Dave Anderson Movies

Two dudes endeavor to exchange the slow lane life of their midwestern hometown for life in the fast lane of exciting LA and so hop into a car and begin the long drive out West. This comedy chronicles their exploits when a head-on collision leaves them stranded in a desert with beautiful Tuesday. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Vic Mathews (Tom Conti) is a Glasgow teacher who works in a Catholic school for backward students. Though the school is named for Edith Semple, a long-dead Scotswoman who supposedly performed several miracles in her lifetime, Vic is doggedly nonreligious, insisting that it's miracle enough that his students can learn anything. The rest of the faculty hopes to have Edith Semple canonized as a saint, but Vic wants no part of this. After he is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, Vic is amazed when the tumor suddenly vanishes, just like...like a miracle. Many other strange happenings occur around Vic, prompting extensive media coverage. Still, Vic steadfastly refuses to believe in divine miracles--which causes no end of trouble with the other teachers, the Vatican authorities, and Vic's new lady friend Helen Mirren. The easy-to-take Gospel According to Vic has also been released as Heavenly Pursuits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bill Forsyth's whimsical tale of sweet-natured corporate rapacity features standout performances by Burt Lancaster and Peter Riegert. Lancaster plays Texas billionaire Felix Happer, who would rather gaze at the stars than worry about his multi-national oil company. Happer dispatches Mac MacIntyre (Peter Riegert) and Danny Oldsen (Peter Capaldi) to the small Scottish fishing village of Ferness to negotiate buying the entire town so Happer can drill for oil in the North Sea. Much to Mac's surprise, the entire town is happy to sell itself for big money, and the local innkeeper, Gordon Urquhart (Denis Lawson) -- who is also the town's accountant and mayor -- works with Mac on the negotiations. But a wrinkle appears in the deal when Ben Knox (Fulton Mackay), an old man who lives in a shack on the beach which has been owned by his family for centuries, refuses to sell. His reasons? "Who'd look after the beach then? It would go to pieces in a short manner of time." The deal stalls so seriously that Happer travels to Ferness to oversee negotiations as Mac and Danny are seduced by the charm of the Scottish town. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide