Rhonda Dotson Movies

Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) of The Practice comes to Ally for help with a case. Meanwhile, John Cage admits that he's drawn to Renee. ~ TV Guide, Rovi

This film is a unique combination of documentary, drama and comedy, and uses real people as well as professional actors to chronicle the experiences of Dirk Shafer who in 1992, was voted Playgirl magazine's man of the year. For the athletic, blond and extremely photogenic Shafer this fame was a double-edged sword. On one hand, he really needed the money; on the other, he had just come out of the closet. Still he went for the gusto and spent much of the year touring about and getting interviewed on talk shows. Only a few close friends and family members knew that he was a homosexual; to everyone else he was the epitome of heterosexual masculinity. This naturally, created problems with Mike, the man Shafer wanted to get involved with. Included are filmclips from actual talk-show appearances, and interviews with family and friends, not all of whom were tickled to discover that he was gay. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Originally telecast in two parts, Blind Faith was adapted from a fact-based book by investigative author Joe McGinniss. The scene is Toms River, New Jersey; the year is 1984. Insurance salesman Rob Marshall (Robert Urich) informs the authorities that his wife Maria (Joanna Kerns) has been murdered by a band of marauding thieves. Marshall claims that he and his wife were ambushed at a remote picnic area, and for a while everyone believes the man. But further investigation leads to the conclusion that Maria was the victim of a murder conspiracy, fomented by Marshall himself in order collect his wife's insurance. The climactic trial forces Marshall's three teenaged sons to bear witness against their own father. With grim irony, Blind Faith was first broadcast just before Valentine's Day, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Underworld fence Lucky Lacy (Ron Karabatsos) is robbed of $12 million in gems by a gang of young hoodlums. Hiring a huge, psychotic punker named Lincoln--played by John Matuszak, former gridiron rival of Hunter star Fred Dryer--to kill the thieves and retrieve the merchandise, Lacy launches a bloodbath that leaves many innocent victims in its wake. Inevitably, Hunter is forced to go "mano y mano" with the brutish Lincoln--and the odds are definitely not in his favor! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A good ol' boy comedy-drama, Songwriter flashes enough substance between the songs and the hijinks to qualify as a sometimes astute look into the darker areas of the music business. Willie Nelson plays Doc Jenkins, the title character, who conspires with longtime pal Blackie Buck (Kris Kristofferson) to turn the tables on a shady promoter, Rodeo Rocky (Richard Sarafian), who has Doc signed to a contract that is one step short of indentured servitude. Lesley Ann Warren plays Gilda, an up-and-coming country chanteuse whom Doc is tutoring. The rest of the supporting cast is a mix of veteran character players (Rip Torn, Melinda Dillon) and musicians associated with Nelson (Mickey Raphael, Bee Spears, Jody Payne, Johnny Gimble). There are also plenty of musical numbers featuring Nelson and Kristofferson (solo and duets). The musicians/actors went on to co-star in two TV movies, A Pair of Aces and Another Pair of Aces, essentially playing the same kind of good ol' boy characters, though as detectives, not songwriters. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi