Jeff Garlin Movies

Seinfeld producer/creator Larry David has often claimed that the character of George Costanza, the abrasive, neurotic, spectacularly luckless Seinfeld supporting player so brilliantly played by Jason Alexander, was based on David himself. Small wonder, then, that most of the plotlines of the self-deprecating, reality-based sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm have a distinctly Costanzan flavor -- with Larry David, in the role of former standup comic-turned-TV executive Larry David, a dictionary definition of the phrase "his own worst enemy." A spinoff of the 1999 HBO "mockumentary" special of the same name, the weekly 30-minute Curb Your Enthusiasm is filmed in cinéma vérité fashion, with much of dialogue ad-libbed (though the premise of each episode has been carefully worked out in advance).

Larry David portrays himself as the archetypal Hollywood wheeler-dealer, forever promoting "can't miss" TV and film projects, and using (and sometimes abusing) his myriad of showbiz celebrity connections -- among them Richard Lewis, Rob Reiner, Shaquille O'Neal, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Wanda Sykes, and Mel Brooks, not to mention a generous supply of former Seinfeld stars -- to further advance his already super-successful career. And yet, no matter how high he climbs, David is a slave to his own foibles, phobias, and neuroses, perpetually opening mouth and inserting foot, making as many enemies as friends in high places and never relaxing long enough to enjoy or appreciate what he has accomplished. In typical Seinfeld fashion, our hero manages to make a sizable and often insurmountable mountain out of the tiniest and least significant of molehills. While the plotlines of the first two ten-episode HBO seasons were relatively self-contained, season three was held together with the through-line of Larry opening a Planet Hollywood-style restaurant, while the focus of season four was the rather improbable premise that Larry had been offered the starring role in Mel Brooks' smash Broadway musical The Producers. Also appearing on Curb Your Enthusiasm are Cheryl Hines as Larry's spouse, Cheryl; David's longtime production associate Jeff Garlin as Jeff Greene; and Susie Essman as Jeff's wife, Susie. The series is very much an HBO production with an unending stream of hilarious profanities and sexual situations (though the series' funniest running gag is probably the cleanest: Larry David's constitutional inability to figure out the basic protocol of tipping the help). ~ All Movie Guide

Former Seinfeld producer and co-creator Larry David continues to get into outrageous cinéma vérité misadventures as Curb Your Enthusiasm enters its second season. Things get off to a miserable start when Larry and his wife, Cheryl (Cheryl Hines), move into a luxurious seaside chateau -- which unfortunately possesses a disturbing sound. In the season's remaining nine episodes, Larry's associate, Jeff Greene (Jeff Garlin), simultaneously breaks up with his wife and convinces all of LA that Larry has a "kink" obsession; another crisis involving a bracelet (not unlike the one which wended its way through season one) segues into a bitter object lesson concerning "Trick or Treat"; Larry suspects an HBO executive of being a shrimp thief; Larry and Richard Lewis are disillusioned by their psychiatrist; a 5000-dollar acupuncture bill sets off a chain reaction of comic disaster; Larry "scalps" a doll belonging to a network bigwig; he accidentally trips Shaquille O'Neal during a crucial Lakers game; nearly scuttles a baptism; and alienates the staff of a Chinese restaurant. Appearing as themselves during season two of Curb Your Enthusiasm are former Seinfeld regulars Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rob Reiner, Ed Asner, and Brad Hall. ~ All Movie Guide

The ten episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm's fourth season are largely motivated by the improbable premise of Mel Brooks offering Seinfeld creator Larry David the opportunity to star in Brooks' smash Broadway musical The Producers. Somehow this setup results in a blood feud between Larry and Ben Stiller (a case of adding injury to insult). Other mishaps during this season include a politically incorrect confrontation with a group of handicapped workers, a world-class crisis involving name tags, a set-to with David Schwimmer over cashews and raisins, an attempt to skirt the traffic laws and to provide medical marijuana for Larry's dad, and the near-death of the best friend of Larry's associate, Jeff (Jeff Garlin). The season comes to a riotous conclusion with a special one-hour episode built around Larry's opening night on Broadway. Events crucial to the outcome include a benighted tryst with The Producers co-star Cady Huffman and the ultimate revelation of Mel Brooks' ulterior motives for casting Larry in the first place. Suffice to say that the dialogue sounds awfully familiar in this climactic episode, which also features cameos by Brooks' actress wife Anne Bancroft and a certain comic named Jerry Seinfeld ~ All Movie Guide

Two fathers get a crash course in caring for kids other than their own in this family-friendly comedy. Charlie Hinton (Eddie Murphy) is an advertising executive whose job monopolizes his time, making it difficult for him to stay in touch with his young son, Ben (Khamani Griffin). However, after Charlie and his partner, Phil (Jeff Garlin), are given their pink slips in the wake of a disastrous campaign for a new breakfast cereal, Charlie's wife, Kim (Regina King), goes back to work, and with the family budget tighter than before, Charlie becomes a stay-at-home dad. After pulling Ben out of an expensive and exclusive daycare center run by the humorless Gwyneth Harridan (Anjelica Huston), Charlie comes up with a brainstorm -- since he and Phil watch their own children every day, how much harder could it be to watch a few more kids and open their own day care center? Charlie and Phil discover there's much more to running a daycare center than they ever imagined, but after a very rough start, with the help of likable slacker Marvin (Steve Zahn) their new business becomes a success -- so much so that Harridan finds herself losing customers to the upstart fathers, and she starts searching for a way to shut them down. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Described as a modern-day Hollywood version of Day for Night, director Steven Soderbergh's first digital video production was also shot employing a modified version of the frills-free Dogma 95 rules set forth by Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, allowing a relatively small budget of about two million dollars. Julia Roberts and Blair Underwood star, respectively, as Francesca and Calvin, actors performing in a motion picture directed by David Fincher and co-starring Brad Pitt (who play themselves). Woven in and out of the film production story thread are several other subplots including one about a lovelorn woman, Linda (Mary McCormack); the self-absorbed Gus (David Duchovny); and a husband, Carl (David Hyde Pierce), whose wife (Catherine Keener) is falling for Calvin. Described initially as a follow-up to Soderbergh's independent breakout hit, sex, lies and videotape, Full Frontal isn't a sequel in the strictest sense of the word and is only thematically related to the earlier film in its exploration of voyeurism and sexuality. The film also stars Brad Rowe, Enrico Colantoni, and Nicky Katt. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Stephen Frears' Hero is a contemporary re-working of a Frank Capra-styled fable about a two-bit criminal named Bernie (Dustin Hoffman) who saves several passengers from a plane crash and leaves the scene without being identified, leaving only a lost shoe for identification. One of the passengers happens to be news-reporter Gale (Geena Davis) who is intent on finding her savior, and offers a million dollars to the "hero" of the crashed flight. Bernie has since given his remaining shoe to a homeless man named John (Andy Garcia) who decides to cash in on the offer. A handsome, charming man, John wins the hearts of the entire city. Soon, Bernie realizes that he's been cheated out of a million dollars, and he begins an effort to get his proper recognition--and his money. Hero manages to be quite funny and satirical while sticking to a story that is essentially a Hollywood fable. That is to the credit of director Frears and the cast, who turn in uniformly excellent performances. Nevertheless, Hoffman is superb as a bitterly comic and spiteful variation on his classic Ratso Rizzo character. By the way, be on the lookout for Chevy Chase in a very funny cameo. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

The compilation release Jackie Gleason: Genius at Work collects, into a single volume, many of "The Great One"'s most beloved comedy sketches from the annals of vintage television. The sketches - many of which were not widely viewed between their original airdates and this video release - are here presented full and intact, interspersed with insights from Gleason's widow, Marilyn Taylor Gleason; the program also features commentary by Curb Your Enthusiasm star Jeff Garlin. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Hoping to surprise Jamie (Helen Hunt) with an elaborate Mother's Day gift, Paul (Paul Reiser) seeks out the advice of his cousin Ira (John Pankow) and Ira's employee Marvin (Jeff Garlin). The choices boil down to a rocking chair and a Times Square video message. Meanwhile, Paul's jealous mom, Sylvia (Cynthia Harris), faking an injury to divert attention away from Jamie, is foiled by her own vanity. ~ All Movie Guide

Though they're still working overtime to bring the magic back into their marriage, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) discover that it is more beneficial to sleep apart. Meanwhile, Ira (John Pankow) tries to turn his timorous employee Marvin (Jeff Garlin) into a pro wrestler. And yes, that's "Macho Man" Randy Savage, in the flesh and then some. ~ All Movie Guide

The titular coin in this episode is flipped at a restaurant, bringing Paul's obstreperous ex-boss Lou Bonaparte (Larry Miller) back into the series, and landing both Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie (Helen Hunt) on the TV tabloid Hard Copy. Destiny also takes a hand when Paul's parents (Louis Zorich, Cynthia Harris) use the selfsame coin at an Atlantic City gambling palace. And what does destiny (or the coin) have in store for Ira (John Pankow), currently the central figure in a paternity suit? This episode was telecast one day after series star Helen Hunt won an Oscar for her performance in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets. ~ All Movie Guide

This final episode of Mad About You is set approximately 22 years in the future. Mabel Buchman (Janeane Garafolo), grown-up daughter of Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt), follows in her dad's footsteps by producing a documentary film about her family. Several former series regulars and guest stars make cameo appearances as Mabel tries to trace the progress of her parents' marriage after a startling discovery made by Paul's sister Debbie (Robin Bartlett). Series star Helen Hunt directed this one-hour closer, which since its original network telecast has been divided into two half-hour episodes for syndication. ~ All Movie Guide