Kevin Falls Movies
- 2007
A more somber spin on the Quantum Leap time-travel formula, NBC's Journeyman starred Kevin McKidd, late of the internationally popular miniseries Rome, as Dan Vasser, who thanks to a mysterious wrinkle in the cosmic continuum was forever vanishing into thin air and jumping backward in time. Dan's abrupt disappearances in The Present were a source of great bewilderment to his wife Katie (Gretchen Egolf)--who suspected that his lengthy absences were due to a secret drug habit--and to his son Zack (Charles Henry Wyson), his police officer brother Jack (Reed Diamond) and his boss Hugh (Brian Howe). On Dan's part, he couldn't help but notice that his forays into the Past always took place within his own range of experience, and always ended up benefiting someone with whom he was acquainted in the Present. Further confusing Jack were the frequent materializations of his lost love Livia (Moon Bloodgold), who had died in a 1998 plane crash--and who, when Jack tried to prevent this tragedy, sternly warned him NOT to try to change history (and kept issuing that same warning whenever and wherever she showed up). Journeyman debuted September 24, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin McKidd, Gretchen Egolf, (more)
- 2003
Having exited his role on The West Wing in a flurry of largely negative publicity, Rob Lowe quickly resurfaced as the star of the NBC legal drama The Lyon's Den. Lowe was cast as Jack Turner, an idealistic attorney who hoped to make a name for himself separate from that of his prestigious state-senator father (Rip Torn) by helping the poor and downtrodden on a pro bono basis. A stroke of fate obliged him to accept a full partnership at a high-profile D.C. law firm, populated almost exclusively by ruthless glory-grabbers, bottom-feeding backstabbers, and hedonistic sexual predators. Would Jack be able to do the sort of work he loved while surrounded by expensively dressed sharks? The Lyon's Den opened for business on September 28, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Matt Craven, (more)
- 2002
Bartlet (Martin Sheen), Toby (Richard Schiff), and C.J. (Allison Janney) journey to Iowa on the day of the Democratic Caucus. At issue is Barlet's intention to publicly discuss affirmative action, and his response to an attack from his opponent in the upcoming election. In other developments, Josh (Bradley Whitford) is pulled away from a crucial moment in his relationship with Amy (Mary-Louise Parker) in order to persuade an old friend to cease opposition of Navy Arms testing in Puerto Rico; a well-known and well-connected conspiracy theorist demands that Fort Knox be investigated in relation to a cover-up involving alien spaceships(!); and Donna (Janel Moloney) tries to wriggle out of jury duty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
On Thanksgiving Eve, C.J. (Allison Janney) tries to find someone to mollify a pair of Native Americans (Gary Farmer, Georgina Lightning) who intend to camp out in the White House lobby until a 15-year-old dispute is settled. Meanwhile, Josh (Bradley Whitford) is forced to broker a political deal with a high-ranking death-penalty advocate in order to expedite a 13-year-old American boy who fled to Italy after killing his teacher. Sam (Rob Lowe) tries to put a positive spin on a new OMB poverty formula that would negatively reclassify millions of Americans. And President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) will not be swayed in his resolve to prepare a proper Thanksgiving dinner for his family. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This blend of sports and youthful romantic comedy is from director Michael Tollin, who previously produced the sports drama Varsity Blues (1999). Freddie Prinze Jr. stars as Ryan Dunne, a ballplayer who's spending the summer as a pitcher for the famed, highly prestigious Cape Cod League, a non-professional farm team that has turned out numerous baseball legends. Ryan's under special pressure on a number of fronts. He's the first local boy to earn a slot in the league in years, and his blue-collar status earns him the enmity of a hot-shot college teammate, Eric Van Leemer (Corey Pearson). Although he's backed up by his best friend and team catcher Billy Brubaker (Matthew Lillard), Ryan adds more stress to his life by embarking on an affair with a beautiful, wealthy young Vassar graduate, Tenley Parrish (Jessica Biel), who's spending the summer on the Cape with her parents. Tenley is facing her own crisis as her father (Bruce Davison) pressures her to move to San Francisco and work with her uncle, though she'd rather remain in the East and become an architect. Summer Catch is the third onscreen teaming of Prinze and Lillard, and also stars Brian Dennehy, Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Gedrick, Fred Ward, and Brittany Murphy. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jessica Biel, (more)
- 2000
Draft day proves to be catastrophic for many relationships amongst the Sports Night crew. Casey (Peter Krause) and Dan (Josh Charles) quite nearly come to blows after Dan purposefully embarrasses Casey on air, after learning of Casey's significant role in Dan's career during a previous heated exchange the two had in their office prior to show time. Jeremy (Joshua Malina) learns that Jenny (Paula Marshall) will be making a visit to the studio, much to his horror. He convinces her to go along with his idea of convincing everyone she's a choreo-animator, but once she arrives on set Jenny immediately strikes up lively conversations with Natalie (Sabrina Lloyd) and Dana (Felicity Huffman). Soon, she changes her mind about Jeremy's deception, as well as her feelings for Jeremy. Dana, in the meantime, has been afflicted with a skin rash she steadfastly attributes to falling on her face -- but she eventually confesses to Casey that the condition is really due to anxiety. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- 2000
The Sports Night crew is ecstatic over landing an interview with basketball legend Michael Jordan until the strict terms of the interview laid out by the Jordan camp are revealed. The hoops superstar's intentions are to only discuss his new line of cologne and no sports questions are to be allowed, while total editorial control is to be passed onto Jordan's representatives. Dana (Felicity Huffman), Isaac (Robert Guillaume), and returned ratings expert Sam Donovan (William H. Macy) firmly refuse the terms and the interview. While negotiating the terms of the interview, Sam makes the acquaintance of Dana's longtime rival Sally (Brenda Strong), who casually proceeds to dump her sexual history onto the disinterested ratings guru. Meanwhile, Casey (Peter Krause) is worried about an upcoming visit he is to make to his son Charlie's classroom. As he scrambles to prepare some sort of presentation, Casey also begins to notice that Sam and Dana are working together much more compatibly than they used to. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- 1999
As Christmas nears, the Sports Night staffers participate in the hallowed Secret Santa holiday gift exchange -- though for most, there is very little secret involved. Natalie (Sabrina Lloyd) corners Casey (Peter Krause) and asks him what he wants for his gift, which in turn inspires Casey to ask Isaac (Robert Guillaume) what he'd like. As the holiday preparations continue, Dana (Felicity Huffman) anxiously awaits the arrival of her younger brother Kyle (Eric Bruskotter), a professional football player who has been recently revealed as a participant in a doping scandal and faces league suspension. Meanwhile, Natalie asks Dan and Casey for advice in regards to her audition tape, as she has had ongoing aspirations for an on-air position. Dan gives her an overly enthusiastic response that he nearly immediately regrets, forcing him to come clean later in the day. As the entire crew sets about to come to a consensus about whom they'd name the greatest athlete of the last century, Dana's brother finally arrives in the studio and gets a somewhat different reception than he'd been expecting. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Dan (Josh Charles) continues to see psychiatrist Abby Jacobs (Jayne Brook), who continues to analyze Dan's neuroses -- a development that begins a very introspective time for the confused sportscaster. Meanwhile, Casey (Peter Krause) enthuses about his upcoming interview with old friend and new Yankees star player Shane McArthur (Richard Steinmetz), prompting Jeremy (Joshua Malina) to assert his belief that McArthur is an idiot. As the interview is underway, the baseball player casually and ignorantly announces his disdain for everything about New York City -- which Casey finds unnerving and makes assurances to edit the disparaging comments out of the interview. Unfortunately for Casey, Dana (Felicity Huffman) is overjoyed with the resultant interview and refuses to cut anything from it, leaving Casey in a very uncomfortable position with his old friend. Both Dan and Casey are thus forced to partake in some serious soul searching as Dan begins to come to terms with his past while Casey must choose between his loyalty to his friend or maintaining his journalistic integrity. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
The Temp is yet another installment in the 1990s thriller genre of "the conniving woman who gets back at all who stand in her way to success," as seen in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Single White Female, Basic Instinct, The Crush, The Babysitter, et al. In this rehash of the perennial formula, Peter Derns (Timothy Hutton), a marketing executive for a cookie company that has recently been bought out by another firm, is forced to hire temporary help when his regular office assistant takes maternity leave. Into the breach comes Kris Bolen (Lara Flynn Boyle), whose efficiency saves the day for the clueless Peter. Unfortunately for Peter's associates, her efficiency extends to killing off Peter's regular assistant upon her return to work by arranging an accident with a paper shredder. But Kris doesn't stop there, and Peter begins to notice a high body count of dead employees falling around him. Peter suspects Kris may be the culprit, but since he has just emerged from treatment for acute paranoia, he can't decide if he is imaging things or not. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Hutton, Lara Flynn Boyle, (more)
Emile Ardolino directed this treacly sequel to Three Men and a Baby. The middle-aged trio of doting fathers -- Peter the architect (Tom Selleck), Michael the cartoonist (Steve Guttenberg) and Jack the actor (Ted Danson) -- have returned, sublimating their swinging bachelor instincts in order to raise 5-year-old Mary (Robin Weisman). The child of Jack and Sylvia (Nancy Travis), Mary was abandoned by Sylvia in the foyer of the boys' apartment house in the first film. In five years, Mary has grown from a diaper-filling infant to a cute kid who insists that the guys sing rap songs to her before she goes to bed. Sylvia now also lives with the bachelors as she pursues a promising Broadway career. Peter, Michael, and Jack dote on the moppet and parenthood has rarely seemed more idyllic. But Sylvia once again disrupts their placid existence. Accepting the marriage proposal of British director and surly cad Edward (Christopher Cazenove), she announces that she and Mary are going to move to England, leaving the boys high and dry. When it turns out that Edward is secretly planning to ship Mary away to a boarding school after the marriage, the three guys race frantically to disrupt Sylvia's wedding. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, (more)
