Marylouise Burke Movies
- 2008
Intrigued by the transformation his country went through following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., American filmmaker Roland Tec ponders what became of "The Land of the Free" through telling the stories of a country still stuck in a state of post-catastrophic anxiety. Comprised of 13 vignettes (each set in a different state of the republic), We Pedal Uphill explores the common threads that tie us together, as well as the divisive factors that drive us apart. From the Mississippi mother who fears that her outspoken son will meet the same grim end as his later father to the man who drives 12 hours to thank another for saving his life and the librarian who returns for work following a mysterious three-month absence, Tec's stories draw inspiration from actual headlines in order to offer a contemplative snapshot of a country at odds with itself. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2008
- PG13
When the principal (Meryl Streep) of a Bronx Catholic High School accuses a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of pedophilia, a young nun caught in between the feuding pair becomes hopelessly swept up in the ensuing controversy. 1964, St. Nicholas, the Bronx: The winds of change are sweeping through this tight-knit religious community, and charismatic priest Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is doing his best to adapt by revisiting the school's notoriously strict disciplinary practices. Unfortunately Father Flynn's progressive ideas stand in stark contrast to the longstanding beliefs of Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), the iron-willed principal, who believes that an oppressive environment of punishment and fear is the only way to keep the student body in line. Suddenly into this tempestuous environment appears young Donald Miller, St. Nicholas' first black student. When hopeful innocent Sister James (Amy Adams) reluctantly reveals to Sister Beauvier that Father Flynn and Donald have been spending an unusual amount of time together in the church rectory, the unrelentingly righteous headmistress begins a merciless crusade to reveal the beloved clergyman as a lecherous child molester and have him permanently expunged from the school. Yet despite her moral certainty that Father Flynn has committed such an unspeakable transgression, Sister Beauvier has not a shred of actual evidence to back up her audacious claim. Now, as Sister Beauvier and Father Flynn enter into an epic battle of wills, the shock waves set into motion by their explosive confrontation threaten to destroy one man's reputation and tear apart the entire surrounding community. John Patrick Shanley adapted his own play for the screen under the guidance of producer Scott Rudin (The Queen, Notes on a Scandal). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, (more)
Love at first sight has some interesting repercussions a few months down the line in this offbeat romantic comedy. Ira Black (Chris Messina) is a wildly neurotic thirtysomething who can't get his life in gear -- the son of a pair of therapists, Arlene (Judith Light) and Seymour (Robert Klein), Ira still hasn't finished his grad school dissertation, he's been in therapy for 12 years, and can't bring himself to settle down with his longtime girlfriend Lea (Maddie Corman). When both Lea and his analyst inform Ira that they don't want to see him anymore, he decides he needs to make some changes. Ira joins a health club, where he meets Abby Willoughby (Jennifer Westfeldt), who is supposed to sell memberships to the gym but is much better at listening to people's problems. The two discover they have a strong and immediate rapport, and Ira asks Abby to marry him only a few hours later. Abby says yes, and soon the couple are wed. However, it isn't until after they've been married for a few weeks that Ira discovers Abby has been divorced twice already, and it makes him very uneasy about their relationship. Despite more therapy, Ira asks Abby for a divorce, and it sends shock waves through their families -- Arlene begins having an affair with Michael (Fred Willard), Abby's free-spirited father, while Seymour commiserates with Abby's mother Lynne (Frances Conroy), and eventually parents and children are all meeting together in group therapy for couples. Ira and Abby was written by leading lady Jennifer Westfeldt, who was also screenwriter and star for the independent hit Kissing Jessica Stein. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Messina, Jennifer Westfeldt, (more)
Acclaimed filmmaker Robert Altman (Short Cuts, Nashville) brings National Public Radio stalwart Garrison Keillor's long-running radio program to vivid life on the big screen in a intricately woven backstage fable centering on the final performance of a fictionalized version of his variety show. As if the result of some strange mass-media fluke, the popular radio program A Prairie Home Companion somehow managed to survive the television age to entertain its audience every Saturday night from the stage of the historic Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN. Week after week, hangdog host Garrison Keillor serves as unflappable emcee to an amiable hodgepodge of radio-friendly acts that include the likes of popular country duo Yolanda and Rhonda Johnson (Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin) and singing cowboys the Old Trailhands (Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly). This is one show where the under-the-line antics are nearly as entertaining as the program itself, though, and in between the efforts of down-on-his-luck private dick and backstage doorkeeper Guy Noir (Kevin Kline) to discover the true identity of a mysterious blonde (Virginia Madsen) and aspiring teen singer Lola (Lindsay Lohan) to find her true voice before a live audience, there's still plenty of fun and mystery to be had at the old Fitzgerald before the final curtain falls on A Prairie Home Companion. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Garrison Keillor, Meryl Streep, (more)
