Pierre Epstein Movies
- 1996
With baby Suzy gone, Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) tries to get over the loss by throwing herself in her work. Meanwhile, Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Weaver (Laura Innes) discuss the possibility of making Lewis chief resident. Elsewhere, paramedic Shep (Ron Eldard), unable to cope with the dearth of his partner, begins to take out his anger on the job. Ross (George Clooney) begins cultivating an interest in his father Ray's girlfriend, Karen (Marg Helgenberger). And Carter (Noah Wyle) finds that his qualifications for graduation are incomplete. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1996
An already crowded ER is besieged by a dozen very pregnant females, among them a 13-year-old who now regrets her promise to give her child to an adult couple, a nervous crack addict, and a mentally unbalanced woman who insists that she was impregnated by space aliens. Making a bad situation worse, the fourth-floor sprinkler system malfunctions at OB/GYN, meaning that the ER staff will have to deliver eight of the babies -- and an attending physician named Dr. Anna Castigliano (Lindsay Crouse) suddenly goes into labor herself. Amidst all this chaos, is it any wonder that desk attendant Jerry (Abraham Benrubi) can't convince anyone that basketball star Scottie Pippen (playing himself) has dropped into the ER for a visit? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1995
Amidst a heavy caseload including alleged parental abuse, suicide, and a teenage prostitute with aids, Ross (George Clooney) makes the acquaintance of Diane Leeds (Lisa Zane) from Risk Management. Meanwhile, Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) defends herself against the charges leveled by Kayson (Sam Anderson), with an unexpected payoff. And Benton (Eriq La Salle) argues with Jackie (Khandi Alexander) over how best to care for their ailing mother. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1994
In this first episode of a two-part story, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) is swept off his feet by sexy businesswoman Madeleine (JoBeth Williams). So smitten is our hero that he invites Madeleine on a romantic runaway to the isle of Bora Bora. Upon arriving in the tropical paradise, Frasier runs smack dab into his ex-wife, Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth in her second Cheers appearance). And the worst is still to come -- Art Garfunkel makes a memorable "appearance" as one Frasier's call-in radio listeners. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1994
Carol (Julianna Margulies) begins to question her relationship with Dr. Taglieri (Rick Rossovich) after an unexpected kiss from Ross (George Clooney). Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) "celebrates" her birthday by tangling with her out-of-control sister, Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite). And both Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Longworthy (Tyra Ferrell) are up for a prestigious fellowship, with Benton seemingly having the inside track. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In this moving drama, a mentally retarded woman is aided by a diligent attorney in her battle to keep her children from being placed in foster care. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jean Smart, Robert Pastorelli, (more)
Adrian Lyne buffs the premise of Honeymoon in Vegas to a fine gloss in this yuppie melodrama that poses the conundrum of whether the loving husband of an equally loving wife will accept $1 million to allow his wife to spend one night with a billionaire who looks like Robert Redford. All the cynics please take a number and form a line at the right. Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson play Diana and David Murphy, high-school sweethearts who marry and who are doing very well -- Diana is a successful real-estate agent, and David is an idealistic architect who has built a dream house by the ocean -- until the recession hits. Suddenly, David loses his job, and they can't make the mortgage payments. Dead broke, they borrow $5000 from David's father and head to Las Vegas to try to win money to pay the mortgage on their house. At first, they get $25,000 ahead -- but inevitably the house always wins, and they end up losing it all. While Diana is in the fancy casino boutique trying to lift some candy, she is spotted by billionaire John Gage (Robert Redford), who is immediately attracted to her. John invites Diana and David to an opulent party, and it is there that John offers David $1 million for a night with his wife. David is wracked by this moral dilemma, but Diana finally makes the decision on her own, with ensuing consequences for their ideal marriage and their bank account. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Demi Moore, (more)
