Willie Garson Movies
A bald and frequently bespectacled screen presence whose "average Joe" appearance and keen talent allow him the unique ability to truly transform into the character at hand, Willie Garson may have won over Sex and the City viewers as protagonist Carrie's (Sarah Jessica Parker) endlessly loyal friend, but with over a decade of film and television appearances to his credit by that time, his success should certainly be labeled more "long-time coming" than "overnight sensation." Garson began training as an actor at New York's Actor's Institute in his early teens, and in the years following high school graduation he studied theater and psychology at Wesleyan University. It didn't take long for the talented stage and screen presence to find roles following his higher education, with guest appearances in such popular television shows as Family Ties, Mr. Belvedere, and Quantum Leap eventually leading to a supporting role in the well-received made-for-television feature The Deliberate Stranger. If his film roles throughout the majority of the '90s were generally of the thankless variety, Garson nevertheless grew increasingly active thanks to roles in such high-profile features as Groundhog Day, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, The Rock, and There's Something About Mary. A three-year stint in a supporting role in NYPD Blue showed Garson lending the series a decidedly human presence as Detective Simone's (Jimmy Smits) landlord. The stage-minded actor never forgot his roots, remaining constantly active with such New York-based theater companies as The Manhattan Theatre Club and The Roundabout Table. A long-time friend of actress Parker, Garson's friendship with the actress no doubt contributed to the easy rapport shared by the duo in the hit HBO series Sex and the City. With subsequent roles in Steven Spielberg's acclaimed sci-fi miniseries Taken, and in addition to such features as Freaky Friday proving that he was as much an "actor's actor" as a crowd-pleaser, Garson's post-Sex and the City career seemed as healthy as ever. In his increasingly non-existent spare time, Garson can be found reading to school children on a weekly basis as part of the Screen Actors Guild popular "Bookpals" program. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide- 1998
In the first episode of the HBO comedy series Sex and the City, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) suggests to her friends Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), on the occasion of Miranda's 30th birthday, that they should try having sex like men -- just for pleasure and without any illusion of a long-term commitment. Carrie takes the plunge by calling one of her former boyfriends for a one-night stand, but finds it harder to stick to her new policy when she meets Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Carrie tries to fix Miranda up with Skipper (Ben Weber), but while he's taken with her, the feeling is hardly mutual. And Samantha decides to sleep with her latest flame on the first date (Jeffrey R. Nordling) -- much to the amazement of Charlotte, who went out with him as well and didn't think he was worth spending the night with. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The Farrelly Brothers set this romantic comedy in their home state of Rhode Island. In 1985, when teen-nerd Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller) challenges a high-schooler who's bullying retarded Warren Jenson (W. Earl Brown), his concern prompts Warren's sister, the dazzling and desirable Mary Jenson (Cameron Diaz) to choose Ted as her senior prom date, a fact Ted's pals find hard to believe. However, on prom night, Ted gets his penis caught in his zipper, so the much-desired date never happens. Living in Providence and waxing nostalgic 13 years later, Ted hires Pat Healy (Matt Dillon) to locate Mary, and the creepy private investigator finds her in Miami, where she lives with her tan-shriveled roommate Magda (Lin Shaye). After Pat develops a stalker-style fixation on the lovely, unattached Mary, he lies to Ted, telling him that she's now an overweight mother confined to a wheelchair. Employing professional eavesdropping equipment, Pat gathers a dossier on Mary's life and future plans, information that forms the basis for more lies when Pat begins dating her. Sure enough, Mary falls for Pat, although her friend Tucker (Lee Evans) is very suspicious of Pat's claim to be a Harvard-educated architect. Meanwhile, Ted learns the truth but continues to encounter offbeat obstacles as he accelerates to Miami in hopes of finding happiness with his true love. Former Modern Lovers singer Jonathan Richman vocalizes a narrative ballad of onscreen commentary in the Cat Ballou (1965) tradition. Most of the cast sings and frolics to Build Me Up, Buttercup by The Foundations during the closing credits. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, (more)
- 1998
Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) of The Practice comes to Ally for help with a case. Meanwhile, John Cage admits that he's drawn to Renee. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally faces a moral dilemma when she's assigned to defend Richard's partner, who was arrested for solicitation. Meanwhile, Richard tries to use Ally to snag a client. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
"Death by typewriter" is the coroner's verdict when the body of a man is found. Elsewhere, a naked female corpse, dumped in a junkyard, leads Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) on another far-from-merry chase, and still-wobbly Gina (Lourdes Benedicto) returns to work. Outside the precinct, Simone hires the mercurial Henry (Willie Garson) to paint the apartment building, leading to a confrontation with an angry tenant (Maxine Stuart); and Diane (Kim Delaney) begins her counselling sessions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the '70s, Roy Munsen (Woody Harrelson) was a bowling phenomenon. He was none too sharp about picking friends, though, and the champion he had to beat, "Big Ern," takes him under his supposedly friendly wing. Big Ern (Bill Murray) shows him the high-living lifestyle, and induces him to go on the road with him, hustling small-town bowlers. A couple of the men he bilks take exception to the scam, and show their displeasure with Roy by mangling his hand. Twenty years later, Roy (who now has a hook in place of his hand), earns his living as a salesman. On a visit to a bowling alley, he cannot help but notice the incredible talents of an Amish boy, Ishmael (Randy Quaid). Bowling is not part of the Amish lifestyle, but Ishmael occasionally sneaks into the bowling alley and plays a frame or two. Roy takes Ishmael under his wing, and together they begin a quest for bowling success. This comedy is directed by Peter and Robert Farrelly, who also directed Dumb and Dumber. Like those comedies, it contains a lot of gross-out jokes and bathroom humor. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, (more)
The sophomore film from former music video and commercial director Michael Bay, this fast-paced action yarn featured rapid-fire editing, a cutting-edge rock soundtrack and liberal use of shots awash in a haze of burnished hues, all trademarks of producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. Nicolas Cage stars as Stanley Goodspeed, an FBI chemical weapons expert handed a unique assignment. Francis X. Hummel (Ed Harris), an insane Marine Corps general, has taken 81 tourists hostage on the abandoned island prison of Alcatraz. He and his men are threatening to bomb San Francisco with deadly gas unless $100 million is paid in war reparations to the families of servicemen killed in covert operations. Goodspeed is teamed with former British spy John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), the only man ever to escape "The Rock," as well as a Navy SEAL team. When their military escorts are ambushed, it's up to odd couple Goodspeed and Mason to break into Alcatraz and stop Hummel. The Rock was the last film produced by Simpson, who died of a drug overdose before the film's release. Solo, his partner Bruckheimer continued making the sort of glossy, frenetic films for which the duo was famed. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, (more)
- 1996
Elliot Gould guest stars as Max, an embittered Auschwitz survivor now working for the US Postal Service. Assigned to the dead-letter department, Max responds to people who have written letters addressed to God by coldly informing them that God does not exist. Assigned to help Max regain his faith, Monica (Roma Downey) is comforted when the old man comes out of his shell long enough to help Tanya (Kelsey Mulrooney), a young girl from a troubled household. Unfortunately, Monica is not allowed to intervene when Max tries to rescue Tanya from her abusive guardians--and is promptly accused of kidnapping the girl. With this episode, John Dye becomes a regular in the role of Angel of Death Andrew. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
When Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) reopen a old case in which a man may have wrongly been sent to prison, the detective who originally worked the case isn't too happy. Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) runs against Gotelli (Carmine Caridi) in the union-delegate election. Simone probes further into the murder committed in the building he inherited, and again contends with the resentment of Henry Coffield (Willie Garson). And it looks like Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) has a slight edge over Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) in the "battle of the bulge." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Detective Stu Morrissey (Conor O'Farrell) thinks that a father knows more than he's letting on about a missing baby. Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) makes a bet that he can lose more weight than Sipowicz (Dennis Franz). Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) campaigns to be elected the squad's union delegate. Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) has a run-in with Henry (Willie Garson) when a woman is killed outside the building Simone inherited from Henry's aunt. And Bobby and Dianne Russell (Kim Delaney) talk over their relationship. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
The fourth season of NYPD Blue begins with a clean-and-sober Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) finally coping with the death of his son Andy Jr., but obsessing over the care given his baby boy, Theo -- so much so that it seriously affects his work. On the verge of proposing to Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) -- who, like Sipowicz, is still trying to get over her booze habit -- Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) inherits an apartment building and immediately clashes with the eccentric nephew (Willie Garson) of his benefactor. A body in a trunk shows up in the wrong precinct, causes all sorts of red tape. And Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) decides to go on a diet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Simone's (Jimmy Smits) investigation of a limo driver's murder leads to a vice ring. Henry (Willie Garson), the nephew of the woman from whom Simone inherited an apartment building, finally reveals what he knows about a murder that occurred just outside the building. Diane (Kim Delaney) has trouble explaining to Simone that she has been assigned to get the goods on handsome hoodlum Jimmy Liery. The sexually promiscuous Geri (Debra Christofferson) is "kicked upstairs." And a kidnapping plot is foiled by a new member of the precinct, Detective Jill Kirkendall (Andrea Thompson, in her first series appearance). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Produced by the same team that bankrolled the hit The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, this violent domestic thriller is often compared to that mega-hit. Screenwriter Wesley Strick made his directorial debut with this script by Michael Auerbach. Vincent Spano and Moira Kelly are Russell and Dana Clifton, a successful but childless yuppie couple who adopt a mesmerizing young girl named Janie (Julia Devin). Janie has suicidal tendencies, however -- she walks out into crowded streets, keeps a butcher knife under her bed, and sometimes cuts herself. She also has psychotic white-trash parents, John and Leann Netherwood (Keith Carradine and Daryl Hannah). The Netherwoods are crooks forced to give up their daughter, but once released from jail, they are intent on getting her back. They kill an adoption agency worker and a police officer as part of their vendetta, terrorizing the suburban town as they target the Cliftons in their all-out war for the return of Janie. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daryl Hannah, Keith Carradine, (more)
- 1995
- R
- Add Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead to QueueAdd Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead to top of Queue
In the mode of Quentin Tarantino, this film, directed by Gary Fleder from a script by Scott Rosenberg, concerns itself with hip, smart gangsters. The film is set in Denver, and the title comes from a Warren Zevon song. A retired, good-hearted gangster named Jimmy the Saint (Andy Garcia) runs a company that videotapes dying people giving life advice to their children and grandchildren, to be delivered when they come of age. Jimmy's former crime boss, The Man with the Plan (Christopher Walken), summons him. The Man is wheelchair-bound and doesn't have long to live; he explains that Jimmy owes him a favor and must perform one final job. It involves frightening the boyfriend of the ex-girlfriend of Bernard (Michael Nicolosi), the son of The Man, who has been so shaken by the girl's rejection of him that he has been fondling schoolyard children. Jimmy rounds up his old gang -- including Pieces (Christopher Lloyd), a porno theater projectionist; Franchise (William Forsythe), an ex-biker with a trailer-trash family to support; Critical Bill (Treat Williams), a psychotic, trigger-happy ex-con; and Easy Wind (Bill Nunn), an exterminator. Pieces and Bill pose as cops as part of the needlessly elaborate plan, which misfires badly. The Man, enraged, gives Jimmy 48 hours to leave town, and he orders his comrades wiped out, hiring the notorious hitman Mr. Shhh (Steve Buscemi) to track them down. But Jimmy can't seem to get the others to leave town, and despite The Man's decree, Jimmy is also reluctant to leave, because he's become romantically entangled with Dagney (Gabrielle Anwar). Jack Warden's character serves as a kind of Greek chorus who comments from time to time on the unfolding action. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Garcia, Christopher Lloyd, (more)
- 1995
Not by choice, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) spend their first New Year's Eve apart. This is not the only offbeat occurrence in the course of this episode, you may be sure. Things reach a summit of strangeness during the traditional countdown in Times Square. And yes, that uncredited TV personality is exactly who you think he is. ~ All Movie Guide
A mix of political satire and a modern take on 1930's-style screwball comedy, this romance from director Ron Underwood was assumed by many to be based on the real-life relationship between liberal political consultant James Carville and conservative commentator Mary Matalin. Michael Keaton stars as Kevin, an insomniac who meets Julia (Geena Davis) in a store late one night as they haggle over the last bottle of sleeping pills. After spending a romantic evening together, Kevin and Julia each discover to their chagrin that the other is a rival speechwriter in a nasty New Mexico senatorial campaign. As the senate race heats up, the bickering pair tries to keep the relationship alive, but then Julia's ex-fiance Baghdad Bob Freed (Christopher Reeve), a network news foreign correspondent, shows up with the intention of renewing their relationship. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, (more)
When the Party's Over is a surprisingly down-spirited drama about a group of twenty-something yuppies trying to survive in Los Angeles. All four main characters -- three women (Sandra Bullock, Rae Dawn Chong, Elizabeth Berridge) and one gay man (Kris Kamm) -- live in the same house, where they become increasingly involved in each other's lives, affairs, and careers. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Berridge, Rae Dawn Chong, (more)
- 1993
Figuring they have better things to do, Cory (Ben Savage) and Eric (Will Friedle) try to get out of playing with their dad Alan (William Russ) in a father/son softball game. To save them the embarrassment, Alan claims that the game was cancelled anyway. When they find out that their dad is lying to spare their feelings, the Matthews boys are sore ashamed. Somehow all this is tied in with Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) and his attempt to explain and interpret the Pledge of Allegiance to Cory and his classmates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Bill Murray plays Phil, a TV weatherman working for a local station in Pennsylvania but convinced that national news stardom is in his grasp. Phil displays a charm and wit on camera that evaporates the moment the red light goes off; he is bitter, appallingly self-centered, and treats his co-workers with contempt, especially his producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliot). On February 2, 1992, Phil, Rita, and Larry are sent on an assignment that Phil especially loathes: the annual Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, PA, where the citizens await the appearance of Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who will supposedly determine the length of winter by his ability to see his own shadow. Phil is eager to beat a hasty retreat, but when a freak snowstorm strands him in Punxsutawney, he wakes up the next morning with the strangest sense of déjà vu: he seems to be living the same day over again. The next morning it happens again, and then again. Soon, no matter what he does, he's stuck in February 2, 1992; not imprisonment nor attempted suicide nor kidnapping the groundhog gets him out of the loop. But the more Phil relives the same day, the more he's forced to look at other people's lives, and something unusual happens: he begins to care about others. He starts to respect people, he tries to save the life of a homeless man, and he discovers that he's falling in love with Rita and therefore wants to be someone that she could love in return. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, (more)
More than a decade after 1982's Six Weeks, director Tony Bill once again explored romance, sentimentality, and dying young with Untamed Heart. The film stars Christian Slater as Adam, an shy and awkward busboy who saves waitress Caroline (Marisa Tomei) from being raped in a park late one night. Naturally, the two begin to fall in love. As their relationship progresses, Caroline discovers that Adam has a heart defect, though he claims he has a baboon heart. Rosie Perez also stars as Cindy, Caroline's sassy comic-relief-providing co-worker. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei, (more)
- 1993
Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) flunks Cory (Ben Savage) when the boy falls asleep during a test. This time, however, it was all dad Alan's fault; Alan (William Russ) had let Cory stay up to watch a baseball game to make up for cancelling a promised night out. Unfortunately, Mr. Feeny refuses to let Cory take a makeup exam even when Alan explains the situation, leading to a tense (and pivotal) confrontation between teacher and parent. Incidentally, this episode was based on an actual incident in the childhood of Boy Meets World producer Michael Jacobs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Judd Nelson is the ex-brat-packer in this particular direct-to-video gem. Befriended by a wealthy but depraved young couple (Joanna Pacula and Patrick Bauchau), Nelson joins the pair in their bizarre notions of fun and games. He thinks he knows the score, but even he isn't parade for the kinkiness of his hosts. Though much is suggested, surprisingly little happens. The suspense elements in Every Breath are in fact stronger than the film's sexual allure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judd Nelson, Joanna Pacula, (more)
In this chilling made-for-cable-television outing, the population of the United States is nearly wiped out by a sexually transmitted disease. In order to stop its spread, those infected are sequestered in special camps. To make sure no infected person is allowed to go free, a group of vigilantes begins terrorizing city streets in search of carriers. The story is based on an off-Broadway play by Alan Browne. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Here's a fictionalized account of Jack Ruby's perspective of the events leading up to his assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald. Danny Aiello appears convincingly as the nightclub-owner Ruby who (according to this telling) points the finger at an FBI conspiracy as the force behind the Kennedy assassination. The film includes some actual footage from Ruby's Oswald shooting. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Aiello, Sherilyn Fenn, (more)
