Marla Sokoloff
- 2006
Based on the BBC comedy series The Worst Week of My Life, Big Day was described by parent network ABC as "24 Meets Father of the Bride." The entire series took place on a single day, upon which occurred the wedding of Danny (Josh Cooke) and Alice (Marla Sokoloff). Each half-hour episode depicted the many crises and calamities surrounding such prenuptial rituals as securing the venue, choosing the right wedding gown, stage-managing the reception, and so on. Aiding, abetting, and sometimes impeding the bride and groom were Alice's mom, Jane (Wendie Malick), and dad, Steve (Kurt Fuller), and such assorted friends and relatives as Becca (Miriam Shor), Skobo (Stephen Rannazzisi), and Lorna (Stephnie Weir). Whereas the original British version stretched out the wedding over a period of nine episodes, the American Big Day was storyboarded for 22 separate installments -- a formidable creative task indeed for executive producers Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, whose previous screenwriting credits included What Women Want and 13 Going on 30. Intended to debut in January 2007 as a mid-season replacement, Big Day was moved forward to a premiere date of November 28, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marla Sokoloff, Josh Cooke, (more)
Vic Sarin's romantic comedy Love on the Side concerns life in a small town known as Squamish. One day a beautiful blonde stranger arrives in the quiet town in order to hitch herself to a wealthy bachelor. However, her plans are disrupted when a waitress named Eve suddenly becomes the talk of the town. The cast includes Jennifer Tilly and SCTV alum Dave Thomas. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2006
A rare situation comedy from the Jerry Bruckheimer factory, the WB series Modern Men concerned a trio of lifelong pals in search of lasting romance with the opposite sex. Tim (Josh Braaten) had had many girlfriends, but no enduring relationships; Kyle (Max Greenfield) was a one-night stand specialist; and Doug (Eric Lively) was still reeling from an unpleasant marital breakup. Our heroes engage the services of a "life coach" named Dr. Victoria Stangel (Jane Seymour), who offered sage and often harsh advice in manners of the heart. Somehow or other, each episode explored the common theme of "Men are jerks and women are always right." Another of the "jerks" in the series was Tim's thickeared dad, Tug, played by former Cheers regular George Wendt. Originally bearing such titles as Men Behaving Better and The Evolution of Man, Modern Men made its initial network appearance on March 17, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josh Braaten, Max Greenfield, (more)
- 2005
Ever since Junior High, Gina (Marla Sokoloff) has been carrying on a pen-pal friendship with Seth (Patrick J. Adams). Now fully grown, Gina is a journalist living in Boston, while Seth is a toy-company executive. When Seth shows up in Beantown for a conference, one would think that he'd be looking forward to being interviewed by Gina, whom he's never seen--and that Gina would feel the same way. Trouble is, self-conscious Gina has for all these years been sending along pictures of her friend Ellen (Lindy Booth) in her letters to Seth, while Seth has been sending pictures of his friend Matt (Jonathan Cherry). Terrified that Seth won't like her if he finds out what she really looks like, Gina sends Ellen in her place for the interview--while Seth, suffering similar fears, prevails upon Matt to impersonate him. Given this set-up, and taking into consideration the title of this made-for-TV movie, no one should be unduly surprised by the outcome of the story! Christmas in Boston made its ABC Family channel bow on December 14, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
As of now, the only people who know what actually happened to busybody Mrs. Huber are the viewers -- and her killer. Meanwhile, Mrs. Huber's equally problematic sister, Felicia (Harriet Sansom Harris), makes an unexpected appearance. Bree (Marcia Cross) comes to grips with her separation from her husband and tentatively re-dips her toes into the dating scene with pharmacist George Williams (Roger Bart, in his first series appearance). Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) must take drastic measures to compensate for her past extravagances. Susan (Richard Burgi) once more goes head-to-head with ex-husband Karl (Richard Burgi). And Lynette (Felicity Huffman) has reason to regret hiring her new nanny, Claire (Marla Sokoloff). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- R
A woman worn down by life's battles is institutionalized following a nervous breakdown and finds love under the strangest circumstances imaginable in director Ellie Kanner's humorous romantic drama. Letty Mayer is a beautiful young teacher whose boyfriend is a successful attorney and whose family has always been decidedly close knit. Despite the perfection of surface appearances, however, all is not well in Letty's turbulent mind. Letty's sister is about to get married and the pressure of the impending nuptials has the single sibling more than a bit overwhelmed. After suffering a nervous breakdown, Letty is institutionalized. There, surrounded by the white walls and well-intending doctors, Letty strikes up a warm relationship with charming schizophrenic Michael - who is no stranger to institutionalized life. As love begins to blossom between this deeply disturbed pair, Letty will soon be faced with the difficult decision of choosing between returning to the life she has always known, or starting anew with Michael and braving a decidedly uncertain future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reiko Aylesworth, Bruno Campos, (more)
Can a young man win the hand of the girl of his dreams by convincing her that he prefers the company of men? That's the dilemma facing the protagonist of this independent comedy. Clay (Sam Huntington) was a big man on his high-school campus, but he discovers he's just another nobody when he starts his first year of college, and while he expected to be making time with lots of pretty coeds, most of the girls on campus could care less about him. As Clay hopes to improve his social status by rushing a fraternity after his dorm roommate unexpectedly dies, Amanda (Kaitlin Doubleday), another incoming freshman, is similarly hoping to join a sorority, and as part of her initiation she and the other pledges are each instructed to pick up a certain type of "loser" guy for a party where the boys will be humiliated as part of the evening's entertainment. Amanda is supposed to find a guy who is obviously gay, and her friend Jessica (Heather Matarazzo) mistakenly thinks Clay fits the bill. It doesn't take long for Clay to realize what's going on, but he decides to play along if it means going out with a pretty girl, and he gives himself a crash course in gay behavior in hopes of winning Amanda's heart with some help from amiable queer bartender Rodney (John Goodman). Produced under the title Home of Phobia, Freshman Orientation was the first feature film from writer and director Ryan Shiraki. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Huntington, Marla Sokoloff, (more)
- 2004
A small-town Canadian waitress pining for the attention of the former high-school football star finds her affections returned from the least likely of places in this entry into the 2005 Vancouver Film Festival from director Vic Sarin. To say that Eve Stuckley (Marla Sokoloff) has a low self-opinion would be an understatement. Though she may not necessarily be Cosmo material, the lovelorn waitress with dreams of being accepted to a New York City art school and a slight case of body dysmorphic disorder just can't seem to catch the eye of town hunk Jeff Sweeney (Barry Watson) -- even though Jeff is best friends with Eve's older brother, Chuck (Jonathan Cherry). When mysterious beauty Linda (Monika Schnarre) breezes into town on business, heads immediately turn and she is soon fending off the advances of both Jeff and Chuck. Despite the attentions lavished on her by the handsome duo, Linda is instead attracted to a lonely waitress whose true beauty has gone sadly unrecognized. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marla Sokoloff, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
- 2004
Burdened with guilt over her past behavior, Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) throws herself into a "mission" -- to stage a fashion show featuring her female friends on Wisteria Lane. Meanwhile, Susan (Teri Hatcher) is caught in the middle when she finds out about Gabrielle and John (Jesse Metcalfe) -- while John's mom, Helen (Kathryn Harrold), thinks her son is fooling around with Susan. Bree (Marcia Cross) uses her own judgment in dealing with the repulsive behavior of her son, Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom). And Lynette (Felicity Huffman) suffers unexpected consequences when she "steals" a nanny for her kids. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) finds out that Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) has been keeping secrets from her as well, though his regard his less-than-legal business practices. Bree (Marcia Cross) is outraged that her husband, Rex (Steven Culp), has been dabbling with the oh-so-perfect Maisy Gibbons (Sharon Lawrence). Elsewhere, Lynette (Felicity Huffman) tries to confirm her suspicions about her new nanny (Marla Sokoloff). The relationship between Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike (James Denton) intensifies. And the mysterious Paul Young (Mark Moses) has something to get off his chest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A young woman struggles to find herself despite the often oppressive influence of her family in this independent comedy drama. Sarabeth Cohen (Marla Sokoloff) has recently graduated from art school, and is determined to strike out on her own and establish herself as a painter. Her first bold step toward independence is moving away from home and getting a job in Manhattan, which doesn't do much to please her mother, Ruthie (Tovah Feldshuh), or her father, Isaac (Ronald Guttman), who don't make a secret of the fact they don't care for her artwork or her ambitions. Sarabeth's first steps toward her own life aren't very impressive -- short on money, she ends up moving in with her sister Raquel (Idina Menzel) and her sister's well-meaning but clueless husband, Howie (Jayce Bartok), and discovers her bedroom is a walk-in closet. Sarabeth also finds she isn't cut out to be a waitress, which makes the constant comparisons to her other sister, Becky (Liz Stauber), a hard-working medical student who is hiding her lesbianism from the family, all the more painful. And as Sarabeth struggles to find her place in the Big Apple, her boyfriend, Simon (Rob McEhenney), begins moving away from his own creative ambitions toward an easier life as a businessmen. The Tollbooth was the first feature film from writer and director Debra Kirschner. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marla Sokoloff
- 2003
Literally "torn from today's headlines," this made-for-cable drama recounts the sordid story of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster (here played by Jason Gedrick), who, over a period of several years, used the "date-rape" drug GHB to render several impressionable young woman unconscious, at which point he raped them while a video camera recorded his assaults. Galvanized by Luster's first victim, herein identified only as Connie Doe (Marla Sokoloff), two other girls who had been drugged and ravished by the wealthy predator joined Connie in bringing about legal action against him. Although the girls were forced to relive their horrendous experiences during testimony, their combined efforts so moved the jury that Luster was convicted on 86 criminal charges and sentenced to 124 years in prison. At the time this film went into production, the real-life Luster was fugitive from justice; escaping from house arrest and skipping off to parts unknown, he was tried and convicted in absentia. In June of 2003, one week before filming on A Date With Darkness wrapped, Luster was recaptured in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, by bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman (played in the film by an uncredited stunt man). This necessitated a hasty rewrite of the film's final scenes and an equally hasty refilming (as evidenced by the patently false beard on the face of actor Jason Gedrick). In its final form, A Date With Darkness: The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster debuted August 11, 2003, on the Lifetime Network; the telecast was followed by an impassioned warning against the dangers of GHB, delivered by the film's co-star, Marla Sokoloff. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Gedrick, Marla Sokoloff, (more)
The directorial debut of Australian filmmaker Francine McDougall, this teen comedy stars Marley Shelton as Diane, captain of the Lincoln High School A-squad cheerleaders, the most popular girls in their school. They include born-again Christian Hannah (Rachel Blanchard), the rebellious Kansas (Mena Suvari), late-night talk show fan Cleo (Melissa George), and brainy geek Lucy (Sarah Marsh). When Diane learns that she's pregnant, she and her stud quarterback boyfriend Jack (James Marsden) get hitched and quickly learn that marriage with children is an expensive proposition. With some advice from Kansas' convict mom (Sean Young), the squad embarks on a plan to rob a bank, but their peppy enthusiasm and patented cheerleading moves may give them away to the authorities. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marley Shelton, James Marsden, (more)
The startling effects of chemically induced short-term memory loss provide the backdrop for this resinous teen comedy. Jesse (Ashton Kutcher) and Chester (Seann William Scott) are two hard-partying dudes who wake up after a very long night on the town to discover they've forgotten the presents they bought for their girlfriends Wanda (Jennifer Garner) and Wilma (Marla Sokoloff), twins who are more than a bit miffed that the stoners they've come to tolerate appear to have forgotten their anniversary. The presents are in Jesse's car, but they're so fuzzy on the details of the previous 24 hours that they have no idea where they left said automobile. Jesse and Chester set out to find their wheels, and along the way they discover that they had an even more eventful evening than they imagined, as strippers, aliens, a suitcase full of money, and a kitchen full of pudding become important pieces in the puzzle of the missing car. Dude, Where's My Car? also stars Hal Sparks, Kristy Swanson, Kevin Christy, and Fabio; it was written by Philip Stark, previously a writer for the TV series That 70's Show, which also features Kutcher in its cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, (more)
In this teen-oriented romantic comedy, Ryan Woodman (Shane West) is a socially inept high school senior whose idea of a good time is practicing his accordion, while Chris Campbell (James Franco) is a BMOC football star (and intellectual lightweight) at the same school. Ryan is hopelessly in love with Ashley Grant (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), who is beautiful, popular, and entirely out of his league, while Chris has a serious crush on Maggie (Marla Sokoloff), a pretty but bookish friend of Ryan's. Chris and Ryan realize that they're in a position to help each other, and through a complicated arrangement of phone calls, e-mails, and double dates, they try to work out a system by which each guy will be with the girl of his dreams -- though things hardly turn out the way anyone expected. Produced under the title Got to Be You, Whatever It Takes also features Julia Sweeney and Colin Hanks. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Franco, Colin Hanks, (more)
- 1997
- PG13
Directed by Bob Swaim, The Climb chronicles the efforts of a father and son trying to prove their bravery. Set in the 1950's and shot in New Zealand, 12-year-old Danny (Gregory Smith) is determined to reach the highest point of the town, which, in this case, is a 203-foot radio tower. The tower in question, however, is scheduled to be demolished due to the accidents created by kids who had already attempted the climb. Despite the danger, Danny (Smith) feels that climbing the tower would prove once and for all that his father is not the cowardly war-dodger he's reputed to be, and that Danny himself is not one to be bullied. Though Danny had expected to plan and execute the climb in full, he finds an unlikely ally in Mr. Langer (John Hurt), his ill-tempered, hard-drinking neighbor. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Now that Bailey (Scott Wolf) has moved in with the terrifyingly vivacious Callie (Alexondra Lee), his former roommate Cooper (Harold Pruett) thinks the time is ripe to make the "big move" on Bailey's sister Julia (Neve Campbell)--leading to a nasty fight and a nastier breakup. As for Bailey himself, he finds that living with Callie can be treacherous indeed, especially when she makes some weird comments about his favorite teacher (and her former boyfriend) T.J. Digman (Larry Poindexter). And back at the Salinger household, Claudia (Lacey Chabert) worries that her best friend Jody (Maria Sokoloff) may have been molested by a "trusted" adult--and that the troubled Kirsten (Paula Devicq) is about to go completely off the deep end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on the characters from the series of best-selling books by Ann M. Martin, The Baby Sitters Club concerns a group of seven girls, each edging into their teenage years, who are close friends and have formed a co-operative baby-sitting service. Their business has become so successful that the girls decide to expand their horizons and start a summer day camp for kids; however, they soon discover that not all the adults in the neighborhood think this is a good idea, and they learn a lesson about cooperation and responsibility. Meanwhile, Kristy (Schuyler Fisk), the leader of the group, lives with her mother (Brooke Adams) and stepfather (Bruce Davison); when her father (Peter Horton), an undependable wanderer, shows up, he asks Kristy not to tell her mother that he's in town, and Kristy is torn about what to say. Stacy (Bre Blair) has another sort of dilemma to deal with; she's tall and pretty and has met a boy who likes her. However, he thinks she's older than she actually is, leading her into a dating dilemma that she may not be ready for. The Baby Sitters Club was the first theatrical feature for actress-turned-director Melanie Mayron; Schuyler Fisk is the daughter of actress Sissy Spacek and director/designer Jack Fisk. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Schuyler Fisk, Rachael Leigh Cook, (more)
- 1995
- R
In this thriller a woman attempts to solve a murder and ends up face to face with a serial killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alicia Silverstone, Kevin Dillon, (more)
- 1995
When Steph (Jodise Sweetin) is stood up by a guy named Ryan (Andrew Keegan) just before a big dance, Danny (Bob Saget) decides to take a hand in matters. After Danny gives Ryan a severe tongue-lashing, the kid makes good on his promise to escort Steph to the dance--but will she be grateful, or will she resent her dad's interference? Elsewhere, Michelle (the Olsen twins) is willing to play dirty to beat DJ (Candace Cameron) in a competition; and Kimmy (Andrea Barber) proves to be the cause of Jesse's (John Stamos) high blood pressure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