This riveting, fact-based made-for-cable drama follows the fight of Air Force widow Janet Harduvel to clear the name of her late husband, a pilot who died when his F-16 crashed. The official cause of the mishap was listed as "pilot error," but Harduvel refuses to believe this and so launches her own investigation. She soon discovers that the problem was with the plane itself and that the Air Force is trying very hard to conceal crucial facts. Despite the bureaucracy and obstacles, the determined widow continues fighting until she finds herself facing down a major military contractor, General Dynamics, in court. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Laura Dern, Robert Loggia, (more)
Steve Martin wrote and stars in this look at the promise and dreamtime of Los Angeles culture. Martin stars as Harris K. Telemacher, a light-hearted television weatherman who does wacky comedy in lieu of reports since, being in L.A., he has very little weather to report. He spends his time roller-skating through museums and spending time with California's beautiful people. But Telemacher is fired and discovers that his girlfriend Trudi (Marilu Henner) is having an affair. He walks away from the relationship and re-evaluates his life, getting advice from a friendly electronic highway road sign. The sign suggests that he call SanDeE (Sarah Jessica Parker), a sprightly and attractive Valley Girl he met in a clothing store. With SanDeE he experiences a liberating and carefree spirit. But Telemacher comes to realize that he has actually fallen in love with Sara (Victoria Tennant), a tuba-playing British journalist who is in California to do a feature on Los Angeles lifestyles. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Victoria Tennant, (more)
- 1991
In 1988, Nancy Klein, the pregnant wife of Long Island accountant Marty Klein, was involved in a car accident that left her comatose. Convinced that Nancy would never recover if she went to full term with the baby, Marty asked the doctors to perform an abortion. Almost immediately, Nancy Klein became a cause celebre for pro-life and pro-choice activists alike. Made for television, Absolute Strangers recreates this traumatic event and the drawn-out courtroom litigation that followed. Henry Winkler, who produced the film, returned to acting after a long absence to play Klein; others in the cast include Jennifer Hetrick as Nancy, Richard Kiley as Dr. R. J. Cannon, Karl Malden and Audra Lindley as Nancy's parents, and Patty Duke as a lower-court judge. Though it is clear that the filmmaker's sympathies are clearly on Marty Klein's side, the script remains even-handed throughout, observing that the pro-choicers can be just as narrow-minded and contentious as the "absolute strangers" who wish to usurp Marty Klein's rights concerning his wife's wellbeing. Written by playwright Robert Anderson (Tea and Sympathy, I Never Sang For My Father), Absolute Strangers premiered April 14, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Henry Winkler, Richard Kiley, (more)
In this black comedy starring Randy Quaid, a dead dog, a red-hot date, and a Zen-quoting cabbie with strange connections provide the ingredients for the most frustrating night in poor Michael Latchmer's heretofore dull life. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Randy Quaid, Frank Whaley, (more)
Quirky comedy, intense drama, and warm nostalgia are all combined in this eccentric look at one night in 1964 amongst the residents of the Five Corners neighborhood of the Bronx. The bulk of the film concerns Linda (Jodie Foster), a young woman who finds herself stalked by a disturbed rapist fresh out of prison. Needing protection, she turns to her formerly tough ex-boyfriend, only to discover that a recent political awakening has transformed him into a pacifist. The tension of Linda's situation is leavened by the film's attention to its bizarre subplots, which include a stolen penguin, partying teenagers who encounter trouble with an elevator, and a pair of detectives investigating a series of mysterious bow-and-arrow attacks. The script by John Patrick Shanley, who won the 1987 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Moonstruck, manages to (for the most part) bring these seemingly unrelated stories together into a fairly logical conclusion. Even though numerous critics felt that Five Corners' mixture of widely disparate tones was not completely successful, the end result is a surprisingly charming and unique tribute to a time and a place. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, (more)
- 1986
This two-part TV movie was the sequel to the ratings-grabbing 1983 miniseries Rage of Angels; both were based on the best-seller by Sidney Sheldon. Jaclyn Smith returns as dynamic New York trial lawyer Jennifer Parker, while Ken Howard likewise reprises his role as Jennifer's married lover, politician Adam Warner. Since villain Michael Moretti (Armand Assante) was killed off in Rage of Angels, we are left with Moretti's vengeful brother James (Michael Nouri) in the sequel. Part One, which aired November 2, 1986, recaps the events of the past six years and introduces mobster Moretti. Part Two, telecast November 3, reunites Jennifer with her long-lost mother (Angela Lansbury), while Moretti blackmails Senate-bound Adam Warner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1985
- R
The never-say-die attitude of James Flanagan (Philip Bosco) a graying New York taxi driver whose real vocation is playing Shakespeare, underscores the spirit that runs through his life and this standard drama. First infected with the Bard's magic by his father, dead these many years, Flanagan recalls his idyllic visions as a youth. Now he is "trapped" in his taxi, suffers through a broken marriage, has two teenage sons of his own, and not much luck at auditions. Things that go wrong seem to come in clusters, and it is at one such downturn that Flanagan is almost ready to give up. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philip Bosco, Geraldine Page, (more)
"I'm in love with a mermaid!" read the opening line of Leonard Maltin's original review for Splash. And with the delightful Darryl Hannah in the lead, who could fault Maltin for his public declaration of ardor? The story begins in 1959, when a young boy is rescued from a watery grave by an adolescent mermaid. Twenty-five years later, the boy has grown up--and lo and behold, it's Tom Hanks. Meanwhile, the mermaid, likewise grown up, has surfaced in search of Hanks, her long-lost love. On dry land, the mermaid is able to walk about on legs; any contact with salt water, and she reverts to her half-fish form. Adopting the name of Madison from a New York street sign, the girl manages to win Hanks' heart. Alas, a secret government lab, populated by such smarmy types as Richard B. Shull and Eugene Levy, captures Madison for research purposes--and possible vivisection. Egged on by his brother John Candy, Hanks rescues his beloved, joining her in the ocean depths as a mer-man (mer-fellow? mer-guy?) A captivating confection from the peerless creative team of director Ron Howard and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, Splash was a winner all the way--especially at the box office, where the $11 million film racked up a huge profit. Historical sidebar: Splash was the first release from Disney's Touchstone Pictures division. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, (more)
- 1981
- R
Trying to recreate the screwball comedy success of his collaborations with Peter Bogdanovitch, actor Ryan O'Neal headlined this sporadically funny mixture of light farce and social satire. O'Neal stars as Bobby, an intellectual English professor who leaves his job when his father Jack (Jack Warden) appeals to him for help. A garment manufacturer, Jack is in serious debt to humongous loan shark Eddie (Richard Kiel), and he desperately needs his business to provide the capital to pay Eddie back. Completely by accident, Bobby invents the solution to his dad's problem: see-through denim blue jeans with strategically placed holes in the rear that expose one's backside. The fickle public goes mad over the "sexy" new style, and the money starts flowing in, but Bobby exacerbates his father's problems greatly when he falls for and begins dating the amorous Lira (Mariangela Melato), whose husband is none other than Eddie. So Fine was the feature directorial debut of popular Blazing Saddles (1974) writer Andrew Bergman, who would wait eight years before getting behind the camera again with the much more successful The Freshman (1990). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ryan O'Neal, Jack Warden, (more)
- 1980
- PG
In this far-out comedy that slams it to academia, television, and the military, Simon (Alan Arkin) is a puffed-up professor who is boondoggled by a group of geniuses in a think tank. Becker (Austin Pendleton) leads the wacked-out thinkers as they invent off-the-wall games to keep themselves amused instead of solving global problems in ecology or whatever. They manage to convince Simon he is really a space alien, but then Simon gets away from them and takes refuge in a strange commune headed up by a former television executive (Adolph Green) whose bible is TV Guide. Simon's life does not get any easier since he is being hunted by the army with orders to shoot on sight. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Arkin, Austin Pendleton, (more)
- 1979
- R
This inept, obviously low-budget, poorly-acted horror-comedy is primarily a showcase for Nai Bonet a belly-dancer turned actress in her role as Nocturna, the last descendant of Count Dracula. Nocturna has followed her love interest -- rock guitarist (Tony Hamilton) -- from Transylvania to Manhattan in spite of the wrath of her infamous grandfather, who proceeds to follow her. But his thirst for revenge is thwarted by Jugulia (Yvonne de Carlo), a vampiress with a protective bent toward Nocturna, her musician, and their friends. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nai Bonet, Yvonne De Carlo, (more)
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