Stephen Mazur Movies

Based on Brian Cruver's first-person book, Anatomy of Greed, this strident TV movie chronicles the rise and fall of the notorious Houston-based Enron Corporation in the early years of the 21st century. The film is related from the perspective of Cruver himself (played by Christian Kane), here depicted as a brilliant but naïve young trader who, after being hired by Enron, was dazzled and seduced by the company's "get rich quick by whatever means necessary" credo. The obscenely extravagant "Enron Culture" (represented by endless office parties and nubile young ladies) was built upon the backs of the company's stockholders and lower-echelon employees -- and, when everything inevitably crashed and burned in the spring of 2002, it was the "little people" who suffered the most. Although several real-life personalities are portrayed in the film, among them Enron CEO Ken Lay (played Mike Farrell), executive Jeff Skilling (Jon Ted Wynne), and conscience-stricken whistleblower Sherron Watkins (Jan Skene), many of the characters are composites, chief among them the mysterious, sinister Enron higher-up "Mister Blue" (Brian Dennehy), whose primary function is to spout blatantly mercenary exposition. Due to budget restraints, The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron was filmed not in Houston but in Canada; and thanks to copyright restrictions, the company's famous "slanted E" logo is considerably altered onscreen. The film made its CBS debut on January 5, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An attorney who tells the truth for 24 hours straight? This has got to be the movies! Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) is a lawyer obsessed with his career, and he's devoted his life to bending the truth to his advantage. This habit has broken up his marriage to Audrey (Maura Tierney) and isn't doing much good for his relationship with his young son Max (Justin Cooper). Fletcher repeatedly promised Max that he'll be there for Max's eighth birthday party, but when an important assignment comes up at work, Fletcher calls Audrey and makes an excuse so flimsy that even Max can see through it. When it comes time to blow out the candles on his cake, Max makes a wish: that his Dad could go just one day without telling a lie. Suddenly, Max finds himself physically incapable of saying anything that isn't true -- which, given the divorce settlement case he's just been handed, is going to make his next day in court very interesting indeed. While designed to show off a warmer and more likable side of Jim Carrey's personality, Liar Liar still revels in the broad physical comedy that made Carrey a star in Ace Ventura, Pet Detective -- which makes sense, since both were directed by Tom Shadyac. Both Carrey's fans and foes will get a chuckle out of Swoosie Kurtz's tongue-in-cheek insult to the film's star in the blooper reel that runs under the final credits. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide