Jeff Garlin Movies

Dolly Parton and James Woods as the screen's hottest new romantic team? That's only one of several casting surprises in this romantic comedy. Shirlee Kenyon (Dolly Parton) has had enough of life in her small Arkansas town, not to mention her small-minded Arkansas boyfriend Steve (Michael Madsen). So she decides to head for the big city of Chicago, where she applies for a job as a receptionist at a talk radio station. However, she arrives at the studios just as the staff are frantically searching for the psychiatrist hired to host a call-in show for people seeking advice with their personal problems. Shirlee is put on the air by mistake, and, while she lacks a degree in psychology, she has common sense to spare, and her no-nonsense advice makes the show a hit. Soon "Doctor Shirlee" is the talk of the town, but reporter Jack Russell (James Woods) senses that she might not be all she's supposed to be. Jack does some investigating and finds out the truth about Shirlee, but by this time the two have met and he's fallen in love with her. Will Jack obey his responsibilities as a journalist, or follow his heart? Straight Talk's supporting cast includes filmmaker John Sayles, monologist Spalding Gray, actor and producer Griffin Dunne, and future Lois Lane Teri Hatcher. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Kirk Cameron stars in this made-for-television remake of the 1970 movie. Cameron stars as Dexter Riley, an under-average college student whose brain gets filled with the information from a super computer. He uses his newly found wisdom to sweep some college quiz tournaments, much to the chagrin of his suspicious competitors. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi

In their efforts to elude Jamie's (Helen Hunt) baby shower, Paul (Paul Reiser) and Ira (John Pankow) pile into the van owned by Ira's right-hand man, Marvin (Jeff Garlin), and drive off for parts unknown. At first, it seems as if the fugitive trio will be able to get in some good old-fashioned male bonding. Alas, Paul's quirky sense of humor lands everyone in big, big trouble. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Once again (and for the last time), Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) preside over an eventful Thanksgiving dinner. This time, the guest list includes not only the couple's families and friends, but also Jamie's boss Henry Vincent (Fred Willard), baby Mabel's pediatrician Dr. Lee (Steve Park), and airheaded waitress Ursula Buffay (Lisa Kudrow, taking time out from her Friends duties). Trouble ensues when little Mabel shows signs of developing an allergy -- and the source may be one of the guests. ~ Rovi

Nobody is allowed to leave the premises during the birthday party of Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser). For one thing, Paul's neighbors Maggie and Hal Conway (Judy Geeson, Paxton Whitehead) suspect that one of the guests has absconded with a valuable painting. And besides, who would want to leave during the epic growling match between Marvin the handyman (Jeff Garlin) and Murray the dog? ~ Rovi

Still intent upon re-igniting the spark in their marriage, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) go off on their long-delayed honeymoon. In their absence, pediatrician Dr. Lee (Steve Park) makes certain that baby Mabel is well cared for. Whether or not Murray the dog is safe in the hands of Jamie's mercurial sister, Lisa (Anne Elizabeth Ramsay), is another matter entirely. And then there's that cooing married couple whom Jamie "fixed up".... ~ Rovi

To save the Buchmans' family store, Ira (John Pankow) offers to give away a new car to the customer who can keep his or her hands on the vehicle the longest. But Ira is reluctant to pony up, so he rigs the contest in the store's favor. Things get more complicated when Ira's temporarily sightless cousin, Paul (Paul Reiser), and Dr. Mark Devanow (welcome back, Richard Kind) are brought in as "ringers." ~ Rovi

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). ~ Rovi

In this romantic comedy-drama, two people whose lives were touched by the same tragedy find love. Buddy Amaral (Ben Affleck) is a successful L.A. advertising executive who has a way with the ladies, but inside he longs for a meaningful long-term relationship. One day Buddy sells his seat on a sold-out airline flight to a stranger; he's shocked when the jet crashes and the man is killed. A year later, still haunted by the incident, Buddy looks up Abby Janello (Gwyneth Paltrow), the victim's widow, who is now selling real estate to support her children. Buddy soon finds himself attracted to Abby, and the feeling is mutual, but while he's interested in marriage, he isn't sure how (or if) he should tell her that he was indirectly responsible for her husband's death. Bounce was written and directed by Don Roos, who made a splash with his independent debut The Opposite of Sex; supporting Affleck and Paltrow are Natasha Henstridge, Jennifer Grey, David Paymer, and Joe Morton. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The ten episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm's third season are linked together by a common throughline, wherein Seinfeld creator Larry David partners with actors Ted Danson and Michael York to open a restaurant. As the plots (and the ad-libs) merrily roll along, Larry gets into a brouhaha over uniforms for the waiters, conducts a Broadway-style audition for a new chef, and manages to insult a prominent food critic -- twice. And in other misadventures, Larry dials up a mess of trouble at the Emmy Awards ceremony with his new cell phone; he and wife, Cheryl (Cheryl Hines), confront "The Nanny From Hell"; rap artist "Krazze-Eyes Killah" meets his Waterloo; the wife of Paul Reiser is repeatedly and inadvertently on the receiving end of Larry's insults; the death of Larry's mother brings out the worst in practically everyone; and Larry's associate, Jeff (Jeff Garlin), finds that a reconciliation with his wife may hinge on his acceptance of a corpse-sniffing German shepherd. Add to all this Larry's never-ending inability to hand out appropriate tips, and it is easy to see that Seinfeld was far more than a figment of Larry David's imagination. And, oh yes, we should mention such guest stars as Joan Rivers, Alanis Morissette, and Martin Scorsese. ~ Rovi

A closeted Chicago architect wrestles with the prospect of coming out to his Irish Catholic brothers following the death of their parents in Stolen Summer writer/director Pete Jones' affectionate family comedy. His entire live, Bobby Riley (Jones) has been living a lie. The product of a traditional Irish-Catholic family, Bobby is a typical guy who likes beer and loves sports. In fact, the only notable difference between Bobby and your average Chicago Irish-Catholic is that Bobby happens to be gay. For years, the only person who knew Bobby's well-guarded secret was his sister Maggie (Julie R. Pearl) - a no-nonsense lawyer with an open mind and no time for secrets. Though his live-in boyfriend Andy (Michael McDonald) longs for the day he will be able to express his love openly, Bobby insists on projecting a heterosexual image with a little assistance from longtime lesbian gal pal Carly (Dana Gilhooley). On the heels of their father's death, Maggie attempts to convince Bobby that the time has come to tell his brothers the truth about his lifestyle. The only problem is that Bobby's brothers aren't simply straight - they're fairly narrow as well. Of course prankish Luke (Nathan Fillion) and unstable Connor (Stoney Westmoreland) could probably come to grips with the truth, but what about Jack (Dev Kennedy)? The eldest sibling and a devoted clergyman, Jack would most certainly have an adverse reaction to such a life-changing announcement. When Bobby determines to reveal his secret and becomes suddenly tongue tied at the last minute, it's up to outspoken sister Maggie to set the record straight whether Bobby likes it or not. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi