Jeff Daniels Movies
Though he has never achieved the high profile or widespread acclaim of a Robert De Niro, Jeff Daniels ranks as one of Hollywood's most versatile leading men and over his career he has played everything from villains and cads to heroes and romantic leads to tragic figures and lovably goofy idiots, in movies of almost every genre. Daniels has also worked extensively on television and stage, where he first distinguished himself by winning an Obie for a production of Johnny Got His Gun.Blonde, cleft-chinned, and handsome in a rugged all-American way, Daniels made his screen debut playing PC O'Donnell in Milos Forman's Ragtime (1981). His breakthrough came when he was cast as Debra Winger's inconstant husband in Terms of Endearment (1983). Daniels has subsequently averaged one or two major feature films per year with notable performances, including: his memorable dual portrayal of a gallant movie hero/self-absorbed star who steps out of celluloid to steal the heart of lonely housewife Mia Farrow in Woody Allen's Purple Rose of Cairo (1984); his turn as a man terrified of spiders who finds himself surrounded by them in the horror-comedy Arachnophobia; and his role as Union officer Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who led his troops into doom in Gettysburg (1993).
In 1994, Daniels took a radical turn away from drama to star as one of the world's stupidest men opposite comic sensation Jim Carrey in the Farrelly brothers' hyperactive Dumb and Dumber. This lowest-common-denominator comedy proved one of the year's surprise hits and brought Daniels to a new level of recognition and popularity. Since then, Daniels has alternated more frequently between drama and comedy. His television credits include a moving portrayal of a troubled Vietnam vet in a Hallmark Hall of Fame production, Redwood Curtain. Daniels still maintains his connection to the stage and manages his own theatrical company. Before launching his acting career, he earned a degree in English from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI.
The later '90s found Daniels turning homeward and venturing into new territories through his labor of love, the Purple Rose Theater. Located in the small town of Chelsea, MI, the bus garage turned playhouse was designed to give Midwestern audiences the opportunity to enjoy entertainment generally reserved for big-city dwellers. Though he continued to appear in such films as Fly Away Home (1996) and Pleasantville (1998), Daniels made his feature directorial debut with the celluloid translation of his successful Yooper stage comedy Escanaba in da Moonlight (2000). Set in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P., hence "Yooper"), the tale of redemption by means of bagging a buck mixed the regionally accented humor of Fargo with the eccentricities inherent to northerners and served as an ideal directorial debut for the Michigan native. A modest regional success, Daniels would subsequently appear in such wide releases as Blood Work and The Hours (both 2002) before returning to the director's chair for the vacuum-salesman comedy Super Sucker (also 2002). Later reprising his role as Lt. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain from Gettysburg, Daniels once again went back in time for the Civial War drama Gods and Generals (2002). In 2004 he appeared in the adaptation of fellow Michigander Mitch Albom's best-seller The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and the next year he earned rave reviews for his role as a self-absorbed academic and terrible father in The Squid and the Whale. He continued to work steadily in a variety of projects including the Robin Williams vehicle RV, the indie thriller The Lookout, and Away We Go. He portrayed a Senator in the American remake of the British miniseries State of Play in 2009, and three years later he was cast as the lead in Aaron Sorkin's first cable series, The Newroom, playing the host of a cable news program who decides to tell it like it really is. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
James Franco stars as Allen Ginsberg in Robert Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman's biopic that blends traditional narrative storytelling with documentary-style footage and vivid animation to paint a compelling portrait of the famed Beat poet. For many historians, the counterculture was conceived the moment Ginsberg's landmark poem "Howl" was put on trial. On October 7, 1955, the charismatic young poet stunned audiences at San Francisco's Six Gallery with the first-ever public reading of "Howl." Two years later, Ginsberg was standing before fierce prosecutor Ralph McIntosh (David Strathairn) and ultra-conservative judge Clayton Horn (Bob Balaban) to defend his most famous work against accusations of obscenity. In addition to offering a detailed reenactment of that historical trial, Howl also recounts the early life events that molded Ginsberg into one of the most vital and outspoken voices of his generation, and features an animated visualization of the poem created by former Ginsberg collaborator Eric Drooker, and a score by Carter Burwell. Jon Hamm, Jeff Daniels, Mary-Louise Parker, and Alessandro Nivola co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Franco, David Strathairn, (more)
Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, and Lisa Kudrow headline co-writer/directors Michele and Kieran Mulroney's affectionate comedy drama detailing the unlikely friendship between a failed writer (Daniels) and the Long Island high school girl (Stone) who teaches him what it really means to take responsibility in life. Meanwhile, the author's long-suffering wife casts a disapproving gaze, and an imaginary superhero weighs in with his own take on the unusual bond. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, (more)
- 2009
Celebrated actor and avid baseball fan Jeff Daniels narrates this documentary look at the history and legacies of four of America's most revered ball parks: Comiskey Park (est'd 1910), Tiger Stadium (est'd 1912), Fenway Park (est'd 1912) and Wrigley Field (est'd 1914). The program intercuts classic archival film, contemporary documentary footage, vintage photographs and interviews with players and fans who speak candidly of their love for the game and their memories of the great stadiums that brought it to life. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels
When slacker thirtysomething couple Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) discover that his parents are moving overseas, the duo -- who expect their first child in a few months -- set off on a cross-country tour to figure out where they should lay down some roots in Sam Mendes' poignant comedy Away We Go. They visit a number of different cities, and meet with a different friend or family member's family at each stop. Their hosts include a set of emotionally detached parents (Allison Janney and Jim Gaffigan), a pair of overprotective new-age parents (Maggie Gyllenhaal and Josh Hamilton), and old college pals (Chris Messina and Melanie Lynskey), who have adopted a number of kids. Novelist Dave Eggers wrote the script with Vendela Vida. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, (more)
The Last King of Scotland director Kevin McDonald teams with screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan for this American adaptation of the hit British miniseries concerning the suspicious circumstances that set a rising congressman and a dogged reporter on a dangerous collision course. U.S. congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is handsome, unflappable, and ascending the ladder of power with unprecedented speed. He's the future of his political party, and as the chairman of a committee assigned to oversee defense spending, he's got all the right connections. As the presidential race draws near, Washington insiders begin to speculate that Collins will earn his party's nomination for the country's top job. The prospect of Collins becoming president seems less and less likely, however, when his research assistant/mistress is viciously murdered, and some unsavory truths begin to surface. Collins was once a close friend to Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), now a top reporter in the nation's capital. Assigned the task of investigating Collins by his ruthless editor, Cameron (Oscar winner Helen Mirren), McAffrey recruits fellow reporter Della (Rachel McAdams) in order to track down the truth and identify the killer. But McAffrey has just walked into a cover-up of unprecedented proportions, and in a game where billions of dollars are at stake, life, love, and integrity are luxuries that simply cannot be afforded. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, (more)
The reclusive author whose groundbreaking book redefined spirituality for an entire generation realizes how little he actually knows upon being approached by a single mother and a recovering addict in this drama from first time writer/director John Hindman. It's been 20 years since Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels) penned "Me and God," and the inspirational, soul-searching book is still as popular as ever. Anyone who reads it thinks that Arlen has all the answers to life's problems, but these days the author barely ventures outside of the house. Then, one day, Arlen crosses paths with Elizabeth (Lauren Graham), a single mother struggling to raise her seven-year-old son, and Kris (Lou Taylor Pucci), a young man who has just gotten out of rehab. Both are searching for the answers that will help them to become better people while overcoming their fears of failure. Does Arlen possess the wisdom to help Elizabeth and Kris work through their current problems, or is he really as clueless as he's been feeling for the last two decades? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, (more)
A highly unlikely crime helps bring together two brothers in this nostalgic comedy drama. Rocky Plumm (Owen Pearce) is a five-year-old boy growing up in a small Montana town in the mid-'60s. In Rocky's eyes, there's no star bigger or brighter than local kid's show host Happy Herb (Henry Winkler), who appears on TV weekday afternoons with his puppet friend Froggy Doo. When the Froggy Doo puppet is stolen, Happy Herb's show goes off the air until the doll can be found, which only adds to Rocky's unease as his folks (William Baldwin and Lisa Guerrero) struggle to salvage their clearly failing marriage. Rocky's big brother, Elliott (Chris J. Kelly), isn't especially concerned about Happy Herb's problems or the forced hiatus of Rocky's favorite show, but when Haley (Morgan Flynn), a pretty girl with a yen for detective stories, moves in next door, he suggests they join forces to help find Froggy Doo. Before long, the youthful sleuths find themselves crossing paths with a pair of federal agents (Peter Scolari and Rick Overton) and a growing list of suspects as they follow the thief's trail. A Plumm Summer was the first feature film from writer and director Caroline Zelder. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Lisa Guerrero, (more)
An undercover CIA agent within a terrorist cell is marked as a terrorist suspect by the FBI in Overture Films' upcoming thriller Traitor. Don Cheadle produces and stars in the film as the operative under Guy Pearce's investigation. Based on an idea by Steve Martin, the film is written and directed by Day After Tomorrow screenwriter Jeffrey Nachmanoff. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, (more)
- 2008
A married couple locked in separate realities is faced with the most difficult decision of their lives after learning that their son, who loses his ability to hear at age four, could potentially regain his hearing with the help of cochlear implants. Dan Miller (Jeff Daniels) and his wife Laura (Marlee Matlin) may be husband and wife, but they're also best friends. Laura is deaf, while Dan has always been able to hear. When their four year old son Adam (Noah Valencia) suddenly loses his hearing, Dan and Laura find themselves hopelessly at odds over how to handle the situation. Laura has dealt with deafness her entire life, and believes that her son's handicap is only a minor obstacle. Dan, on the other hand, is determined to give his son a shot at living a more normal life, and becomes staunchly convinced that modern technology can make that possible. But the more research Dan conducts into cochlear implants, the clearer Laura makes it that she is completely opposed to the idea of surgery for their son. As the conflict between the couple comes to an impassioned head, Laura and Dan struggle to put aside their differences decide which option would be best for Adam's future. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, Marlee Matlin, (more)
Jeff Daniels, Stanley Tucci, Cheryl Hines, and Andy Samberg lend their voices to this computer-animated comedy following the descendants of the first chimps in space as they blast off for fun and adventure on a far-away planet. Ham III (Samberg) is the grandson of Ham, the first-ever chimp astronaut. This ne'er-do-well chimp may not be the most qualified ape for the job, but a scheming senator (Tucci) has recruited him for a most dangerous mission. It seems that a powerful tyrant (Daniels) has overtaken an alien world, and now it's up to Ham III and his trusty simian crew (Hines and Patrick Warburton) to help overthrow the deep-space despot. Perhaps with some training from Ham III's mentor (Kenan Thompson) and the help of a friendly alien (Kristin Chenoweth) this fearless group of anthropoids can make the universe a safer place for aliens and humans alike. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, (more)
Jeff Daniels, Jon Heder, and Diane Keaton star in director Tim Hamilton's domestic comedy concerning a slacker who finds his status as man of the house challenged when his single mother begins dating a self-help guru. As the influence of youth gradually gives way to the wisdom of age, the stage is set for a confrontation from which only one side can emerge victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Heder, Diane Keaton, (more)
A former high-school hockey star handicapped in a tragic car accident becomes an unlikely ally to a crack team of determined bank robbers in this thriller starring Jeff Daniels and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. When his promising career on the ice is suddenly cut short, former athlete Chris Pratt (Gordon-Levitt) goes to work as a janitor in a local bank. Cleaning floors soon gives way to criminal enterprise when the onetime puck-slinger is recruited to help clean out the very bank that employs him. Screenwriter Scott Frank (Out of Sight and Minority Report) makes his directorial debut, working from his own original screenplay. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, (more)
A white-collar workaholic deceptively persuades his family to forgo their much-anticipated Hawaiian vacation for a cross-country road trip in a fully loaded RV, during which they discover the true meaning of family bonding, in Men in Black director Barry Sonnenfeld's family-friendly road comedy starring Robin Williams, Jeff Daniels, and Cheryl Hines. Bob Munro (Williams) is overworked and overstressed, and though his proposal to hit the road with his wife and two children at first sounds like a heartfelt bid to get better acquainted with his increasingly dysfunctional family, it soon becomes obvious that he had more career-oriented goals in mind when planning the trip. The Munros have always managed to get by in the past, though, and as they slowly become immersed in RV culture with a little help from a full-time troupe of Winnebago warriors, they might just make it to the Rocky Mountains without driving each other totally insane. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Jeff Daniels, (more)
Douglas McGrath's Infamous represents the second major biopic about the avant-garde belletrist Truman Capote to be released within a year. It thus tells roughly the same story as Bennett Miller's earlier Capote, recounting the events that belied the writer's six-year authorship of the seminal "nonfiction novel" In Cold Blood. The story opens with Capote (Toby Jones) visiting the site of the 1959 Clutter family homicide, on a Kansas research trip, accompanied by his close friend and colleague, author Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock). As Capote settles into the community, McGrath uses the preponderance of screen time to explore the emotional tapestry of Capote's increasingly risky emotional attachment to one of the two murderers, Perry Edward Smith (Daniel Craig), with whom he senses more than a few common bonds. McGrath weaves a decidedly bittersweet tale, contrasting the optimism and devil-may-care, "conquer all" attitude of Capote in his early years with a seemingly endless string of poor choices in the writer's later years, from addictions to drink and pills, to a failure to maintain healthy output as a writer, to poorly chosen romantic and sexual entanglements. Most significantly, however, McGrath reveals how the relationship with Smith virtually destroyed Capote as an artist and a human being, by inducing him to sell out on all levels to satisfy his lust for accomplishment and notoriety. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, (more)
George Clooney pays homage to one of the icons of American broadcast journalism, Edward R. Murrow, in this fact-based drama, which was Clooney's second feature film as a director. In 1953, Edward R. Murrow (played by David Strathairn) was one of the best-known newsmen on television as host of both the talk show Person to Person and the pioneering investigate series See It Now. Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, was generating no small amount of controversy in the public and private sectors with his allegations that Communists had risen to positions of power and influence in America, and an Air Force pilot, Milo Radulovich, had been drummed out of the service due to McCarthy's charges that he was a Communist agent. However, Radulovich had been dismissed without a formal hearing of the charges, and he protested that he was innocent of any wrongdoing. Murrow decided to do a story on Radulovich's case questioning the legitimacy of his dismissal, which was seen by McCarthy and his supporters as an open challenge to his campaign. McCarthy responded by accusing Murrow of being a Communist, leading to a legendary installment of See It Now in which both Murrow and McCarthy presented their sides of the story, which was seen by many as the first step toward McCarthy's downfall. Meanwhile, Murrow had to deal with CBS head William Paley (Frank Langella), who was supportive of Murrow but extremely wary of his controversial positions, while Murrow was also trying to support fellow newsman Don Hollenbeck (Ray Wise), battling charges against his own political views, and working alongside Fred Friendly (George Clooney), the daring head of CBS News. Good Night, and Good Luck also stars Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, and Robert John Burke; the film won Best Film honors after its world premiere at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Strathairn, George Clooney, (more)
It's not finishing school or a traditional upbringing that causes ten-year-old Opal to learn about the world outside of her own backyard, but rather a particularly awkward-looking mutt named Winn-Dixie. Based on a novel by Kate DiCamillo, Winn-Dixie and Opal not only become privy to the eventful, if eccentric, lives of their neighbors (including a librarian who fought off a bear with nothing but a novel, a blind woman who claims to "see" with her heart, and a sensitive ex-con turned pet store clerk), but Opal herself manages to reconcile some of the depression left over after her mother had abandoned the family seven years earlier. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, (more)
Two boys learn the hard way about how a marriage falls apart in this independent comedy drama. Bernard (Jeff Daniels) is a novelist whose career has gone into a slow decline as he spends more time teaching and less time writing. His wife, Joan (Laura Linney), meanwhile, has recently begun publishing her own work to widespread acclaim, which only increases the growing tension between them. One day, Bernard and Joan's two sons -- 16-year-old Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) and 12-year-old Frank (Owen Kline) -- are told that their parents are separating, with Bernard renting a house on the other side of their Park Slope, Brooklyn, neighborhood. As the parents set up a schedule for spending time with their children, Walt and Jesse can hardly imagine that things could get more combative between their folks, but they do, as Joan begins dating Ivan (William Baldwin), Frank's tennis instructor, and Bernard starts sharing the house with Lili (Anna Paquin), one of his students. Meanwhile, the two boys begin taking sides in the battle between their parents, with Walt taking after his father and Frank siding with his mom. Based on writer/director Noah Baumbach's own childhood experiences with his parents' divorce, The Squid and the Whale won prizes for writing and direction at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, (more)
- 2004
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Mitch Albom wrote the screenplay for this made-for-television adaptation of his best-selling story, which offers a novel perspective on life, death, and the meaning of our existence. Eddie (Jon Voight) is an elderly maintenance man who has spent most of his life keeping the rides at an amusement park in good repair; Eddie has had a hard life, sustaining a serious injury during World War II and losing his wife, and he often wonders what the purpose behind it all is. One day, Eddie is killed while trying to save a young girl who has fallen from a ride, and in the afterlife, he's greeted by five people he knew during his lifetime, who explain to him what the key moments in his life were, and what was to be learned from them. The Five People You Meet in Heaven also features Steven Grayhm (who plays Eddie as a younger man), Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels, Michael Imperioli, and Callum Keith Rennie. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Voight, Ellen Burstyn, (more)
A shocking and tragic event causes the members of a quietly dysfunctional family to reexamine themselves and their lives in this drama. Ben and Sandy Travis (Jeff Daniels and Sigourney Weaver) are a couple whose troubled family begins to crumble when their eldest son, star college athlete Matt (Kip Pardue) commits suicide. Sandy's naturally cynical nature becomes all the more prickly, and while she tries to bond with her surviving teenaged son, Tim (Emile Hirsch), they seem closest when they discover a shared fondness for marijuana. Ben also tries to reach out to Tim, but the young man is never able to shake the feeling that he's never quite been the son his father wanted. Tim has a girlfriend, Steph (Suzanne Santo), but their relationship has been going through a rocky patch, and Tim finds himself questioning his feelings about women and men when his friendship with next-door neighbor Kyle (Ryan Donowho) evolves into something more intimate. Imaginary Heroes was written and directed by Dan Harris, best known for his work as a screenwriter on the blockbuster comic-book adaptation X-Men and projected remakes of Superman and Logan's Run. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch, (more)
The TNT cable network aired this made-for-TV version of Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl in January 2004. Jeff Daniels stars as Elliot Garfield, an actor who subleases an apartment in New York City. Unfortunately, the apartment is already occupied by dancer Paula McFadden (Patricia Heaton) and her daughter, Lucy (Hallie Kate Eisenberg). Apparently, Paula's boyfriend decided to secretly sublease his part of the apartment before he left her. Paula and Elliot agree to share the apartment, even though they get on each other's nerves. While she desperately searches for a job and he struggles through a difficult production of Richard III, they end up falling in love. Eventually their love is tested when Elliot gets a job offer in Seattle. Contemporary pop artists Hootie & the Blowfish contribute to the soundtrack. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, Patricia Heaton, (more)
An American abroad discovers that a series of crimes may have a greater significance than imagined in this drama. Rhodes (Jeff Daniels) is an American human rights activist who has come to a small Mexican border town to help oversee union elections at a factory owned by a United States firm. While in Mexico, Rhodes learns that things have not been quiet around town lately -- a number of people were found shot dead in a tunnel just across the border in the States, and a pair of Californians who came to Mexico to do some trail riding have disappeared without a trace. Rhodes has a hunch the recent crimes may have something to do with the hotly contested upcoming election, and with the permission of a pal from the State Department (James Spader), he joins up with Castillo (Clifton Collins Jr.), a police detective who is looking into the tunnel deaths. I Witness also co-stars Portia de Rossi. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, James Spader, (more)
Director Ron Maxwell and producer Ted Turner return to the glory and tragedy of the Civil War in this historical drama, a prequel to Gettysburg, which examines the early days of the conflict through the experiences of three men. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) left behind a quiet life and a career as a college professor to become one of the Union's greatest military minds. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (Stephen Lang) was, like Chamberlain, a man of great religious faith who served in the defense of the Confederacy. And Gen. Robert E. Lee (Robert Duvall), who led the Confederate army, was a man who was forced to choose between his loyalty to the United States and his love of the Southern states where he was born and raised. As Chamberlain, Jackson, and Lee are followed through the declaration of war and the battles at Manassas, Antietam, Frederickburg, and Chancellorsville, the film also introduces us to the many supporting players in the epic tale of the war between the States, among them the women these men left behind, among them Fanny Chamberlain (Mira Sorvino) and Anna Jackson (Kali Rocha). Based on a novel by Jeff Shaara, Gods and Generals also features a new song written and performed by Bob Dylan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Duvall, Stephen Lang, (more)
Three women, separated by a span of nearly 80 years, find themselves weathering similar crises, all linked by a single work of literature in this film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Michael Cunningham. In 1923, Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) is attempting to start work on her novel Mrs. Dalloway, in which she chronicles one day in the life of a troubled woman. But Virginia has demons of her own, and she struggles to overcome the depression and suicidal impulses that have followed her throughout her life, as her husband Leonard (Stephen Dillane) ineffectually tries to help. In 1951, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) is a housewife living in suburban Los Angeles, where she looks after her son Richie (Jack Rovello) and husband Dan (John C. Reilly). Laura is also an avid reader who is currently making her way through Mrs. Dalloway. The farther she gets into the novel, the more Laura discovers that it reflects a dissatisfaction she feels in her own life, and she finds herself pondering the notion of leaving her life behind. Finally, in 2000, Clarissa Vaughn (Meryl Streep) is a literary editor who is caring for Richard Brown (Ed Harris), a former boyfriend and noted author, who is slowly losing his fight with AIDS. Clarissa is trying to arrange a party to celebrate the fact that Richard has won a prestigious literary award, but is getting little help from Richard's ex-lover, Louis (Jeff Daniels). As she labors to help Richard through another day, he wonders if his life is worth the unending struggle. The Hours also features Toni Collette, Miranda Richardson, Allison Janney, and Claire Danes. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, (more)
A retired detective must battle former colleagues and his own failing health in order to bring a murderer to justice in this action drama produced and directed by its star, Clint Eastwood. Terry McCaleb (Eastwood) was one of the best and most thorough detectives at the FBI's Southern California office, until a massive heart attack sidelined him from police work for good. Following a heart transplant which saved his life, McCaleb has resigned himself to living quietly on a houseboat for the rest of his days, observing a strict health regimen prescribed by his cardiologist, Dr. Bonnie Fox (Anjelica Huston). However, McCaleb is persuaded to take on one last case through the insistence of a woman named Graciela Rivers (Wanda De Jesus). Rivers's sister was murdered in cold blood by a mugger, and her heart was used for McCaleb's transplant; now, Rivers wants McCaleb to find her sister's killer. McCaleb agrees to take on the case, but he quickly discovers his weakened physical condition makes the rigors of handling an investigation far harder and more difficult than its ever been before; he also can no longer drive a car, and must persuade his oddball friend from the marina,Buddy Noone (Jeff Daniels), to ferry him around town. Before long, despite these drawbacks, McCaleb discovers evidence which suggests the murderer may be a serial who uses random street robberies as a cover, but he finds that Ronaldo Arrango (Paul Rodriguez) and John Waller (Dylan Walsh), the police detectives assigned to the case, are not especially interested in sharing the glory (or their legwork) with the former FBI point man. Blood Work was adapted from the novel by Michael Connelly; Brian Helgeland wrote the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, (more)
Clean carpets and dirty minds find a common ground in this comedy written, directed, produced, and distributed by leading man Jeff Daniels. Fred Barlow (Daniels) is a hapless door-to-door salesman who scrapes together a living selling and distributing the Super Sucker Home Cleaning System, a deluxe vacuum cleaning unit, in the small Michigan community of Johnson City. While Barlow and his dedicated but inept staff believe in their product, they don't have much luck in actually moving the merchandise, and hotshot fellow distributor Winslow Schnaebelt (Harve Presnell) is eager to take over Barlow's territory. Super Sucker prexy Cy Suckerton II (John Lepard), tired of the squabbling between Barlow and Schnaebelt, decides to settle the matter once and for all with a contest -- whoever sells the most vacuums in 30 days will have all of Johnson City to themselves. Barlow and his right-hand-man Howard Butterworth (Matt Letscher) try to gear up their staff to make an all-out sales assault on Johnson City, but it turns out that the deciding factor may well be the "Housewife's Little Helper," a little-used vacuum attachment for "cleaning those hard-to-reach places" which Barlow discovers has a surprising use that has nothing to do with sweeping the rug. Super Sucker also features a guest appearance by Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island) as the official Super Sucker spokesperson; longtime Bob Seger sideman Alto Reed contributed to the film's soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels
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