John Carroll Lynch Movies
Character actor John Carroll Lynch first gained notice for his performance as Frances McDormand's sweet and supportive husband in the Coen brother's critically acclaimed Fargo. He subsequently appeared on the ABC sitcom The Drew Carey Show as the title character's cross-dressing brother. The role was initially a recurring one, but Lynch was eventually added as a full-time cast member. Along the way, he also popped up in a number of small roles in large films like 1997's Volcano and 2000's Gone in 60 Seconds.Following the cancellation of The Drew Carey Show, Lynch switched gears from comedy to drama, but stayed on the small screen, taking a role on HBO's bleak and bizarre Carnivàle. That stint was followed by a season on the CBS legal drama Close to Home. And in 2007, he was cast alongside Anthony Anderson and Cole Hauser in Fox's post-Hurricane Katrina cop show K-Ville. That same year, he could be seen on the big-screen in David Fincher's Zodiac. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
The debut film from writer-director Whit Stillman etches a sophisticated comic portrait of New York debutante society at the twilight of the 1980s. Set during the Christmas season, the film is told from the vantage point of Tom Townsend (Edward Clements), a self-professed proletarian radical who stumbles into the social sphere of a group of well-off Upper East Side twentysomethings calling themselves the SFRP (or Sally Fowler Rat Pack, named in honor of a frequent party hostess). The group includes Nick (Christopher Eigeman), an acidic misanthrope; sweet-natured Jane Austen acolyte Audrey (Carolyn Farina); Charlie (Taylor Nichols), a tongue-tied bumbler secretly in love with Audrey; and femme fatale Cynthia (Isabel Gillies). Quickly, Tom, who comes from much more humble beginnings, finds himself caught in the middle of the group. Audrey even develops a crush on him, but Tom is still reeling from a broken relationship with renowned man-eater Serena (Elizabeth Thompson), a peripheral member of the SFRP. It all leads to a romantic climax at the Southampton vacation home of Nick's womanizing arch-enemy Rick von Sloneker (Will Kempe). ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, (more)
This cheerful holiday comedy, a surprise box office smash, featured a generous dollop of raunchy, crude humor and was greatly elevated by the presence of masterful performers in the lead roles. Jack Lemmon is John Gustafson, an ice-fishing Minnesota native who has been feuding with his neighbor and former best friend Max Goldman (Walter Matthau) for decades. The battle of wills between John and Max is characterized by crude name calling and harmless practical jokes. Max is unaware that John is having serious problems, chiefly that his daughter Melanie (Daryl Hannah) is experiencing marital woes and that his house is about to be confiscated by an officious IRS agent (Buck Henry). When it seems that John and Max may finally put aside their childish rivalry, however, sexy new neighbor Ariel (Ann-Margret) arrives and dates both men, pitting them against each other more fiercely than ever before. Despite their mutual loathing, the death of a friend, John's problems, and a budding romance between Max's son Jacob (Kevin Pollak) and Melanie may force the two old friends to reconcile. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, (more)
- 1996
Shelley Long recreates her Cheers role as Diane Chambers in this episode (which, of course, was not Diane's first appearance on Frasier -- remember that surprise ending in the second-season episode "Adventures in Paradise"?). Arriving in Seattle full of stories of how wonderful her new life is in Malibu, Diane suddenly goes into one of her customary fits of hysteria and tearfully admits to former fiancé Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) that she has never been so miserable. Taking pity on Diane, Frasier agrees to do anything he can for her, even unto financing production of a play she has written -- which, much to his dismay, turns out to be a thinly disguised recap of Diane's life back in Boston with a group of disturbingly familiar losers hanging around a tavern and pining hopelessly over heroine "Mary Ann." This episode earned an Emmy award for Outstanding Editing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Inspired by a true story originally dramatized on the TV series Unsolved Mysteries, this made-for-TV thriller stars Megan Ward) as professional nurse Renee Perkins, whose friend and coworker Terry Deveroux (Kim Dickens) is murdered in a particularly vicious manner. Not long after the tragedy, Renee begins receiving psychic messages, suggesting that she has been "possessed" by Terry's spirit for the purpose of tracking down the murderer. Naturally, Terry wants to notify the police, but her doctor husband Bill (John Terlesky) is worried that such an incredible story might do damage to his career should it be proven false. Also known as Crimes of Passion: Voice from the Grave,the film made its NBC debut on March 20, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Filmmaking siblings Joel Coen and Ethan Coen both embraced and poked satirical fun at their Minnesotan roots with this comedy-drama-thriller that earned seven Oscar nominations, winning for Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. Frances McDormand stars as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief whose affable, folksy demeanor masks a whip-smart mind. When a pair of motorists are found slain not far from the corpse of a state trooper, Marge begins piecing together a case involving a pair of dopey would-be kidnappers, Carl (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear (Bergman stock player Peter Stormare). They've been hired by Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a car salesman under the thumb of his wealthy, overbearing boss and father-in-law, Wade (Harve Presnell). Jerry's raised some money illegally through a petty scam he's run on General Motors and he's about to get caught. When Wade sours a business deal that could save his son-in-law's hide, the desperate Jerry hires Carl and Gaear to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom. Things go predictably wrong and a series of murders occur, with Marge, waddling along behind her enormous belly and ever-hungering for an all-you-can-eat buffet, hot on the trail of the killers. Although the credits for Fargo state that the film is loosely based on real events, the story is entirely fictional, the claim being just an ironic jibe on the part of the Coens. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, (more)
The third of John Woo's American-made feature films, Face/Off stars John Travolta as Sean Archer, an FBI agent obsessed with capturing Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage), a criminal genius who years before killed Archer's son while trying to assassinate the agent. Archer's single-minded pursuit of Troy has caused serious harm to his marriage, but Archer thinks the light may have appeared at the end of the tunnel when a seriously wounded Troy is captured in a bloody shootout. However, it turns out that Troy has planted a time bomb, with a biological payload that could destroy the entire city of Los Angeles -- and Troy isn't about to say where it is. The only other person who knows the bomb's location is Troy's brother, Pollux (Alessandro Nivola), who is no more helpful than Castor. FBI scientists hatch a plan: they have developed an experimental surgery which would allow them to graft Troy's face temporarily on Archer's head and allow him to question Pollux as if he were his brother. But after Archer has taken Troy's face, Troy regains consciousness and forces the doctors to give him Archer's face. Now the criminal mastermind has the FBI at his disposal, and the lawman is underground with few places to turn. Along with Woo's usual elaborately choreographed action scenes, Face/Off features a number of notable supporting performances, including Joan Allen as Archer's wife, Colm Feore and C.C.H. Pounder as FBI scientists, and Gina Gershon as Troy's loyal but long-suffering girlfriend. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, (more)
A feminist farm belt version of William Shakespeare's King Lear, this film is based on Jane Smiley's novel about an aging farmer and his three daughters. The Lear-like farmer, Larry Cook (Jason Robards), decides to divide up his thousand-acre farm among his three daughters, but he disinherits his youngest, Caroline (Jennifer Jason Leigh), an attorney, when she expresses hesitancy. The other sisters, Ginny (Jessica Lange) and Rose (Michelle Pfeiffer), take up the offer, even though they were sexually abused by their father as children. They also take up romantically with the hippie son of a neighboring farmer, Jess Clark (Colin Firth), after their own drunken, demented father moves out to live with Clark's father Harold (Pat Hingle). When Rose's husband Peter (Kevin Anderson) learns of her betrayal, he gets drunk, crashes his truck, and dies. Ginny's husband Ty (Keith Carradine) enlists Caroline's help and sues Ginny and Rose on behalf of their father, whom he feels has been treated badly by the daughters. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Lange, (more)
Disaster visits jaded L.A. in the form of an underground volcano, not the big earthquake all the citizens expect. Shot on the largest set ever constructed in the U.S., in nearby Torrance, California, Volcano is a big-budget, special-effects-laden disaster movie with a standard plot. Tommy Lee Jones plays Mike Roark, a by-the-book emergency management director who is spending the weekend with his daughter, Kelly (Gaby Hoffmann), when the previously-unknown volcano blows. Sassy, brainy scientist Dr. Amy Barnes (Ann Heche) is the first to warn of the threat, which begins by sucking one of her co-workers into a steaming fissure. As the lava starts to spurt in red-hot fireballs, Kelly is injured, and Mike sends her to the hospital in order to attend to his duties, rescue citizens, and run the city's emergency response. Eventually, Roark and Barnes team up to battle the eruption while sparks of romantic attraction fly. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, (more)
- 1997
John Carroll Lynch makes his first appearance in the role of Drew's big brother Steve Carey. Unemployed and still reeling from a lousy romance, Steve is given a job at Drew's store. Feeling pressured into this act of generosity, Drew (Drew Carey) arranges for Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson to fire Steve as a practical joke. But it turns out to be Drew's job on the line when Mr. Wick (and everybody else) discovers that Steve is a transvestite--and a darned attractive one at that! Dionne Warwick makes a guest appearance in the episode's gut-busting payoff scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
- R
Eric Bross directed this drama of romantic roadblocks and racial issues between a group of waitresses and bartenders waiting for their "big breaks." Former alcoholic Chris (Adrien Brody) is a playwright who works as a bartender at the popular Hoboken, New Jersey, restaurant J.T. McClure's, a gathering spot for a variety of creative wannabes. At a local theater, rehearsals are underway for Chris' play, an autobiographical drama echoing his past relationship with Leslie (Lauryn Hill); for the fictional Leslie character, Chris has cast the vulnerable vocalist Jeanine (Elise Neal), and finds himself falling for her. Meanwhile, the actor playing the role of "Chris" has been sleeping with the real-life Leslie, adding to the real-life Chris' confusion. Providing philosophical guidance is the wise-guy best friend Reggae (Michael Stoyanov), a fellow "Newark boy" whose main creative energy goes into scoring drugs. Restaurant was one of the much-discussed stand-outs at the 1998 L.A. Independent Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrien Brody, Elise Neal, (more)
- 1998
Oswald (Diedrich Bader) gets some disturbing news about his mom (Adrienne Barbeau), even as she's trying to digest the equally disturbing news about his "man-boob" transplants. Elsewhere, Steve (John Carroll Lynch) and his fellow transvestites (isn't that a contradiction in terms) take over the Warsaw Bar, driving all the female customers away. So as not to lose his most fertile mating ground, Drew (Drew Carey) talks the Warsaw bartender into offering half-price drinks for women--thereby incurring the wrath of Steve, who is denied the lowered price even though he's decked out in his most gorgeous dress and most alluring makeup! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
This episode opens as Drew (Drew Carey) glumly announces the cancellation of his wedding--but he doesn't tell us why until the very end. In the meantime, Drew's mom Beulah (Marion Ross) begs him to go through with his planned bachelor party so as to avoid breaking the heart of his dad George (Stanley Anderson). Unfortunately, that selfsame heart may break for an entirely different reason should George tumble to the fact that Drew's older brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch) is a cross-dresser! The episode's highlight is the disastrous "sex tape" starring Drew and his soon-to-be-ex-fiancee Nicki (Kate Walsh). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this action-suspense thriller, orphaned nine-year-old autistic savant Simon (Miko Hughes) deciphers a government code hidden in a puzzle magazine. Calling for his prize, Simon triggers an alarm at the National Security Agency: NSA chief Nicholas Kudrow (Alec Baldwin), who says the code protects covert American operatives all over the world, sends an assassin to do away with Simon. Simon's parents are killed, but Simon survives, hiding in a secret closet crawlspace where he's later discovered by maverick FBI agent Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis). Simon is emotionally unpredictable, complicating matters as Art drags him all over Chicago, eluding Kudrow's hitman in a variety of interesting locations (train tracks, street scenes, heliport, Wrigley building) and improbable situations. Based on the novel Simple Simon by Ryne Douglas Peardon, the film features Industrial Light & Magic special FX/animation. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, (more)
- 1998
Among those gathered at a Carey family barbecue is Drew's 18-year-old cousin Kristen (guest star Nikki Cox)--better known as "the only good-looking Carey". While Kristen shops around for a good college, Drew (Drew Carey) arranges for her to work at the store. It's a move that Drew soon comes to regret when Kristen begins dating his rapacious (and decades older!) boss Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson), who is so smitten by the girl that he takes to serenading her while standing on Drew's pool table. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
- NR
Jacqueline McKenzie stars in this bleak, ambitious character portrait. Kicked out of her home by her loutish, abusive boyfriend, Penny (McKenzie) tries desperately to ingratiate herself back into his favor. In her pathetic efforts to debase herself, she makes all the wrong choices, including a half-hearted attempt to sacrifice her dog and kill her son. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacqueline McKenzie, Aida Turturro, (more)
- 1999
Although Drew (Drew Carey), Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles) are all still dating Tracy (Diane Farr), Drew isn't getting as much time with her as his friends. At Kate's suggestion, Drew arranges a boy-girl pajama party at his home, replete with sexy Winfred-Louder catalogue models, then invites Oswald and Lewis, with the intention of sneaking out and visiting Tracy in the course of the evening Alas, Cleveland is hit with a heavy snowstorm, leaving all of the guys alone and dateless--whereupon Oswald and Lewis plot an elaborate "swing dancing" revenge against Drew. Elswhere, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) holds a phony business seminar which has curious consequences for both Kate (Christa Miller) and Drew's cross-dressing brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
When this second annual "spot-the-mistakes" show was originally telecast on March 21, 1999, the home viewers were invited to send in their lists of deliberate errors spotted throughout the episode, with the usual Big Prize awarded the person who tallied up the biggest list (38 was the "topper"). The plot proper involves the death of the gang's favorite barber Phil, occuring just before Drew's parents are scheduled to arrive in Cleveland to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. At Phil's funeral, Drew (Drew Carey) is confronted with what seems to be irrefutable evidence that his mom Beulah (Marion Ross) once had an affair with the deceased barber--but the truth is even more startling! Meanwhile, Mimi ghoulishly keeps tabs as Mr. Wick orders the store employees to participate in a compulsory blood drive. (Note: the syndicated version of this episode removes one of the original "mistakes", involving the animated ABC network logo). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
A victim of cutbacks at Winfred-Louder, cross-dressing Steve (John Carroll Lynch) decides to move in with brother Drew (Drew Carey) during his layoff. When Mimi (Kathy Kinney) happens to see Steve without his female drag, she is instantly attracted to him. Drew is disgusted by this turn of events, but not nearly as disgusted as Mimi when Steve adamantly refuses to appear in public without women's clothes. The ensuing temper tantrums and screming sessions are halted only when Steve issues an ultimatum to Drew and Mimi--one which may change the whole course of The Drew Carey Show, at least until the end of the episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Detroit Free Press sports columnist Mitch Albom (Hank Azaria) has found success and popularity in his occupation, but emotionally and spiritually he is bankrupt. While watching television one night, he comes across an episode of the news showNightline and learns that his former university professor Morrie Schwartz (Jack Lemmon) is battling A.L.S. -- better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. At first, Mitch is reluctant to pay his former mentor a visit, since, at his graduation ceremony, Mitch promised to remain in contact with Morrie but failed to make good on that promise. Mitch eventually overcomes his uneasiness and, to his surprise, finds a very warm welcome from Morrie. The two begin to discuss the issues of happiness, life, and death, and they soon begin to meet on a weekly basis as Mitch reassumes the role of Morrie's student. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Hank Azaria, (more)
- 1999
Originally telecast in September of 1999, the opening episode of The Drew Carey Show's fifth season vividly reflects the paranoia surrounding "Y2K"--specifically, the then-prevalent belief that virtually every computer in the world would automatically crash on January 1, 2000. After a Y2K dry-run goes awry at Winfred-Louder, Drew (Drew Carey) consults with the store's resident computer geek Hal (Dean Stockwell), who dolefully warns our hero that an even more devastating disaster is sure to take palce on New Year's Day. In a panic, Drew talks his current girlfriend Sharon (Jenica Bergere) into building a fully-stocked shelter for himself and the gang--but Sharon isn't so eager to do so when a Drew's true feelings toward Kate (Christa Miller) are accidentally revealed. Elsewhere, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) is hounded by a hero-worshipping little person named Doreen (Debbie Lee Carrington), who transforms herself into "Mini-Mimi"! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
To stir up new business for Buzz Beer, Lewis (Ryan Styles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) create a website (www.buybuzzbeer.com)--and are promptly arrested for unwittingly selling liquor to minors. In his efforts to help his friends during their court hearing, Drew (Drew Caerey) succeeds only in making things worse, inspiring the judge (Paul Gleason) to use Cleveland's new "anti-gang" law to force Drew and his friends to stay 100 feet away from one another--for the rest of their lives. After a futile effort to replace his pals with goldfish, Drew decides to risk a jail sentence by holding a birthday party for Kate, wherein he and his buddies will be cleverly disguised in "Wizard of Oz" costumes. Meanwhile, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) isn't amused when Steve (John Carroll Lynch) announces his plan to wear his mom's bridal gown at their wedding. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Much of this episode is filmed on location at Cleveland Browns Stadium, where the "new" Browns are poised to begin their freshman football season. Steve (John Carroll Lynch) wins two tickets to the sold-out first game, but since he's angry at Drew (Drew Carey) he invites Mimi (Kathy Kinney) instead. Sharon (Jenica Bergere) offers Drew the use of her big-screen TV to watch the game, but curiously will not be present to watch along with him. Thanks to suspicions fueled by Mimi, Drew becomes convinced that Sharon is cheating on him. Meanwhile, Lewis (Ryan Stiles) hatches a scheme for the gang to sneak into the game by hiding in a row of porta-potties. The episode's finale offers a Big Revelation, beamed out to each and every Browns fan via the stadium's jumbotron! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Unable to get Mimi (Kathy Kinney) and Drew (Drew Carey) to stop arguing, Steve (John Carroll Lynch) and Sharon (Jenice Bergere) walk out in the middle of a dinner date and leave the quarrelers stranded. With nothing else to do, Mimi and Drew wander into a bowling alley, where they quickly realize that they make a great team of "bowling hustlers", gulling a pair of doctors out of a passel of money. Alas, the dumpy duo's hustling career is doomed to a quick and ignominious demise, mainly because of the dreaded "L Word" (no, not THAT "L Word"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
