Linda Darlow Movies

Actress and writer Nia Vardalos, who became an overnight sensation with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, returns to the big screen with this gender-bending comedy. Connie (Vardalos) and Carla (Toni Collette) are best friends who've shared the same dream ever since they were teenagers -- making a name for themselves in the musical theater. However, after years of treading water on Chicago's dinner theater circuit and playing bottom-of-the-barrel nightclubs, the two are facing middle age with minimal career success. One evening after a performance, Connie and Carla have the misfortune of witnessing the murder of nightclub owner Frank (Michael Roberds) by low-level Mafiosi; the gals are seen by the shooters, and they hit the road in fear for their lives. Connie and Carla end up in Los Angeles, where they struggle to create new identities for themselves. After witnessing a drag review at a nightclub, they realize that even they have more talent than most of the men performing that evening, and they decide to pose as female impersonators in hopes of landing a gig. Connie and Carla's new act is an immediate hit, and soon they're the toast of L.A.'s gay community. But the women discover it's difficult to keep on fooling people into believing they're men, and things become even more complicated when the Mobsters discover that Connie and Carla are in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Connie finds herself falling for Jeff (David Duchovny), a regular guy looking for his cross-dressing brother who can't understand why he's developing a crush on a drag queen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Based on a true story (and all the more terrifying because of it!), this made for cable movie begins as Michelle Brown (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) fills out an ordinary rental form. Looking on enviously is penniless Connie Volkos (Annabella Sciorra), who can't understand why there are "haves" and "have-nots" in the world (but who has never put in the necessary work to become a "have"). When Michelle briefly lays down her credit card, it is stolen by Connie--who subsequently steals Michelle's identity as well, toting up $50,000 in purchases in Michelle's name. When Michelle tries to have Connie arrested, she finds herself at the mercy of the blind-deaf-dumb American credit system and is herself accused of theft! Desperate to win back her reputation (not to mention her own name!), Michelle pleads her cast before the US Senate in July of 2000, resulting--belatedly in her case--in the passage of bill HR 1731, with imposes stronger penalties for stealing one's identity and puts in tighter safeguards against people being victimized by such thieves. Even so, the film underlines the sobering fact that what happened to Michelle happens to someone else at a rate of once every six minutes! Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story debuted November 1, 2004 on the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Kate (Donna Mills) is an alcoholic--and, as is often the case, she is in full denial regarding her illness. Only when she is threatened with mass desertion by her husband, children and best friend does the sullen Kate agree to seek out treatment. A lengthy and often harrowing rehabilitation period with a varied group of recovering addicts seems to have a enlightening effect on Kate, who promises her loved ones--and herself--that she has taken her last drink. Thus is established the tension that permeates the final half of the made-for-TV My Name Is Kate, for which Donna Mills pulled double duty as star and producer. The film made its initial ABC appearance on January 24, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a woman teeters on the brink of deliberately falling to her death. Flashbacks provide insight as to why and who she is. Somehow it all has to do with the mid-life crises of three old friends. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

On his 16th birthday, Stephen Dorff discovers that he is adopted. This in itself is not so traumatic, but the worst is still to come: His adoptive parents had bought him from a baby broker, who kidnapped the infant from his natural mother. Dorff rejects the protestations of love from his "mother" and "father", and sets out on a long journey to locate his real family. Patty Duke costars as the woman from whom Dorff was stolen some 14 years earlier. Timed for telecast during the Christmas season, Always Remember That I Love You premiered December 23, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Glenn Close and James Woods star in this artery-clogging schmaltz about a childless couple who desperately want to have a baby. Linda (Close) and Michael Spector (Woods) are an upscale couple who have everything -- except a child. Linda mists over after she takes her temperature, plans the correct time for conception, and then her period starts. Despite medical intervention, the Spectors cannot conceive. They finally decide to adopt a child and meet the pregnant 17-year-old Lucy (Mary Stuart Masterson), who decides that the Spectors can provide a better home for her child than she and her boyfriend Sam (Kevin Dillon) could. The Spectors look Lucy over and determine -- since Lucy's mother died when she was seven -- to take care of her during her pregnancy. The three bond as they await the birth of Lucy's child. But now Lucy has second thoughts about the decision to turn her baby over to the Spectors. The solution for this happy group? Adopt Lucy and become the "immediate family." ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Based on a real-life 1983 incident, The Accused tells the story of Sarah Tobias (Jodie Foster), a working-class party girl who likes to live it up with her friends and flirt hard with the guys. After a fight with her boyfriend, she heads to a local bar to cool down -- and after a few drinks, plus some dancing and flirting, she finds herself thrown on top of a pinball machine and gang-raped by a bunch of locals, while others watch and cheer the proceedings. District attorney Kathryn Murphy (Kelly McGillis) takes Sarah's case but quickly negotiates a plea bargain in which the attackers' charges are reduced to reckless endangerment. Her reason: defense attorneys could use Sarah's not-so-pretty past to paint her as "asking for it," getting their clients off completely. But a stunned Sarah accuses Murphy of selling her out, and when the lawyer sees how the incident continues to destroy Sarah's life, she decides she must seek true justice. This time, she goes after the crowd of onlookers for "criminal solicitation" -- those who were egging the rapists on. Foster won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide

In this drama, two young attorneys jeopardize their careers by defending a hated accused murderer whom they believe is innocent. Unfortunately, his confidential confession to them indicates otherwise. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide