Peter Gerety Movies
A burly, thickset, and occasionally scruffy character actor with a domineering and imposing presence, Peter Gerety often accepted roles as ordinary working-class stiffs, judges, or inner-city law officers. A performer with equal footing in film and on the stage, Gerety took his premier onscreen bow during the early '80s but first began drawing substantial attention over a decade later. Gerety remains best known for his multi-season portrayal (1996-1999) of Detective Stuart Gharty on the cop drama Homicide: Life on the Street. He also played the recurring role of Judge Daniel Phelan on another Baltimore-set crime series, The Wire (2002-2008). Big-screen projects include Sleepers (1996), K-PAX (2001), Syriana (2005), Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Leatherheads (2008), and Public Enemies (2009). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide- 1996
A Black Muslim civilian patrol group, hired to maintain law and order in a Baltimore federal housing project, resents the presence of homicide detectives Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) when a drug dealer is killed in the project. The two cops also face resistance from one of their own higher-ups, the PC-conscious Col. Barnfather (Clayton LeBouef). Other cases handled by Homicide this evening include the deaths of both killer and victim at a murder scene, as well as Russert's (Isabella Hoffman) investigation of a uniformed officer whose slow reactions may have resulted in an unnecessary death. Future series regular Peter Gerety makes his first appearance as Officer Stuart Gharty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
A gay councilman is murdered, leading detectives Logan (Chris Noth) and Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) to question such "probables" as the dead man's roommate, Joe Gibb (Michael Lichtenstein), and a married man (Robert Joy) with whom the decedent might have had a brief affair. When the investigation narrows down to Councilman Kevin Crossley (Daniel Hugh Kelly) who, despite his outspoken homophobia, insists that he was a good friend of the victim, an outraged Logan completely loses his cool. Suffice to say that this final fifth-season Law & Order episode also represented the last regular appearance of co-star Chris Noth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The 1947 holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street is transplanted to the 1990s with few changes in this family-oriented remake. The screenplay by the prolific John Hughes sticks close to the original outline, centering on Macy's executive Dorey Walker (Elizabeth Perkins) and her young daughter Susan (Mara Wilson), neither of whom much believes in the spirit of Christmas. Dorey is in charge of hiring Macy's Santas, including an old man named Kriss Kringle (Richard Attenborough). He does a remarkably convincing job, and he soon reveals that he actually believes himself to be Santa Claus. The authorities threaten to place the old man in an insane asylum, but a young lawyer comes to his defense. Meanwhile, Dorey and Susan find their own defenses melting and become reacquainted with the power of faith. Hughes and director Les Mayfield add a few modern touches, making Susan slightly more cynical and adding the requisite soulless corporate villains. Viewers familiar with the original may still prefer Edmund Gwenn's original Kris Kringle and consider the remake unnecessary, although the newer version reflects enough of the earlier film's spirit to prove entertaining to modern family audiences. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
Jack Nicholson becomes a werewolf in this bizarre comedy-horror film directed by Mike Nichols. Nicholson plays Will Randall, a book editor with a testosterone deficit who has just been sacked at his publishing firm by a new boss, Raymond Alden (Christopher Plummer). A colleague, Stewart Swinton (James Spader), whom Randall thought was his friend, betrays him. Randall's personality changes after he hits a wolf with his car and gets bitten by the creature. He immediately feels more powerful, has heightened hearing and vision, and sets about to right the wrongs in his life. He visits Alden at the publisher's mansion to protest his dismissal, and he is asked to leave -- but Alden's daughter Laura (Michelle Pfeiffer) asks him to stay for lunch. Laura loves to defy her father. Will tells her about the wolf bite, and she becomes attracted to him. But because werewolves usually kill the ones they love, Laura is in danger. Will reasserts his place in the publishing world, supported by his loyal secretary Mary (Eileen Atkins), and his relationship with Laura deepens. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
- 1990
- R
It seems like lately everyone is out to either raze or save the infamous Heartbreak Hotel. This way off-beat rock & roll farce chronicles that struggle. The club features such way-out acts as the Beat Legends, the Young Adults, Roomful of Blues, and NRBQ. The trouble begins when Robert Burgess, the estranged, ultra-conservative, ex-CIA agent father of the club's laid-back owner Jeff Burgess decides to run for president. Believing that his son's involvement in the club will be detrimental to his career, he decides to secretly hire terrorists to blow up the Heartbreak Hotel. The city also wants to destroy the nightspot because it keeps driving down property values in the area. The town fathers end up hiring the Scum of the Earth, a gang of motorcycle thugs, to do their dirty work. Meanwhile, inside the club, Jeff coolly refuses to deal with the terrorist leader. The terrorists soon have their own problems when their ace hit man commits himself to Jesus while waiting outside in the getaway car. While this goes on, a band of Beatles clones are taking drugs in the club cellar when the phone rings. They answer, and it is a holy call from the King himself. He warns them that the club is in grave danger. On video, the film is called It's a Complex World. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Welch, Margot Dionne, (more)
- 1986
This gripping made-for-TV courtroom drama centers on a pair of hard-working lawyers who become obsessed with proving that the tactical division of the Boston Police Force made a fatal mistake when they shot the wrong man following a robbery. The plot is based on a true story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
