Jeff Pope Movies
As originally aired on British television, this docudrama miniseries concerns Fred West (Dominic West), a notorious serial killer convicted for torturing, raping and murdering at least 11 young women and girls at his home in Gloucester, England, most of them between 1973-1979 - often in collusion with his wife Rosemary. The dramatic focus, here, is not the Wests' marital relationship per se, but Fred's interaction with Janet Leach (Emily Watson) , an "appropriate adult" assigned to assist him during his police interviews and formal charging. The film explores Fred 's perception of Janet as a confidante and a friend, and his disclosure o horrific facts to her, that she in turn uses to aid the investigation. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
When a weathered, God-fearing ex-blues musician finds the town nymphomaniac severely beaten and left for dead on the side of the road, he vows to cure her of her wicked ways in Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer's raw and unflinching follow-up. Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) is a hard-living ex-blues guitarist for whom the troubled days are beginning to outnumber the good. Rae (Christina Ricci) is a 22-year-old sex addict whose wild ways are finally about to catch up with her. When Lazarus discovers Rae covered in dust and clinging to life on the side of the road, he takes her in and nurses her back to health; but Lazarus isn't your typical caregiver, he's more concerned for Rae's immortal soul than he is for her physical well-being. Now, after chaining Rae down and employing the power of the Good Book to curb the salacious seductress' hedonistic ways, Lazarus will be forced to confront his own darkest demons in order to save the soul of a woman whose one-way ticket to hell has already been paid in full. Now, as Lazarus wages a righteous struggle to redeem the soul of the fallen Rae while simultaneously ensuring that his own life hasn't been lived in vain, the situation threatens to explode as Rae's possessive boyfriend, Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) -- a roughneck Guardsman currently preparing for a tour of duty in Iraq -- comes searching for his missing lover. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, (more)
The life and career of the last in a long line of highly praised British executioners is explored in this drama directed by Adrian Shergold and starring Timothy Spall in the role of Albert Pierrepoint. As a youth, Pierrepoint was discouraged from pursuing the family career by a mother who claimed that the horrific line of work spurned his father to take up drink before eventually ushering him to an early grave. Despite his father's adverse reaction to the job's more gruesome details, Albert still thinks that he has what it takes to make it as an executioner and is soon rising to the upper echelon of hangmen thanks to his speed on the job and unwavering humanity. Eventually called before General Montgomery so that he may employ his skills in dispensing the Nuremberg criminals, Pierrepoint earns the respect and admiration of his fellow Britons just as his experiences in Germany stir his increasingly troubled conscience and abolitionists set into motion a heated campaign aimed at bringing the practice of hanging to an end. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Timothy Spall, Juliet Stevenson, (more)
- 2006
- Add See No Evil: The Story of the Moors Murders to Queue Add See No Evil: The Story of the Moors Murders to top of Queue
From 1963 to 1965, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley embarked on a vicious crime spree that would go haunt England for decades to come. Over the course of those two dark years, Brady and Hindley abducted two teenagers and three young children, sexually assaulting each before brutally ending their lives and disposing of the bodies in shallow graves across Manchester's dreary Saddleworth Moor. Forty years after the court case that brought Brady and Hindley to justice, director Christopher Menual marks the anniversary of the so-called "Trial of the Century" with this dramatization of the crimes starring Sean Harris and Maxine Peake. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sean Harris, Maxine Peake, (more)
Originally filmed in 2001 under the title "My Beautiful Son," the made-for-cable Strange Relations stars comedian Paul Reiser in the largely noncomic role of 39-year-old Manhattan psychiatrist Dr. Jerry Lipman. Diagnosed with leukemia, Lipman desperately seeks out a close relative -- any close relative -- for a crucial bone marrow transplant. The news from his mother, Esther Lipman (Olympia Dukakis), is both dispiriting and shocking; Jerry, it seems, was adopted as an infant, and his real family is in far-off England. Flying to Liverpool in search of that all-important donor, Jerry is reunited with his birth mother, an earthy Liverpudlian named Sheila Fizpatrick (Julie Walters). The ensuing rapport between stars Reiser and Walters is ample compensation for the film's weaker passages and unbelievable plot contrivances. Lensed on-location in New York City and London, Strange Relations made its Showtime network bow on March 31, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reiser, Julie Walters, (more)
Terry Winsor directs this two-fisted tale of drug, guns, and murder based on a real-life gangland killing that left three dead in the snowy Essex backcountry. The film opens with cabby neophyte Billy (Charlie Creed-Miles) getting hired by suave drug baron John Dyke (Tom Wilkinson) to shuttle around recent ex-con Jason Locke (Sean Bean). Locke is a disaster waiting to happen; half-psychotic with a volcanic temper, he kills and disfigures without a second thought. Yet he takes a shine to his young driver and soon starts including him on his nefarious errands. Meanwhile, Locke arranges for his wife Lisa (Alex Kingston of ER fame) to call in a favor from Dyke and has the kingpin procure a shipment of ecstasy. Unfortunately, the E proves to be bad, hospitalizing scores of ravers and almost killing Locke. With his street rep trashed, the sociopath vows bloody revenge on his former partner, while Dyke and his lover Lisa plot Locke's demise. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sean Bean, Alex Kingston, (more)
- 2000
The two-part, two-hour British TV drama This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper was inspired by a true crime story which held Northern England in thrall in the late '70s. Alun Armstrong starred as Asst. Chief Constable George Oldfield, the Yorkshire police official who made it his mission in life to track down the person responsible for the murder and mutilation of 13 prostitutes. When a tape recording purportedly made by the perpetrator was sent to Oldfield's office, the press declared that the case was practically closed -- but Oldfield had been sent on too many false leads and wild goose chases to declare victory. Also appearing was Craig Cheetham as principal suspect Peter Sutcliffe. This production was presented by Granada Television on January 26 and February 2, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1999
Racism and the failure of the judicial system in Great Britain are the key themes of this searing docudrama produced for British television and based on an actual incident. Stephen Lawrence (Leon Black) was an 18-year-old black man living in London who, while waiting for a bus, was attacked and killed by gang of racist thugs armed with knives. Stephen's parents, Neville and Doreen Lawrence (Hugh Quarshie and Marianne Jean-Baptiste), were understandably distraught by the death of their son, and were determined to see justice done. However, thanks to a faulty investigation by police and the ineptitude of an overburdened court system, the men who obviously committed the crime were allowed to go free, which sent Neville and Doreen on a long and difficult crusade to confront the system that failed them and put the men who killed their son behind bars. The Murder of Stephen Lawrence first aired in the United States as part of the PBS anthology series Masterpiece Theatre. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Greg Wise and Dougray Scott star in director David Jeffcock's fact-based adventure following two fearless explorers as they travel deep into the heart of the Borneo jungle. Ominously dubbed "The Place of the Dead" by locals, the infernal gully in Borneo had claimed countless lives over the centuries, in the process earning the reputation as a place where even the most brave of souls were wary to venture. Now, two thrill-seekers will set out on a mission to conquer "The Place of the Dead," and, in the process, make headlines around the world. On a quest to push themselves to the absolute limits of human endurance, these to men will confront forces that few of their fellow adventurers will ever be able to comprehend. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Greg Wise, Dougray Scott, (more)
This British drama tells the story of a soldier who escaped captivity after a mission gone-awry. Paul McGann plays Corporal Chris Ryan, one soldier in a crew sent on a mission to destroy SCUD missiles after Saddam Hussein threatened Israel. Ryan's team was attacked, leaving several dead and the rest in captivity. Ryan was the only one to escape -- and recount the tale. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- 1992
- Add Fool's Gold: the Story of the Brink's-Mat Robbery to Queue Add Fool's Gold: the Story of the Brink's-Mat Robbery to top of Queue
A daring criminal finds that his troubles are only beginning after executing the biggest robbery in Britain's history in this crime drama starring Sean Bean and based on actual events. A low-level thug looking to turn heads in the London underworld, Mickey McAvoy (Bean) rounds up a fearless crew of criminals in preparation for the perfect heist. When the crew makes an unexpected discovery in the course of the crime and loyalties start to shift, the police pick up on a flaw in the plan and start to put the pressure on the one person who can blow the whole investigation wide open. As the authorities begin to close in on the brazen criminals, McAvoy has one more brilliantly devious trick up his sleeve that the police could never anticipate. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 1987
Cliff (Bill Cosby) takes his daughter Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and two of her friends to a vaudeville tribute featuring such vintage performers as "The Great Ballantine" (Carl Ballantine, reprising the comedy magic act which regaled decades of The Ed Sullivan Show) fans. Unfortunately, the kids are bored stiff by the sparsely attended show--until emcee Eddie Bartholomew (played by master mime Bill Irwin) goes into his eye-popping routine. Elsewhere, Vanessa's former boyfriend Robert (Dondre T. Whitfield) scares off yet another prospective date by impulsively proposing marriage. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In this comedy drama, three exuberant high-school graduates finally find a direction in life when they decide to fix-up a ramshackle Catskill resort and turn it into a little slice of rock & roll heaven for teens. They work hard to make the repairs and pay the over $8,000 in back taxes. When locals hear of their plans, they misunderstand and try to stop the young men as do wicked industrialists and the corrupt president of the town council who want to use the locale to dump toxic wastes. The lively soundtrack features songs by Phil Collins, Julian Lennon, Arcadia, and Pete Townshend. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn, (more)
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