Things that Hang from Trees constitutes American director Ido Mizrahy's debut feature. As adapted by singer-songwriter Aaron Louis Tordini from his own novella, this defiantly eccentric drama unfolds on a surreal, southern gothic landscape. Eight-year-old Tommy, incorrectly read as mentally-impaired by many of the local townspeople, lives alone with his skanky mother (Deborah Kara Unger), a sex shop owner. This emotionally troubled child also struggles with painful memories of his abusive, estranged father (Ray McKinnon) - whose mistreatment he recreates in a self-flagellating manner by systematically subjecting himself to the sadism of the local bully (Ryan Parker). While the town barber (Daniel von Bargen) - a psychotic religious nut - obsesses over Tommy's mother, Tommy fantasizes about watching the town fireworks from atop the local lighthouse. The boy finally realizes this dream, but when he descends, he happens upon a shocking discovery that changes his world forever by bringing a permanent end to his childhood innocence. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deborah Kara Unger, Daniel Von Bargen, (more)
A woman finds herself drafted into the battle of finding the perfect man in this romantic comedy. Sarah Nolan (Diane Lane) is a kindergarten teacher in her mid-thirties who is still dealing with the emotional aftermath of her divorce eight months ago. While her sisters, Christine (Ali Hillis) and Carol (Elizabeth Perkins), both think Sarah needs to start dating again, Sarah herself isn't so sure. Carol decides to force the issue by posting Sarah's photo and profile on an Internet dating site, and soon a number of seemingly eligible bachelors are sending her e-mails in hopes of a date. However, nearly every man she meets turns out to be a loser, with the exception of Jake (John Cusack), who is smart, good looking, and even brings along a dog for their walk in the park (though he doesn't tell her the pooch was borrowed for the occasion). However, Sarah also makes the acquaintance of Bob (Dermot Mulroney), the divorced father of one of her students, and she finds herself having to choose between two potentially worthwhile men. Meanwhile, Sarah's widowed father, Bill (Christopher Plummer), decides to give Internet dating a try, and lands himself a new steady in Dolly (Stockard Channing). Must Love Dogs is based on the best-selling novel of the same title by Claire Cook. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diane Lane, John Cusack, (more)
A man with a "doormat" personality tries standing up for himself for a change in this comedy. Mild mannered tax accountant Elliot Sherman (Michael Showalter) is what he calls a "Baxter": the kind of calm, unexciting fellow who "wears sock garters" and "enjoys raking leaves." Loved by bosses and parents, Elliot is a perfectly nice guy. And that's his problem -- he's safe and pleasant, but not very interesting, so as a consequence he hasn't had much luck with long-term relationships, and more than one woman has abandoned him for someone more exciting. Elliot believes his luck has finally changed for the better when he becomes engaged to Caroline Swann (Elizabeth Banks), a smart and attractive editor at a successful magazine. However, a few weeks before the wedding, who should come back into Caroline's life but Bradley Lake (Justin Theroux), her high school sweetheart and, according to many, the great love of her life. Bradley quickly makes it clear that he wants to win Caroline back, and generally in such circumstances Elliot would politely step aside, but just this once Elliot decides to fight for the woman he loves. Elliot gains an unexpected champion in Cecil Mills (Michelle Williams), a frumpy but adorable temp employee at his office who encourages Elliot to develop a take-charge attitude, though the results aren't quite what he expects. The Baxter was written and directed by Michael Showalter, who also plays Elliot; Showalter was a member of the sketch comedy troupe the State, and also works with the comedy performance trio Stella, whose other members, Michael Ian Black and David Wain, also appear in the movie. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks, (more)
Directed by Alexander Payne, Sideways follows Miles (Paul Giamatti), who is distressed about his lack of success as a novelist, and Jack (Thomas Haden Church), an equally unsuccessful actor with a rapidly approaching wedding. In a last-ditch effort to sow their wild oats, Jack and Miles take off on a final road trip to California's wine country the week prior to Jack's wedding. Both men have goals for the vacation -- Miles wants to turn Jack on to the art of wine tasting, while Jack is concerned with exploiting his last days as a bachelor -- but when the two men come across two fascinating women (Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh), the duo is forced to examine their morality, and if maturity isn't such a depressing prospect -- at least, for one of them. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, (more)
- 2003
A strange teenager becomes obsessed with a man who has a dangerous past in this independent drama. Fannie (Savannah Haske) is a slow-witted young woman living with her father (Robert John Burke) on a small farm in upstate New York. Fannie's only friends are her pet pig and an elderly woman who she tends to after a fashion, but Fannie wants to have a boyfriend, and often writes clumsy songs about the subject that she performs for the benefit of her cassette recorder. Nile (Dean Wareham) is a second-rate rock musician with a drug habit who moves in next door to the old woman; Fannie is immediately smitten with him, and follows him constantly until he agrees to go out on a date. But Nile makes no secret of his disinterest in Fannie, and ditches her for another woman before the end of the evening. As Fannie wonders how to win Nile's affection, the musician is confronted by a small-time gangster (John C. Reilly) who has some old business with Nile. Piggie was the first directorial credit for Alison Bagnall, who co-authored the screenplay for the cult favorite Buffalo '66. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Savannah Haske, Dean Wareham, (more)
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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brooke Smith, Glenn Fitzgerald, (more)
- 2001
Executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, the made-for-TV Oprah Winfrey Presents: Amy & Isabelle was based on the bestselling 1999 novel by Elizabeth Strout. The scene is the mining town of Shirley Falls, ME; the year is 1971. Seeking escape from the iron rule of her domineering, social-climbing single mother, Isabelle (Elisabeth Shue), shy teenager Amy (Hanna R. Hall) falls under the seductive spell of her new math teacher, Mr. Robertson (Martin Donovan). Meanwhile, Isabelle, who may not be as straight-laced as she appears, develops a yearning for her married boss, Avery Clark (James Rebhorn), who barely acknowledges the woman's resistance. The tensions between Amy and Isabelle, already heightened by their separate romantic travails, is exacerbated when the two women find themselves working together in the same accounting office. While the rest of the town buzzes with vicious gossip concerning the two heroines, the story takes on a disturbing new tangent when the body of a young girl is found stuffed into the trunk of an abandoned car. Also known as Amy & Isabelle, this film was first aired by ABC on March 4, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elisabeth Shue, Hanna R. Hall, (more)
A man of faith finds his responsibilities changing with the world around him as he struggles to keep up in this low-key drama. Father John McNamee (David Morse) is a Catholic priest who presides over the St. Malachy parish in north Philadelphia. Over the years, the neighborhood surrounding St. Malachy has undergone a gradual but dramatic transformation, as "white flight" has turned the community from a racially mixed working-class neighborhood into an economically depressed African-American ghetto. With these changes, Father McNamee has seen his responsibility change from overseeing his flock's spiritual needs to helping to feed and clothe the needy and homeless who live around him. Overworked and understaffed, Father McNamee is beginning to fray under the pressure of his responsibilities; he lacks the energy and the resources to do as much as he thinks should be done for the community, he has no time for himself, and he believes that his parishioners see him as a sad and lonely man with little to look forward to. In time, Father McNamee has to look deep inside himself to find the strength and faith to continue his mission. Diary of a City Priest was directed by Eugene Martin, who previously examined life in inner-city Philadelphia (his hometown) in his feature Edge City. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Morse, John Ryan, (more)
- 1997
What at first seems to be a random shooting is eventually revealed to be a deliberate murder attempt. Furthermore, the victim's wife had been previously wed to a man who died in an inadequately investigated accident. When the original case is re-opened, the detectives and the lawyers find themselves with overabundant evidence of a deadly and long-standing vendetta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This comedy-drama is the feature theatrical debut of TV director Nell Cox. Manhattan lawyer Laura (Rya Kihlstedt) is on edge about her promotion to partner at her law firm, while husband Jeff (Robert Stanton) is tired of the grind producing TV commercials. They head upstate for a weekend with Laura's mother, sculptor Julia (Lois Smith), hoping to resolve their marital conflicts. Shown at the 1997 Mill Valley Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rya Kihlstedt, Robert Stanton, (more)
- 1991
The renovation of a Manhattan brownstone yields the skeletal remains of a young boy. Further investigation indicates that the unfortunate youngster disappeared without a trace in 1960. The case causes the boy's childhood friend Julie Atkinson (Mary Joan Negro) to suffer the anguish of reliving some horrible, long-repressed memories. This episode marked a reunion between series co-star Michael Moriarty and director Ed Sherin, who'd previously collaborated on Moriarty's debut film, My Old Man's Place (1972). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
