Paul Dooley Movies
Paul Dooley is fondly remembered by fans of '80s cinema as the forgetful but well-intending father of a disgruntled
Molly Ringwald in the
John Hughes teen classic
Sixteen Candles (1984). The longtime character actor's droopy, distinctive features and endearing onscreen warmth have kept him a familiar figure in both film and television. A Parkersurg, WV, native who originally aspired to become a cartoonist,
Dooley drew comic strips for a local newspaper before entering the navy. Upon discharge, the future actor entered college, where he discovered his passion for the stage. A move to New York found the aspiring actor landing frequent stage work, and after discovering a previously untapped ability for comedy,
Dooley tried his hand at standup for about five years. Always looking to expand his skills, he made his film debut in the 1970 comedy
The Out-of-Towners. From 1971 to 1972,
Dooley was also head writer for the popular children's television series The Electric Company.
After showing promise in such late-'70s efforts as
Slap Shot (1977) and
A Wedding (1978),
Dooley made a big impression with his supporting role as the lead character's worrisome father in
Breaking Away (1979). Though he was overlooked at Oscar time, he was nominated for a New York Film Critics Circle award and won the National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actor. He kicked off the most successful decade of his film career with a performance as Wimpy in the much-maligned
Robert Altman musical comedy
Popeye (1980). Besides his memorable turn in
Sixteen Candles,
Dooley also delivered hilarious performances in the 1980s films
Strange Brew (1983) and
John Cassavetes'
Big Trouble (1985). Fans of the extraterrestrial comedy series ALF will also remember him as the curiously named Whizzer Deaver.
Though his feature roles through the 1990s largely consisted of such B-grade fare as
My Boyfriend's Back (1993) and
Error in Judgment (1998),
Dooley managed to stay on top thanks to parts in such popular television series as
Mad About You, Dream On,
Grace Under Fire, and
The Practice. He also took on occasional roles in more notable films, including
Waiting for Guffman (1996),
Clockwatchers (1997),
Happy, Texas (1999), and
Runaway Bride (also 1999), which served to remind movie buffs just how funny the talented comic actor could be when given the opportunity.
Dooley's performances in such later efforts as
Insomnia (2002) hinted at a darker side rarely explored by the usually jovial actor. In 2003, after re-teaming with
Waiting for Guffman cohort
Christopher Guest to blow
A Mighty Wind, he took a supporting role in former MTV beauty queen
Jenny McCarthy's comedy Dirty Love. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

- 2011
- G
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This sequel to the 2006 hit follows racing legend Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his trusty sidekick, Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) as they secure their passports and take part in the biggest race on the planet. As the first-ever World Grand Prix approaches, cars from every continent prepare for the ultimate competition. But who will have what it takes to become the fastest car on the planet? Just as Lightning McQueen edges up to the starting line, however, his old pal Mater gets sidetracked on a top-secret spy mission that takes him from Japan to Europe as the entire world watches. Thankfully Mater's friends are always willing to lend a helping wheel, and as the race gets under way, everyone shifts into high gear to help out an old friend. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, (more)

- 2007
- PG
- Add Hairspray to Queue
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Adam Shankman's adaptation of the stage musical Hairspray, itself an adaptation of the non-musical John Waters film of the same name, stars Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad, an overweight high-school student whose only dream is to be on a local Baltimore teen dance program. While her father (Christopher Walken) tells her to follow her dreams, her mother Edna (John Travolta in drag) reminds her that she doesn't look like the girls on that show. After impressing the show's host (James Marsden), Tracy earns a coveted spot on the program, but when she becomes a popular addition to the cast, she earns the wrath of the prettiest girl in school -- a girl whose mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) just happens to operate the local television station. Tracy's visit to detention hall opens her eyes to the racial tension on the show, as does the budding relationship between her best friend (Amanda Bynes) and an African-American boy named Seaweed (Elijah Kelley). Thus empowered, Tracy attempts to integrate the races on her favorite program. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
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- Starring:
- John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)

- 2006
- PG13
- Add For Your Consideration to Queue
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Mockumentary mastermind Christopher Guest turns his satirical eye away from dog shows, small-town theater, and folk music to offer a hilarious take on Hollywood award season in this comedy focusing on trio of actors whose lives are turned upside down when they discover that their performances in an independent film are generating a sizable buzz in the entertainment industry. Jay Berman (Guest) is in the process of directing his first feature film -- an intimate family drama set in the 1940s and detailing the tempestuous reunion of an estranged Jewish family that is reluctantly drawn together to celebrate Purim at the behest of their dying matriarch. The cast soon comes down with an infectious case of award fever when rumors on the Internet claim that "Purim" stars Marilyn Hack (Catherine O' Hara), Victor Allan Miller (Harry Shearer), and Callie Webb (Parker Posey) may be delivering Oscar-caliber performances. When "Hollywood Now" co-anchors Chuck Porter (Fred Willard) and Cindy Martin (Jane Lynch) perpetuate the buzz on national television, the entire film crew starts to see stars in their eyes. Subsequently convinced that they have a sleeper hit on their hands, unit publicist Corey Taft (John Michael Higgins), talent agent Morley Orfkin (Eugene Levy), and producer Whitney Taylor Brown (Jennifer Coolidge) immediately cave to requests from Sunfish Classics president Martin Gibb (Ricky Gervais) to alter the film so that it may appeal to a larger audience. Now, while "Purim" screenwriters Lane Iverson (Michael McKean) and Philip Koontz (Bob Balaban) are forced to watch helplessly as their original screenplay is plundered in order to cash in on the positive buzz, awards season draws near and the production takes a most unexpected turn. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Bob Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge, (more)

- 2006
- G
- Add Cars to Queue
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A pedal-to-the-metal race car determined to prove his worth on the tracks discovers that life isn't always about crossing the finish line first in Toy Story director John Lasseter's mechanically minded tale of friendship and loyalty. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) may be just a rookie, but he's convinced that he can realize his dream of zooming by the checkered flag if he can only make it to California in time to compete in the upcoming Piston Cup Championship. When Lightning takes a detour into the slow-moving, Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, however, it begins to appear as if his shot at the big time has effectively stalled out. Of course, Lightning's exciting cross-country trek wasn't all for naught, and after befriending such quirky Radiator Springs residents as Sally the Porsche (voice of Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (voice of Paul Newman), and Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy), the eager young racer learns that sometimes life is more about the voyage than the outcome of the race. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, (more)

- 2004
-
Preparations are in full swing for Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) and Larry (Larry David) to renew their marriage vows for their tenth anniversary. After Anna (Gina Gershon), the sexy Chasidic woman who runs the Laundromat, flirts with Larry, he visits his rabbi (Barry Gordon) and expresses his qualms about taking Cheryl up on her offer to let him sleep with another woman as her tenth anniversary present. The rabbi finds a biblical parallel, and suggests that Larry accept the generous gift. He also asks Larry if he can invite a "survivor" to their rehearsal dinner. Larry assents, and then decides to invite Solly (Allan Rich), a friend of his father's (Shelley Berman) who survived the Holocaust. But the rabbi's friend turns out to be Colby Donaldson, from TV's Survivor, leading to an embarrassing argument at the dinner table about who the "real" survivor is. Cheryl and Larry get into a tiff about their vows when Larry learns that Cheryl expects them to spend eternity together. He had expected to be single again, what with the whole "Till death do us part," thing. "This is continuing into the afterlife?" he asks her, dismayed. On a more upbeat note, Anna agrees to meet Larry at a motel for an extramarital tryst to fulfill Cheryl's gift, but Larry is confused when Jeff (Jeff Garlin) suggests he bring a sheet with him. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
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- 2003
- PG13
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The writing and directing team who created Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show turn their satiric eye toward the world of folk music in this sly mockumentary. Irving Steinbloom was one of the great behind-the-scenes figures of the folk music boom of the late '50s and early '60s, and helped to nurture the careers of three of the best known acts of the era. The Folksmen -- Mark Shubb (Harry Shearer), Alan Barrows (Christopher Guest), and Jerry Palter (Michael McKean) -- were an earnest folk trio who sang of America's noble past and the challenges of the future; they split up in the early '70s after a failed attempt to go electric. Mitch & Mickey were a duo in both music and life, comprised of Mitch Cohen (Eugene Levy) and Mickey Devlin (Catherine O'Hara). They sang soulful songs of love until the collapse of their relationship sent Mitch into a deep and incapacitating depression. And The Main Street Singers were a nine-piece vocal group -- a "neuftet," as they prefer it -- who offered energetic good-time music, cranking out nearly 30 albums in the course of a decade; their current incarnation, The New Main Street Singers (played by Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins, David Alan Blasucci, Steve Pandis, Christopher Moynihan, Paul Dooley and Patrick Sauber) is still on the road. When it is announced that the legendary Irving Steinbloom has died (the character never appears in the film), his son Jonathan (Bob Balaban) decides that the best way to memorialize his father is through music, and with the help of Mike LaFontaine (Fred Willard) of Hi-Class Management, they set out to bring The Folksmen, Mitch & Mickey, and The New Main Street Singers back together for a special concert at New York's Town Hall. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer -- who previously teamed up for This Is Spinal Tap -- not only perform together as The Folksmen in A Mighty Wind, but composed most of the songs performed onscreen. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Bob Balaban, Christopher Guest, (more)

