so put together a sting operation. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Olympia Dukakis, Cloris Leachman, (more)
- 1992
Cultural conflicts are inflamed by violence in this drama from Canada. Ninetta (Enrica Maria Modugno) and Giuseppe (Tony Nardi) are a pair of Sicilian expatriates living in Canada, where they operate a rooming house. Many of their tenants are also from Sicily, and one day an argument breaks out between a boarder and Theo, a French-Canadian whose father-in-law is close friends with Giuseppe. Giuseppe finds himself drawn into the fight, and Theo is killed; his loyalties are now torn between his loyalty to his countrymen and his responsibilities to his friend.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Enrica Maria Modugno, Tony Nardi, (more)
- 1990
In this tragicomedy, Toni (Tony Niardi) is the director of a staged rendition of Othello in Montreal. It is a pet project of his, financed by his loving mafia uncle. Unbeknownst to him, the audiences are also rounded up (and paid) by the same uncle. Some of them have seen every performance of this tragic play, and are understandably bored, so when the backstage romantic shenanigans of the actors result in absurd situations onstage, the audience is delighted. There are a huge number of romantic situations going on in this film at the same time. One of them involves Gaston (Jean Lapointe), a somewhat world-weary jazz musician, and Florence (Louise Marleau), a glamorous middle-aged woman who has been pining for him for years. Another involves to members of the musician's jazz trio. Yet another involves the play's Desdemona, Soledad (Charlotte Laurier), the girlfriend of the man playing Othello, who can't keep his hands off his (female) dresser. She is also Florence's neice. This busy story pokes fun at many local foibles and was a huge success in Quebec. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean LaPointe, Louise Marleau, (more)
- 1977
In this socially conscious drama, a TV journalist begins investigating a large factory that has been threatening the health of the children who live in the town's poorest, most polluted section. Because of his investigation, he and his family are threatened by company thugs. He gets no help from his TV station as they are loathe to tangle with big business. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Len Cariou
- 1976
This Canadian film stars Marcel Sabourin as J. A. Martin, journeyman photographer. Several times per year, Martin packs his bulky equipment and goes on the road in search of photogenic subjects, leaving his wife (Monique Mercure) behind. On this occasion, however, Mme. Martin insists upon accompanying her husband. She soon discovers that the truculent, inner-directed M. Martin may have been making ooh-la-la with some of his more attractive female portrait subjects. Director Jean Beaudrin adds a dash of topicality to J.A. Martin, Photographer with some genteel lobbying in favor of Quebec's Separatist movement. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcel Sabourin, Monique Mercure, (more)
- 1974
This disturbing drama is based on a real incident that occurred in Quebec during 1970. It is the story of the Liberation Front of Quebec took hostages, and the provincial government called for martial law resulting in the arrest of 450 people who were taken in and imprisoned without warrants and for no apparent reason. Much of the film centers on the cruelty inflicted upon these victims. Mental torture was one of the techniques employed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean LaPointe, Helene Loiselle, (more)
- 1973
After being arrested for hitting his wife, and then temporarily thrown out of the house by the irate woman, Paul Laliberte (Jacques Godin) teams up with Madelaine (Luce Guilbeault) and his friend Pierre (Jean LaPointe) - and all three proceed to get into unlikely situations. Laliberte's wife decides to help him out and finds work for him as a skunk exterminator - a task that is rife with possibilities for olfactory trouble. In the end, Laliberte loses his job and strapped for money, robs the office of his ex-boss. Although things do not seem to be heading in quite the right direction for Laliberte, once he has hit bottom then the only way to go is up. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luce Guilbault, Jacques Godin, (more)
