Charles S. Dutton Movies
Born January 30, 195, Charles Dutton attended the Yale School of Drama, and in 1983 he first appeared off-Broadway in Richard III. Before long he was delivering Tony-calibre performances in such Broadway productions as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Piano Lesson. In films since 1986's No Mercy, the forceful, thunder-voiced Dutton has been seen in movies ranging from the mirth-provoking Crocodile Dundee 2 to the spine-chilling Alien 3. In 1991, Charles Dutton began a long TV run as the star of the Fox Network sitcom Roc.Dutton became an actor while serving a seven and a half-year prison sentence for stabbing a man during a street fight. While in prison, Dutton was stabbed in the neck with an ice pick during a fight with another inmate. The incident proved to be the turning point in Dutton's life when he refused to retaliate. Shortly thereafter, he became interested in drama and while serving his sentence completed a two-year college degree course. Upon his release from prison, Dutton was admitted into the Yale School of Drama. There he studied under playwright August Wilson and director Lloyd Richards.
In 2000, Dutton directed The Corner, an acclaimed miniseries from HBO adapted from David Simon and Ed Burns' novel "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood". The Corner won several awards, including an Emmy for Best Miniseries, and Dutton himself was honored for his direction. This would not be the last Emmy he received; the actor won Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2003 for supporting roles in televisiond dramas The Practice and Without a Trace. In 2003, Dutton starred in the made-for-TV drama D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear, and continued to make appearances on popular television shows including The L Word, The Sopranos, and House, M.D. Dutton joined the cast of Threshold in 2005. While the CBS science fiction series gained a loyal following, the show was short-lived. The actor went on to appear in filmmaker John Sayles' 2007 drama Honeydripper, which follows the owner of a blues club that was revitalized by a young electric guitarist. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2012
- PG13
A fiftysomething insurance salesman takes an intense interest in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign after experiencing a health scare that prompts him to reassess his priorities in life. Concerned that he doesn't have much time left and convinced that Obama's inspirational message of change is genuine, John Thomas (director/co-writer Charles S. Dutton) hides his recent heart attack from his loving wife Molly (Vanessa Bell Calloway) and reconnects with his staunchly Republican relative MLK (Katt Williams). Meanwhile, John's three children have their own issues to contend with: His rebellious son Kalil (Wesley Jonathan) lashes out by joining the Republican Party; his engaged daughter Tamika (Meagan Good) pleads for her father's support as her wedding approaches; and his other son Jamel (Zab Judah) -- a promising pugilist -- finds his career hindered by a shady manager (Glynn Turman). In addition, John's brother (C.J. Mack) seeks to turn over a new leaf after making parole, and upon learning about her husband's failing health Molly urges John to focus on the things that really matter in life. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Scott Stewart's supernatural thriller Legion, scripted by Peter Schink, concerns a group of strangers in an out-of-the-way eatery who become the first line of defense when God, believing the human race is no longer worthy of Him, decides to end their existence. This motley crew's only spiritual ally is the archangel Michael, played by Paul Bettany. Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Charles S. Dutton, and Lucas Black co-star in the Screen Gems production. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, (more)
This remake of the '80s classic focuses on a group of young students attending a high school for the performing arts. Classmates study various aspects of performance, from dance to songwriting to acting, all of them hoping for the chance to one day become stars. Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, and Bebe Neuwirth portray the instructors, with a host of newcomers toplining the production as the students. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kristy Flores, Asher Book, (more)
- 2008
Texas Correctional Youth Authority prison guard Cleveland "Stack" Stackhouse (director/star Charles S. Dutton) masterminds an innovative track program for some of the institution's most aggressive female inmates in this inspirational Lifetime Original Movie. With racial tensions rising among inmates, Stack realizes that something must be done to keep the situation from spiraling out of control, and establishes an interracial track team in order to teach the young offenders the merits of working together toward a common goal. Before long, racial barriers are crumbling, and the girls are gaining the discipline and confidence needed to break free of their self-destructive cycles. Based on a true story. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake Nelson, Will Patton, and Xzibit headline this fact-based drama about an innocent Texas mother caught up in a high-profile drug raid, and unjustly accused due to the uncorroborated testimony of a single informant. Dee Roberts (Beharie) is a young single mother of four living in a small Texas town. Arrested during a drug raid and accused of a crime she didn't commit, Dee goes against the wishes of her mother, Alma (Alfre Woodard), and rejects the plea-bargain that would free her from jail, but brand her as a felon for life. As word begins to spread that similar incidents are occurring in poor communities all across the country, Dee realizes that there are more mothers out there like her, and decides to take a stand against powerful district attorney Calvin Beckett (Michael O'Keefe). Now, despite being well aware of District Attorney Beckett's fierce reputation, Dee enlists the aid of ACLU attorney David Cohen (Nelson) and former narcotics officer Sam Conroy (Patton) in overcoming the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that, if not navigated with the greatest of caution, now threaten to destroy her life. With the custody of her children on the line, one brave mother wages a valiant battle to strike at the very heart of the corrupt Texas justice system. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake Nelson, (more)
Finding Forrester star Rob Brown steps into the cleats of Heisman Trophy-winning gridiron giant Ernie Davis in director Gary Fleder's inspirational sports docudrama. As a young boy reared not far from the northern Pennsylvania state line, Davis dreamed of blasting through the end zone and scoring a triumphant touchdown while fans rose to their feet and cheered. When Davis later became a star running back for the Syracuse Orangemen, his dreams were finally on the way to becoming a reality. Under the wing of coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid), it seemed as if there is nothing that could stop Davis from entering into the annals of sports history; even during an era in which the civil rights movement was just gaining momentum, this fledgling gridiron giant never once doubted his ability to rise to the top. When Davis was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after being drafted into the NFL, however, his will to survive soon eclipsed his dreams of success. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid, (more)
- 2007
Foreman (Omar Epps) takes on the case of Lupe (Monique Gabriela Cumen), a 28-year-old con artist suffering from "brain freeze". At first contemptueous of Lupe because she has never tried to rise above her inner-city surroundings (as he has), Foreman eventually becomes so emotionally involved with the woman that it clouds his medical judgment--a fact that will have serious ramifications in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, House (Hugh Laurie) picks the brain of one of Wilson's ex-wives (Jane Adams) to figure out why Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) has so much trouble holding on to a woman. This episode was directed by former ER costar Paul McCrane. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Tyrone (Danny Glover) is the proprietor of the Honeydripper juke joint. When business at the once-popular club begins to trail off and Tyrone hires unpredictable electric guitarist Sonny (Gary Clark Jr.) against his better judgment, Tyrone's last-ditch bid to draw in crowds during harvest time has surprising results that neither desperate Tyrone nor the ambitious Sonny could have ever anticipated. Blues guitarist Keb' Mo' co-stars in the film, which was written and directed by John Sayles. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Danny Glover, Lisa Gay Hamilton, (more)
Filmed on location in New York and Connecticut, the ESPN miniseries The Bronx is Burning was a vivid (if not overly expensive) retelling of the New York Yankees' championship year of 1977. Heading the enormous cast of celebrity lookalikes were Oliver Platt as Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and John Turturro as team manager Billy Martin. The infamously volatile relationship between the two men was the heart of the series, with the prickly Martin curiously emerging as the hero of the piece. Setting the story in motion was the hiring of baseball superstar Reggie Jackson (Daniel Sunjata), the first of several measures taken by the Yanks to reclaim the World Series. To place the action at Yankee Stadium in proper historical context, much was made of the other events which kept the citizens of New YOrk on their collective toes in the summer of 1977, including the frantic search for the serial killer known as the "Son of Sam", the devastating power blackout, the fractious mayoral race, and the ongoing violence in the streets of the Bronx. The title of the series derived from the famous TV-news headline "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx is Burning", which was also the title of the Jonathan Mahler novel upon which the show was based. The Bronx is Burning first roared into flame on July 10, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Turturro, Oliver Platt, (more)
- 2006
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Foreman (Omar Epps) has begun suffering the same symptoms as wounded police officer Joe Lauria (Scott Michael Campbell), who after being seized by uncontrollable laughter suddenly went blind. . .and just as suddenly died. As Foreman's condition worsens, a desperate House (Hugh Laurie) must rely upon his pet rat to find the source of Joe's fatal euphoria by rummaging through the dead cop's filthy apartment. In the midst of this crisis, Foreman's father Rodney (guest star Charles S. Dutton) shows up to be with his son in his final moments--leading to a bitter quarrel over religious values, even as Foreman is on the brink of death! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
CBS' spin on ABC's Lost for the 2005-2006 TV season was the weekly, hour-long sci-fi effort Threshold. The crash-landing of an alien spacecraft in the Atlantic Ocean prompted the government to engage the services of a crack team of specialists, who were obliged to investigate the incident and explore its possible ramifications -- all in secret, of course, lest the populace get panicky. It soon developed that the spacecraft was the vanguard for an extraterrestrial invasion -- and more ominously, the aliens' presence caused the team members to experience bizarre physical and biological reactions (it seemed that exposure to the aliens' signal had the power to reconfigure one's DNA!). The investigative team was led by über-intellectual risk analyst Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey (Carla Gugino), and consisted of sardonic, witty, fiercely independent forensic microbiologist Nigel Fenway (Brent Spiner of Star Trek fame); former "special-ops" troubleshooter Cavennaugh (Brian Van Holt); politically ambitious Deputy National Security Advisor J.T. Baylock (Charles S. Dutton); pugnacious party-animal math and language expert Arthur Ramsey (Peter Dinklage); and timid, neurotic astronautical engineer Lucas Pegg (Rob Benedict). Created by Bragi F. Schut, Threshold was first telecast on September 16, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carla Gugino, Brian Van Holt, (more)
The controversial satire The LA Riot Spectacular plays for mordent laughs the events that consumed L.A. in 1992, after the police officers on trial for beating motorist Rodney King were found innocent. The city was engulfed by a massive riot, but the film plays these moments for laughs. In addition to recreating some of the images seen on television, the film skewers a variety of figures including the police, the media, and the citizens of the city. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christopher McDonald, Emilio Estevez, (more)
From writer/director David Koepp (Stir of Echoes) comes this filmed adaptation of Stephen King's novella Secret Window, Secret Garden, one of four stories in the collection Four Past Midnight. Johnny Depp stars as Mort Rainey, a recently divorced author who decides to take some time off at his cottage. Unfortunately for Rainey, John Shooter (John Turturro), an unbalanced wannabe writer, tracks him down, claiming that Rainey plagiarized his work. Also starring Maria Bello, Charles S. Dutton, and Timothy Hutton, Secret Window is the second story from Four Past Midnight to be adapted as a film, the first being 1995's made-for-television The Langoliers. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, John Turturro, (more)
Charles S. Dutton's feature-length directorial debut Against the Ropes is based on the real-life story of Jackie Kallen, a Jewish woman from Detroit who became a successful boxing manager. Played by Meg Ryan, Kallen works her way up in the world of boxing by believing in the fighting skills of Luther Shaw (Omar Epps). Director Dutton appears as veteran trainer Felix Reynolds, whom Kallen encourages to come out of retirement. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
The true story of two medical pioneers -- one celebrated, one overlooked -- is brought to life in this made-for-cable drama. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) is chief surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, where he is pioneering new techniques in heart surgery. Blalock makes the acquaintance of Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), a carpenter hired to work at the University, and to his surprise discovers a man of keen intelligence who has a great interest in medicine. However, as a poor black man in the Jim Crow South, Thomas lacks the financial resources to obtain a medical degree, though he certainly has the knowledge and the desire. Blalock takes Thomas on as his lab assistant, and together they develop a technique that allows them to correct a common congenital heart defect in children. However, while they work side by side in the lab and in the operating room, Blalock and Thomas do not walk the same paths in society, and Thomas develops a deep resentment that he has been given little credit for his contribution to a medical innovation that makes Blalock famous. Produced for the premium cable network HBO, Something the Lord Made also features Gabrielle Union, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Charles S. Dutton. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Rickman, Mos Def, (more)
- 2003
From October 2-25, 2002, the capital of the United States was held in a grip of terror by a pair of elusive snipers whose targets were seemingly selected at random. During this period, no gas station, convenience store, or highway was safe from the relentless killers, throwing a nation already reeling from the cataclysmic events of 9/11 into a frenzy of panic and conclusion-jumping. Among those heading the efforts to track down the snipers was Charles Moose, police chief of Montgomery County, AL. Unable to give anything but fragmentary information at the various press conferences held during the 23 dark days, Moose found himself vilified and derided in many corners as ineffectual and incompetent. Indeed, quite a few newspapers outside the area targeted by snipers came right out and called for Moose's resignation. But the chief's dogged persistence ultimately paid off -- and in the sort of twist that a professional writer of thrillers might dismiss as inconceivable, the two men arrested for the carnage turned out to be the archetypal "least likely suspects." Originally telecast October 17, 2003, on the USA Network, the made-for-cable feature D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear stars Charles S. Dutton as the beleaguered Charles Moose and Bobby Hosea and Trent Cameron as alleged snipers John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo (whose murder trials had just gotten under way when the film first aired). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charles S. Dutton, Bobby Hosea, (more)
A woman is taken on a voyage to the other side of sanity in this moody thriller. Dr. Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is a clinical psychologist who works alongside her husband, Dr. Doug Grey (Charles S. Dutton), in the mental ward of a top security prison, where Miranda has been devoting much of her attention to a clever but deeply disturbed murderer named Chloe (Penélope Cruz), who shares gruesome tales of torture and violence that may or may not be based in fact. One night, Miranda has a hideous nightmare in which a chance meeting with a strange young girl leads to a terrifying journey into madness. Once she wakes, however, Miranda discovers that the real horror has just begun -- Doug has been brutally murdered, and the evidence points to Miranda as the prime suspect. She soon finds herself a patient in the same facility where she once treated others, and finds that her claims of innocence and sanity do little to convince Dr. Pete Graham (Robert Downey Jr.), the psychologist assigned to her case. Gothika marked the American debut of acclaimed and controversial French filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Halle Berry, Robert Downey, Jr., (more)
Conviction is a biopic about Carl Upchurch, a hardcore felon who managed to educate himself and developed a spiritual awakening during one of his numerous stints inside prison. He began to spread his message to other inmates, and soon he was asked to help mediate problems between some of the most feared street gangs in the country. Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, Conviction stars Omar Epps as Upchurch and features supporting turns from Dana Delany and Charles S. Dutton. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Omar Epps
In the 1920s, the rights of American workers to join a labor union was still considered an open question, and African-Americans were routinely denied their civil and economic rights. So in 1925, when journalist and political activist Asa Philip Randolph and railway car porter Ashley Totten formed the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, it was a bold gesture which proved to have a major impact in both labor and race relations in America. 10,000 Black Men Named George is a made-for-cable feature which dramatizes the struggle of Randolph (played by Andre Braugher) and Totten (Mario Van Peebles) to organize railway porters -- a demanding and sometimes dangerous job which was held almost exclusively by black men, who were paid low wages for demanding hours -- against the staunch opposition of Barton Davis (Kenneth McGreggor), head of the Pullman railway company and a fierce opponent of both unionization and civil rights initiatives. 10,000 Black Men Named George (the title refers to the fact Pullman porters were often called "George" by white passengers, which was considered a racial slur) also features Charles S. Dutton as Milton Webster, a veteran porter who joined the fight to organize; Carla Brothers as Lucille Randolph, Asa's wife who would play a major role in the early years of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; and Brock Peters as Leon Frey, an early member of the who would in time betray their cause. Directed by Robert Townsend, the film was produced for the Showtime premium cable network, where it first aired on February 24, 2002. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andre Braugher, Charles S. Dutton, (more)
This family musical enjoys the dubious distinction of being the first film ever based on a theme park attraction, the "Country Bears Jamboree" at Disneyworld. Beary Barrington (voice of Haley Joel Osment) is an adolescent bruin raised by a human family after he was found by a park ranger, abandoned in the forest. Curious about his biological roots, Beary travels to Tennessee to seek out his birth parents while attempting to locate the members of his favorite musical group -- a defunct country music act called the Country Bears -- along the way. Country Bear Hall, the famed venue where the band was launched, is facing imminent destruction at the hands of greedy banker Reed Thimple (Christopher Walken), but young Beary has a plan to save the hall by staging a reunion benefit concert. Beary's path takes him through a guitar duel, a vintage coffee house, and a car wash, as he's pursued by a pair of bumbling cops (Diedrich Bader and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell) trying to reunite him with his adoptive parents. Meanwhile, a panoply of musical legends including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Queen Latifah appear Behind the Music-style to comment on the Country Bears' alleged artistic influence on their work. The Country Bears, the first in a pair of planned Disney projects based on the company's theme park rides (the second is slated to be based on "Pirates of the Caribbean"), co-stars Stephen Tobolowsky, Brad Garrett, Alex Rocco, and Stephen Root. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christopher Walken, Stephen Tobolowsky, (more)
Sylvester Stallone returned to the screen after a three-year absence (excepting his voice work in Antz) with this tense and violent psychological crime thriller. FBI agent Jake Malloy (Stallone) has been traumatized by an especially vicious murder. No longer able to perform his job, Malloy is referred to a clinic for members of the law enforcement community, run by doctors Hank (Tom Berenger) and Doc (Kris Kristofferson). Jake begins receiving therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, but crime follows him inside the clinic; a serial killer has invaded the facility and is killing off the patients one by one, in increasingly gruesome ways. Soon Jake must set aside his fears and track down the murderer, before he becomes the next victim. D-Tox (which, in production, was publicized under the titles Detox and The Outpost) was released on video as Eye See You. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Tom Berenger, (more)
The toll that drugs and crime have taken on an economically-depressed African-American neighborhood in Baltimore paints the backdrop for this miniseries produced for and initially aired by the premium cable network HBO. Gary McCullogh (T.K. Carter) was once a hard-working man with an education and a solid career, but after succumbing to the lure of heroin, Gary has lost his job, home, and wife -- and now steals whatever he can find to support his habit. Gary lives with his girlfriend Fran Boyd (Khandi Alexander), who is also addicted to heroin. While she's all too aware of the pitfalls of her life and wants to clean up, she has trouble getting medical help and her willpower is too weak for her to kick the habit by herself. Fran's 15-year-old son DeAndre (Sean Nelson) has seen enough of his mother's troubles to be wary of using drugs, but while he would prefer to stay on the straight and narrow, dealing crack is one of the few job options open to him in his neighborhood, especially after his allergy to seafood causes him to lose a job in a restaurant. The Corner was based on the book of the same name by Edward Burns and David Simon, which examined one year in a real-life Baltimore neighborhood; Simon collaborated on the teleplay with David Mills, and noted actor Charles S. Dutton directed. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- T.K. Carter, Khandi Alexander, (more)
- 2000
David Caruso and Charles S. Dutton play two men at the end of their wits in this beat-the-death-sentence TV drama. Jacob Doyle (Dutton) has just seen his son wrongly convicted of murder and decides to take the law into his own hands: He sequesters the jury himself -- at gunpoint -- and demands that they re-try the case. To this end, he summons prosecuting attorney Ned Stark (Caruso), a level-headed legal eagle who, despite the fact that he just convicted the boy, believes that he's innocent. Meanwhile, the SWAT team closes in on the courthouse. Deadlocked originally aired on the TNT network. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Caruso, Charles S. Dutton, (more)
- 2000
- PG13
- Add For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story to Queue Add For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story to top of Queue
World-class trumpeter Arturo Sandoval was a shining light in Cuba's exciting jazz scene and championed by jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie as one of the greatest musicians he'd ever heard. But as Sandoval's fame grew, so did his discomfort with Fidel Castro and Cuba's Communist leadership. Though Sandoval longed to leave Cuba and emigrate to the United States, where he could enjoy political freedom and make the most of his gifts as a musician, one thing held him back -- his love for his wife and children, whom he could not bear to leave behind. For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story is a made-for-cable drama based on the true story of Sandoval's career, his eventual flight to the United States with his family, and the unexpected roadblocks that nearly prevented him from becoming a naturalized American citizen. Andy Garcia stars as Arturo Sandoval, with Mia Maestro co-starring as his wife Marianela; Gloria Estefan, Tomas Milan, and Miriam Colon highlight the supporting cast. The biographical drama was produced for the HBO premium cable network and first aired on October 18, 2000. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andy Garcia, Mía Maestro, (more)
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