- 2003
-
Unlike her earlier comedy series and specials, in which she "took on" dozens of vivid and distinct characterizations, Tracey Ullman focuses herein on only three of her famous alter egos. First and foremost is faded glamour gal Ruby Romaine, veteran Hollywood cosmetician and shameless dispenser of libelous gossip. In her efforts to gain re-entry into Local 706 of the Hair and Makeup Guild, the heavily wrinkled Ruby crosses paths with two other Ullman creations, Russian émigré Svetlana and actress Pepper Kane, a black woman trying to pass as white (not surprisingly, both ladies are prime targets for Ruby's unending stream of ethnic slurs). Somehow or other, Ruby's return to her days of glory also brings her in contact with such real-life popular culture icons as Debbie Reynolds, Barbara Bain, Cheech Marin, Rose Marie, Jane Kaczmarek, and former Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In producer George Schlatter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Tracey Ullman

- 2003
- R
- Add Stealing Time to Queue
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An attempt to carry the nostalgic torch of such efforts as St. Elmo's Fire and Return of the Secaucus Seven into the new millennium, albeit with an unexpectedly criminal twist, former assistant to Steven Spielberg Marc Fusco makes his directorial debut with this ensemble drama. Bored and disillusioned by their professional lives after living it up in college, a group of friends reunite a year after their graduation and attempt to recapture the spontaneity of their more carefree days by staging a bank robbery. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Charlotte Ayanna, Ethan Embry, (more)

- 2003
- R
- Add Employee of the Month to Queue
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The directorial debut of actor/writer Mitch Rouse (Comedy Central's Strangers With Candy), Employee of the Month stars Matt Dillon as David Wells, a hapless guy whose day seems to be getting more and more out of control. After getting his life straightened out with a job he loves at a bank and beautiful fiancée (Christina Applegate), David is convinced he's got it made. Unfortunately, things take a distinct turn for the worse when he is dumped and fired all in the same day. Enter David's best friend, Jack (Steve Zahn), an oddball who makes his living stealing from corpses. Jack is determined to help cheer up David, but when a bank robbery and a large sum of cash enter the picture, it begins to become apparent that the disastrous and madcap events have only just begun. Employee of the Month premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Matt Dillon, Steve Zahn, (more)

- 2002
- PG
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Based upon a true story, Madison is a father-son drama based on the highly publicized efforts in Madison, IN, during the hydroplane racing season of 1971. Jim McCormick (James Caviezel) has left behind his life of hydroplane boat racing to settle down and start a family and take a job as an air-conditioner repairman. Though he tries to embrace his new life, he still longs for his racing days, and the boat has become the town laughing stock. The town has also experienced harsh financial strain and the rich corporate sponsors of Jim's competitors have stolen the spotlight again and again. The town of Madison is suddenly asked to host the prestigious Gold Cup championship, and Jim cannot resist, though the town is far less supportive. Jim rallies the community for support in an attempt to bring the pride back to it, though his wife, Bonnie (Mary McCormack), is eager to move to the big city and out of the doldrums of Madison, and his son, Mike (Jake Lloyd), has become disillusioned with the idea of the boat races and watching the larger contenders win every time. But Jim stubbornly presses on and soon is permitted to play again with the big boys. The film also features veteran actors Bruce Dern, Brent Briscoe, and Paul Dooley. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi
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- Starring:
- James Caviezel, Jake Lloyd, (more)

- 2002
- R
- Add Insomnia to Queue
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Director Christopher Nolan follows up his breakthrough sophomore film Memento with this remake of a stylish Norwegian thriller. Al Pacino stars as Detective Will Dormer, a Los Angeles Police Department legend who temporarily escapes an internal affairs investigation that may ruin his career by traveling to Nightmute, AK, the remote site of a murder that has the local authorities flummoxed. Along with his partner, Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan), and the small town's wide-eyed rookie investigator, Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), the exhausted Dormer probes the brutal slaying of a teenage girl who was rumored to have a secret lover. A clever ruse quickly lures the killer into a police trap, but the suspect escapes and a tragic accident at the scene leaves Dormer at the mercy of the murderer, a pulp crime novelist named Walter Finch (Robin Williams). As Finch plays a dangerous game of extortion with Dormer, the detective's mental health deteriorates rapidly from guilt over his complicity in a crime and sleep deprivation compounded by the lack of darkness in the land of the midnight sun. Meanwhile, the bright and dogged Ellie continues putting the pieces of a complex puzzle together despite Dormer's skillful attempts to lead the investigation toward the right suspect, but away from his own malfeasance. Insomnia co-stars Paul Dooley, Nicky Katt, Maura Tierney, and Jonathan Jackson. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Robin Williams, (more)

- 2001
-

- 2001
-
An ambitious, fussbudgety TV reporter finds romance with her polar opposite, a downwardly mobile waiter living with his father, in this romantic comedy set in New York City. Former MTV staple Jenny McCarthy plays Whitney, a short-fused young woman whose career takes her to the Big Apple to compete for an on-air position for one of the biggest networks in the nation. On the way to the interview, she asks directions from a sardonic Gothamite named Jimmy (Christopher Eigeman); when the two cross paths again later in the day, Whitney's harsh demeanor leads Jimmy to mistakenly believe that she's a prostitute. The two go on a series of dates with other suitors, but their chance encounters become more and more frequent, and both Jimmy and Whitney find out that the other may be a more appropriate mate than he or she first thought. The Perfect You toured a series of film festivals including the Los Angeles Film Festival before appearing on the Oxygen network in 2003. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Jenny McCarthy, Christopher Eigeman, (more)

- 2001
- R
- Add A Woman's A Helluva Thing to Queue
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A comedy detailing the war of the sexes with some new twists, this film stars Angus MacFadyen as Houston Blackett, a men's magazine owner whose mother suddenly dies in the Rocky Mountains. His mother has evidently left the estate not to her estranged son, but to her lover, a local girl named Zane (Penelope Ann Miller). Houston is aghast at the news, and his machismo is put to the test in the form of Zane, who takes no guff, especially from an objectifying type, as well as the people near him, who also begin to turn on him, including a reporter (Kathryn Harrold) and her tough assistant (Mary Kay Place). The film also features Ann-Margret as Houston's unforgiving, harsh mother-in-law, veteran actress Millie Perkins as his housekeeper, and writer/director Karen Leigh Hopkins as a single mother caught up in Houston's dilemma. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Angus MacFadyen, Penelope Ann Miller, (more)

- 1999
- R
- Add Guinevere to Queue
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Writer Audrey Wells (The Truth About Cats and Dogs) makes her directing debut in Guinevere, which won the screenwriting award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, where it made its world premiere. The film concerns Harper Sloane, a twenty-something upper class pre-law student who falls for Connie, a bohemian photographer 30 years her senior. Shy, waifish, and camera shy, Harper feels her life is mapped out for her, coming from a long line of successful, Harvard-educated lawyers living in San Francisco. At her older sister's wedding, Harper meets Connie, who photographs her privately. When he shows her the photos, Harper (whom Connie refers to only as Guinevere) is intrigued, and a passionate romance and sexual attraction begins. Harper moves in with Connie to become his student, against her mother's wishes. Harper also learns that she isn't Connie's first Guinevere; in fact, there have been a half-dozen others, all of whom have remained friends. As the relationship takes its ups and downs, Harper comes out of her shell to become a stronger woman, more in control of her life and destiny than she would have ever dreamed possible. As Connie slowly dies from poverty and alcoholism, all of his Guineveres, including Harper, come together to remember (and drink to) his work and his life. ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Stephen Rea, Sarah Polley, (more)

- 1999
- PG
- Add Runaway Bride to Queue
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In 1990, Pretty Woman turned Julia Roberts into a star and gave Richard Gere's career a much-needed boost; for 1999, Roberts and Gere reunited with director Garry Marshall for the romantic comedy Runaway Bride. Roberts plays Maggie, who has left so many prospective husbands at the altar that she has gained notoriety as "the Runaway Bride," and a reporter (played by Richard Gere) is assigned to write a story about her. He tracks her down to a small town in Maryland where she's spending time with her family and preparing to give marriage another try. However, the more time she spends with the persistent reporter, the more second thoughts she has about her fiancé (Christopher Meloni). Hector Elizondo, another Pretty Woman alumnus, appears in the supporting cast alongside Joan Cusack, Paul Dooley, and Rita Wilson. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, (more)

- 1999
- PG13
- Add Happy, Texas to Queue
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Happy, Texas is a fish-out-of-water comedy about two con men who escape from prison, then pose as gay lovers to hide out in a small Texas town. Mistaken for consultants to the Little Miss Fresh Squeezed Beauty Pageant, Harry (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne (Steve Zahn) go along with the ruse so they can stake out the local bank, owned by Josephine "Joe" McClintock (Ally Walker). The story kicks into high gear as Harry starts falling in love with Joe but cannot let on about his feelings. Also complicating matters is that gay Sheriff Dent (William H. Macy) has the hots for Harry, and Harry must pretend he's interested to keep the cops off his back. Meanwhile, Wayne is getting in touch with his feminine side as he tries his best to teach dance steps and flaming baton twirling to the little girls; he's also lusting after the girls' teacher, Ms. Schaefer (Ileana Douglas). Everything leads up to the big beauty pageant, where the cops are finally on Harry and Wayne's tail. First-time director Mark Illsley received wide media attention for this commercial piece, which sold to Miramax after a very public and intense bidding war. Steve Zahn's performance won him a special acting award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, where the film premiered in dramatic competition . ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn, (more)

- 1997
- PG13
- Add Telling Lies In America to Queue
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Karchy Jonas (Brad Renfro) was born in Hungary and immigrated to Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1960s where he felt adrift in a strange sea of American culture. Jonas tries to fit in at the Catholic high school he attends but finds himself a laughing stock. At home, his stern father (Maximilian Schell) insists that he adhere to traditional Hungarian ways. Karchy's only respite is the rock & roll music he adores. A year before he arrived, flashy, failed disc jockey Billy Magic (Kevin Bacon) rolled into town, found a job at WHK and became the host of the High School Hall of Fame contest, something that Karchy decides he must win so he too can be cool and therefore impress his lovely classmate Diney (Calista Flockhart). Eventually, he does win and before long has made friends with Billy. The DJ proves to be a real pal and pays Karchy a C-note a week to run a few errands and do odd jobs for him. Some of those tasks involve taking money from promoters. When not working, Billy is introducing Karchy to life's wild side. But despite such fun times, there is much the naive youth is destined to learn the hard way about his new buddy Billy. The film's story comes from screenwriter Joe Eszterhas' (Basic Instinct) script, penned around 1982. Himself a Hungarian immigrant, Eszterhas added a few autobiographical touches to the script. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Brad Renfro, (more)

- 1997
-
The mysterious reasoning of women who protect men who hurt them is explored in this psychological drama. Hedda (Robin Wright-Penn) was once involved with a man who had a long history of violence against women (played by Anthony Lucero). Even though Hedda broke up with him after a violent incident that caused her to fall out of a window, she hasn't been able to get him out of her mind, and her sorrow over ending the affair has led her to attempt suicide on more than one occasion. After the man's most recent girlfriend died as an indirect result of his abuse, District Attorney K.D. Dietrickson (William Hurt) has decided to file charges of negligent homicide against him, and he wants Hedda to testify in court to help establish a pattern of abuse. However, for whatever reason, Hedda still loves him, and in her mind she has turned the incident into a situation in which she was at fault. Despite the urgings of Hedda's concerned parents (Joanna Cassidy and Paul Dooley) and her sister, a tough lawyer named Brett (Amy Madigan), Hedda seems unmovable, which makes it all the more difficult for Dietrickson to stop the abuser before he can hurt someone else. Sean Penn, who happens to be Robin Wright-Penn's husband, served as co-producer and has a showy cameo role early in the film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Robin Wright Penn, William Hurt, (more)

- 1997
-
Though Garak (Andrew J. Robinson) insists that a mysterious Cardassian-sounding message is insignificant, his subsequent behavior indicates otherwise. Sisko soon learns the truth: the Dominion is mounting yet another attack on the Federation. As Sisko makes preparations to close the wormhole, Garak and Worf are captured by the Jem'Hadar. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, not to be resolved until the following week's installment "By Inferno's Light." Written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe and Ira Steven Behr, "In Purgatory's Shadow" first aired February 10, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- 1997
- PG13
- Add Clockwatchers to Queue
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Four women reflect on their lowly place in the corporate caste system in this dryly satiric comedy. Iris (Toni Collette) is a college graduate who hasn't decided what she wants to do with her life, except that she doesn't want the job her father has lined up for her at a frozen food company. While pretending to look for other work, she signs on with a temp agency, which sends her out to do office work for Global Credit, a particularly faceless corporation where the permanent employees go out of their way to avoid the temps. Iris is very much aware that she's at the bottom rung at Global, and she bonds with three other women in the temp pool. Paula (Lisa Kudrow) talks about her career as an actress and insists that she will only temp until one of her auditions pans out. Jane (Alanna Ubach) prattles on about her wealthy fiancé, although her friends are convinced that he's cheating on her. And Margaret (Parker Posey) is at once the rebel of the group, regarding her job and general office procedure with a barely disguised contempt, and the one who most desperately wants a "real" job with Global. When office supplies and various personal items start to disappear, all signs point to one of the temp workers (most likely Margaret), though none will own up to any wrongdoing. Clockwatchers was the directorial debut for filmmaker Jill Sprecher, who co-wrote the screenplay with her sister Karen Sprecher. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Toni Collette, Parker Posey, (more)

- 1996
- R
- Add Waiting for Guffman to Queue
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The city of Blaine, Missouri is celebrating its sesquicentennial, and what better reason could there be to put on a show? Corky St. Claire (Christopher Guest), current leader of Blaine's community theater group and creator of a stage musical version of Backdraft that led to the unfortunate destruction of the theater, has been commissioned to put together a musical about the city's noble history, "Red, White and Blaine," which stars a variety of the town's theatrical talent. Corky's cast includes Ron and Sheila Albertson (Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara), a pair of married travel agents that Corky calls "the Lunts of Blaine;" Allan Pearl (Eugene Levy), a dentist who insists that he wasn't the class clown in high school but did sit next to him; Libby Mae Brown (Parker Posey), a sweet young thing who lives for her job at the Dairy Queen; and Clifford Wooley (Lewis Arquette), an "Old Blainian" who makes gun racks from deer hooves. Somehow, Corky has persuaded a major theatrical producer in New York to send a representative to look at the show -- is it possible that "Red, White and Blaine" could be headed to Broadway? Christopher Guest directed and co-wrote this very funny mock-documentary, in addition to playing the flamboyant Corky; Guests's partners from This Is Spinal Tap, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, helped write the memorable songs for "Red, White and Blaine." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, (more)

- 1996
-
Benton (Eriq La Salle) is removed from a round of surgery because no one on that shift wants to work with him. In other developments, Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) and her sister, Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite), lock horns over custody of little Suzy; Ross (George Clooney) treats eight-year-old Jeremy (Kevin Duran), who has been traumatized by witnessing his mother's murder; and Carter (Noah Wyle) spitefully prevents Dale Edson (Matthew Glave), the college friend and ex-lover of Harper Tracy (Christine Elise), from performing an appendectomy. On a happier note, Greene (Anthony Edwards) successfully re-enters the dating pool. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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