Maurice Godin Movies

Accompanied by Natalie (Traylor Howard), Monk (Tony Shalhoub) goes on his annual pilgrimage to wine country, there to check in at the same bed and breakfast where he and his late wife Trudy spent their honeymoon. But this sentimental journey is interrupted by an obnoxious guest named Larry Zwibell (Daniel Roebuck), and by Monk's uncharacteristic display of drunkenness. Upon sobering up, Monk is amazed to learn that no one else has seen the intrusive Mr. Zwibell; indeed, it is highly likely that the man never existed! As it turns out, this little mystery is interwoven with a murder in which the victim was a mob accountant (Larry Clarke)--and inevitably, Monk must put his vacation on hold to solve both cases (but not before getting drunk a second time!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two guys looking for a respite from their bumpy romantic lives find themselves in the midst of a very confusing situation in this broad comedy. Jerry (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a guy who thinks he's found the love of his life in Felicia (Vivica A. Fox), his beautiful longtime girlfriend. Jerry decides to propose to Felicia, and arranges for a hot-air balloon ride in order to create the ideal setting to pop the question. However, Felicia not only turns him down, she announces that she's leaving him for another man. Jerry sinks into a deep depression, until his best friend Nick (Horatio Sanz), who has been having his own romantic problems, suggests they take a vacation cruise on an ocean liner, forgetting their troubles while they make time with bikini-clad babes. Jerry is game, but after an angry misunderstanding with a travel agent, Nick and Jerry discover they've been booked on a tour specifically for gay men. Jerry and Nick are forced to pose as lovers to ward off the indefatigable advances of aging playboy Lloyd (Roger Moore), which cramps their style when the ship's captain rescues a boatload of buxom Swedish swimsuit models. Jerry's spirits rise when he meets Gabriella (Roselyn Sanchez), a beautiful dancer who is part of the ship's entertainment staff. Jerry, however, now has to walk a fine line between maintaining his cover and convincing Gabriella that despite outward appearances, he's not gay. Boat Trip was the first feature film from director Mort Nathan, best known for his work as a writer for television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In 1988, Marlene Moore, the first woman to be designated a "dangerous offender" by Canada's legal system -- even though she had never committed a serious crime -- killed herself in a Kingston, Ontario federal woman's prison. The Canadian TV movie seeks to explain the circumstances that brought the unfortunate Moore to this tragic turn of events. As played by Brooke Johnson, Marlene is shown to be an awkward, withdrawn young girl, cruelly maligned and sexually abused by family and peers alike, and never afforded the moral support or mental-health treatment she deserved. Under these circumstances, Marlene's subsequent self-destructive, sociopathic behavior seems almost predestined, and her many years behind bars for various minor crimes a logical extension of her miserable upbringing. The climactic efforts by her dedicated lawyer to prevent Marlene from being entombed in prison for an indefinite term are heartrending, and Moore manages to evoke audience sympathy almost in spite of herself by the final fade-out. The film earned two Gemini Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Emmies) for both Brooke Johnsonand supporting actress Jayne Eastwood (as Marlene's mother). Originally telecast by the CBC, Dangerous Offender was first seen in America via the Lifetime network on November 7, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The reticent owner of a small bed and breakfast sets out on the adventure of a lifetime after joining a rugged bounty hunter in his search for an elusive antiques smuggler. Sara is a woman who never took any risks in life. She always lived strictly by the book, but her life is about to be turned upside down by Flynn, a handsome bounty hunter on the trail of a convicted antiques smuggler. Now, as Sara and Flynn pose as archeologists, art collectors, and husband and wife, a passion that the reserved bed and breakfast owner never knew existed is suddenly awakened. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

While his cousin Dominic (Maurice Godin) is away, Antonio (Tony Shalhoub) falls in love with Dominic's fiancée Teresa (Fabiana Udenio). He makes a valiant effort to keep his emotions to himself, but things inevitably get out of hand. Meanwhile, Joe (Tim Daly) is upset that his family cannot match the expense of the wedding gifts provided by the family of his intended, Helen (Crystal Bernard). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

From HBO's award-winning composer series comes the story of composer Georges Bizet and his young piano student, Michelle. Bizet is writing the opera Carmen, and Michelle's father is a soldier in Seville and has been away a long time. Michelle begins to wonder if her father has run away with another woman like Don Jose does in her teacher's opera. Although Maurice Godin does a fantastic job bringing the flamboyant character of Bizet to life, children are drawn to the drama surrounding Michelle's father. Will he come back? Will she ever see him again? This installment of the series introduces the music of Bizet, and though it doesn't include as much historical information as the others, it's still a valuable teaching aid for performing arts programs. Recommended for ages 9 to 12. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

In this comedy from writer-director John Boorman, wealthy real estate mogul Stewart McBain (Dabney Coleman) owns a demolition firm which specializes in blowing up old buildings to make way for upscale new ones. When neighbors protest his plans to raze a dilapidated old building to make way for a new Brooklyn subdivision, television crews film the confrontation, and McBain comes off like a fool. His three spoiled children ridicule him. Tired of their carping, McBain gives them each $750 and drops them off at the old building, known as the Dutch House. Daphne (Uma Thurman), Chloe (Suzy Amis) and Jimmy (David Hewlett) are at first completely lost, because they have no idea how to live in the real world. As McBain and his wife Jean (Joanna Cassidy) monitor their children's progress, the three youngsters learn to get along with the neighborhood people and eventually set up a commune of sorts, into which they invite their friends and various homeless people. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide