Jennifer Van Dyck Movies
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) handles all of the dirty work for a major New York law firm, arranging top-flight legal services and skirting through loopholes for ethically questionable clients. But when a fellow "fixer" decides to turn on the very firm they were hired to clean up for, Clayton finds himself at the center of a conspiratorial maelstrom. Once an ambitious D.A., Clayton is now a shell of his former dynamic self, thanks to a divorce, an unfortunate business venture, and astronomical debt. Though he longs to leave the cutthroat, ethically dubious world of corporate law behind, Clayton's poor financial situation and devotion to firm head Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack) leave him little choice but to remain on the job and tough it out. Meanwhile, litigator Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) finds her entire company's future hinging on the outcome of a multi-billion-dollar settlement overseen by Clayton's friend, star lawyer Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson). When Edens snaps and decides to blow the whistle on the questionable case, sabotaging the defense, Clayton must decide between his loyalty and his conscience. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, (more)
Set against the anti-war protests, rock & roll revolution, and mind-expanding psychedelia of the 1960s, Julie Taymor's hallucinogenic musical follows the arduous journey of star-crossed lovers Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) as they and a small group of musicians are swept up in the raging waters of the volatile counterculture movement. Guided through their journey by a pair known only as Dr. Robert (Bono) and Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard), Jude and Lucy are eventually forced to find their way back to one another after being split apart by powerful forces beyond their control. The music in the film consists exclusively of songs made popular by the Beatles during the time period depicted in the movie. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, (more)
- 2006
On the streets of New York City, where the fine line between the desperate and the successful can be decidedly blurred, a homeless man and a struggling band are about to find out the difference that a stranger can make in one's life under the right circumstances. Inspired by actual events in the life of sage sidewalk sleeper Harold "Chopper" Jones, writer/director James Furino's film focus on a struggling Manhattan glam rock band who receives some career advice from a most unlikely source. When the workday is over, word processor James, college professor Parker, and research scientist Michael all take the stage to rock the city into the wee hours of the morning. But lately things haven't been going so well for the trio with high hopes of a successful musical career. Upon meeting the man they call "Chopper" things soon begin looking up, yet sometimes in the midst of things it's difficult to determine who is truly helping whom. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Becky Ann Baker, Brette Taylor, (more)
- 2002
The detectives turn up some truly baffling "clues" while investigating the disappearance of a young woman. It turns out that the missing party, a political aide, was romantically involved with her married employer, state official Ted Weldon (Brian Kerwin). The key to the solution may hinge upon a forged signature -- or, perhaps, the testimony of Mrs. Weldon (Maryann Plunkett). The similarities between this episode and the Gary Condit/Chandra Levy affair prompted Condit's wife to demand an apology from the producers of Law & Order. (For the record, no such apology was issued.) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The "reality TV" craze is taken to its final, logical extreme as six people hunt each other down in a small town for the benefit of network TV cameras in this darkly comic satire. "The Contenders" is a top-rated television game show in which six contestants are set loose in the same Connecticut community, with orders to kill or be killed; the last of the six who is still alive is declared the winner. As "The Contenders" goes into its seventh season, Dawn (Brooke Smith) is a two-time champion who is hoping to hold on to her title, despite the fact that she's due to have a baby in a month. Dawn's rivals this time out are Tony (Michael Kaycheck), an unemployed blue-collar worker with a taste for violence; Connie (Marylouise Burke), a middle-aged nurse who doesn't like to hurt people but is an experienced hand with a syringe; Lindsay (Merritt Wever), an 18-year-old dance student whose parents are eager to see her compete; Franklin (Richard Venture), an elderly conspiracy theorist with a tenuous hold on reality; and Jeff (Glenn Fitzgerald), who is dying of testicular cancer -- and was Dawn's boyfriend years ago. Series 7: The Contenders marked the directorial debut for Daniel Minahan, who previously employed pop culture and America's obsession with violence as themes in his screenplay for I Shot Andy Warhol. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brooke Smith, Glenn Fitzgerald, (more)
- 2000
The life of one of the most famous American women of the last half of the 20th century receives yet another retelling in this made-for-TV drama. Raised by a harsh, domineering mother (Frances Fisher) and a charming but unfaithful (and alcoholic) father (Fred Ward), Jacqueline Bouvier (Joanne Whalley) is born into privileged circumstances but learns early on that wealth and power do not guarantee happiness. Jackie falls in love with John F. Kennedy (Tim Matheson), the son of a family even richer and more influential than her own, and is by his side as he becomes President of the United States -- though she soon discovers that, like her father, his charm and position make him very attractive to other women, a temptation he does little to resist. After the assassination of Kennedy in 1963, Jackie becomes America's best-known widow, and is forced to struggle through her mourning in the glare of the public eye. Alone and with expensive tastes, Jackie eventually becomes the trophy wife of Aristotle Onassis (Philip Baker Hall), yet another wealthy and flamboyant man. Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was first aired in two parts on November 5 and 8, 2000, by the CBS television network. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Joanne Whalley, Tim Matheson, (more)
- 1999
The murder of an audio installation salesman has links to Jeff Stahl (Joe Piscopo) and Tom Wilder (Mark-Linn Baker), the co-owners of a Manhattan strip club. It turns out that both men are paying protection to the arrogant son (Jeremy Davidson) of Mafia boss Joseph Russo (Ralph Lucarelli). A deal to offer testimony in exchange for police protection is struck by A.D.A. McCoy (Sam Waterston) -- but as it turns out, not all promises are cast in stone, especially when the Government is involved. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Music video cinematographer Zack Winestine made his debut as a writer and director with this deeply psychological drama about an angst-ridden New York City woman, Lisa (Jennifer Van Dyck), who embarks on a quest to achieve an authenticity that her complacent existence lacks. An office manager for an underground Manhattan theater, Lisa feels that her life and her marriage to an impotent professor, Abel (Stephen Bogardus), are going nowhere fast. After she decides not to sleep anymore, Lisa embarks on a series of choices that seem ill-advised and impulsive, including an affair with a bitter, cynical stage director, Paul (John Cunningham), who preaches a neo-fascist philosophy. Lisa also takes an interest in the seamy world of pornography, which her actress friend Carol (Ellen Greene) knows all too much about -- but Lisa's nerve fails her in her effort to mimic Carol's sexual liberation. A fresh start on the West Coast with her husband fails to assuage the inner torment of the increasingly militant and violent Lisa. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jennifer Van Dyck, Stephen Bogardus, (more)
- 1996
A janitor is found murdered in a college science laboratory. The prime suspect is a student employee (Mark Bateman) with a troubled past. In a spectacular, suspenseful, and emotional climax, the D.A.'s office goes after a college scientist (John Bedford Lloyd) indulging in experimental drug research -- a prosecution which hinges upon a suppressed medical report. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1994
A woman is the seemingly random victim of a letter bomb. As the detectives and the D.A.'s office pursue their investigation, it becomes painfully apparent that the killing was no accident of fate. It seems that the dead woman was the estranged wife of scientist Edward Manning (Harris Yulin), and she had driven him to distraction by delaying their divorce proceedings. This episode was directed by former Law & Order regular Dann Florek. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
This suspenseful drama tells the chilling true story of up-and-coming model Marla Hanson who was viciously attacked by a make-up man after she rejected his advances. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cheryl Pollak, Dale Midkiff, (more)
- 1991
An old "urban legend" is woven into this complicated tale of illegal medical procedures. The DA's office brings charges against a prominent surgeon (Paul Roebling) and the millionaire father (Fritz Weaver) of a kidney-transplant patient. It appears that the much-needed kidney was "harvested" against the will of the donor. "Sonata for a Solo Organ" represents a reunion of sorts for series regular Michael Moriarty and guest star Fritz Weaver, who previously appeared in the landmark miniseries Holocaust. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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