Jane Adams Movies
It was shortly after moving to Seattle from Illinois that the Washington, D.C. native realized her calling on the stage; a role in a junior high school production of Pinocchio eventually led her to become involved with the local community theater scene. Though Adams would initially enroll in Seattle's Cornish Institute as a political science major, the call of the stage proved too much to resist and she eventually packed her bags and opted to follow the bright beacon of the Broadway lights. Once she was in New York, Adams studied at Juilliard under the tutelage of Bill Kahn, later appearing in a Playwrights Horizons production of The Nice and the Nasty before landing her first Broadway role as the virginal Dierdre in Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet. Moonlighting as a preschool teacher as a means to maintain her sanity during her downtime between roles, Adams set her sights on the screen after making her debut in the 1985 comedy Bombs Away! -- eventually realizing that if she was going to make it in film she would have to make the move to Los Angeles. In the early years of her Hollywood career, Adams got little chance to truly light up the screen since her roles were mainly of the supporting variety, but parts in such widely seen releases as Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Father of the Bride II, and Kansas City did help to build her resumé and increase her exposure.A Tony-winning role in the 1994 production of An Inspector Calls also served to gain Adams some respect on-stage, and in 1998, she finally got her big break onscreen thanks to her endearing performance as plain Jane, sad sack Joy Jordan in Happiness. Though it was obvious to all who saw the film that Adams certainly had the talent to carry a film, Hollywood still relegated her to supporting roles in Songcatcher, Wonder Boys, and Orange County. If fans had wondered where Adams disappeared to following her small but memorable performance in Orange County, their questions were answered when she appeared in a small capacity in director Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Adams would remain active over the next several years, appearing most notably in movies like The Brave One, and on TV series like Hung. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
William Blake Herron directs this baroque family drama about dark family secrets, ear-sucking, and camel herding. The film opens with the funeral of family patriarch Grandpa Sparta (Martin Sheen). As witnessed by Little Sparta, the grieving widow Murtis (Grace Zabriskie) removes an ear from the corpse as a keepsake. Once Grandpa's will is read, family members start to reveal long untold secrets including the family's bizarre ear-fetish. This film won the Jury Prize at the 2000 L.A. Independent Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Patrick, Joanne Whalley, (more)
Independent filmmaker Joe Swanberg (Hannah Takes the Stairs, Nights and Weekends) writes, directs, and produces this intimate marriage drama focusing on the troubled union of an artistic young couple. As temptations both sexual and creative in nature challenge the couple's monogamous relationship, the facade of happiness fades to reveal the hardships of modern marriage. Jess Weixler, Justin Rice, and Jane Adams star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jess Weixler, Justin Rice, (more)
- 1985
- R
In slapstick routines that somehow miss the mark, this erstwhile comedy is about an atomic bomb named M.A.R.Y. that is mistakenly delivered to an Army surplus store in Seattle, instead of its intended arsenal. Along its misguided way, the bomb pays a visit to the Seattle Space Needle and is dangerously mishandled. The premise of a wayward bomb sets everyone into paroxysms of jumping, running, shouting, and carrying on with a cab driver (Michael Huddleston) as a befuddled observer who also gets involved. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Huddleston, Pat McCormick, (more)
Various lives intersect to curious results in this sometimes surreal tale of life in Silverlake, from the duo who scripted crazy/beautiful and The Tuxedo. As Chinese-food restaurant and donut shop owner Cyr's (Brian Cox) obsessive-compulsive leanings begin to get the best of him, his workers' lives seem to be falling into a bizarre state of disrepair. Manager Sung (Alexis Cruz) soon begins to tire of Cyr's increasingly odd tendencies, and fortune-cookie message scribe Dwight's (Jamie Kennedy) girlfriend has recently decided to end their relationship; leaving Dwight to vent his frustrations by penning various inappropriate message for the restaurant's fortune cookies. When Mitchell discovers a fortune that reads "You will meet the girl of your dreams" and subsequently runs into a prospective female, his unyielding affections are seemingly rejected, crushing the lonely soul's hopes for love. Meanwhile, Ernie (Chris Bauer) and Olive's (Christina Kirk) marriage seems to be heading south for reason's yet unknown, and a successful businessman (Michael Hitchcock) grows increasingly distressed when he loses his job after losing his cool at a business dinner. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Cox, Michael Hitchcock, (more)
An unathletic junior college student works to realize his dream of playing for the MLB while courting a pretty volleyball player who displays the athletic prowess that he so sorely lacks. Calvin Marshall (Alex Frost) is a good kid with big dreams. Despite knowing that the young player will never make it to the big leagues, his coach, Doug (Steve Zahn), recognizes Calvin's dedication to the game, and decides to keep him around as a morale-boosting bench warmer. Meanwhile, likeable Calvin strikes up a tentative romance with Tori (Michelle Lombardo), a statuesque volleyball star with a quick smile and a warm heart. But just as Calvin and Tori are getting to know one another, the bumbling baseball player tells an innocent lie that threatens to destroy any chance for a meaningful relationship. Despite the many setbacks Calvin faces both romantically and professionally, he struggles with the realization that his only hope for getting the absolute most out of life is to accept the little disappointments along the way, and turn his failures into learning opportunities. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alex Frost, Steve Zahn, (more)
- 2001
James Cromwell starred on this weekly, hour-long drama series as veteran politician Elliott Baines. After three successful terms as senator, Baines is cast adrift when a fourth-term bid comes a cropper. Knowing no other life but politics, the widowed Baines returns home to Seattle, there to contend with the exigencies of being a private citizen -- and to reestablish family ties with his three grown, estranged daughters. Yes, the whole thing sounded a lot like King Lear, which of course was the producers' intention. Also in the cast were Embeth Davidtz as Baines' lawyer daughter, Ellen; Jane Adams as Baines' unhappily married "middle child" Reeva; and Jacinda Barrett as youngest daughter Dori, the obligatory iconoclastic "bohemian." Originally titled The Second Act, Citizen Baines was to have made its CBS debut on September 22, 2001, but was moved to September 29 due to TV coverage of the World Trade Center bombing. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Cromwell, Embeth Davidtz, (more)
- 2004
- R
- Add Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to Queue Add Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to top of Queue
The second feature from director Michel Gondry (Human Nature) finds the filmmaker reteaming with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman for this off-the-wall romantic comedy. Jim Carrey stars as Joel Barish, a man who is informed that his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their relationship erased from her brain via an experimental procedure performed by Dr. Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson). Not to be outdone, Joel decides to have the same procedure done to himself. As Mierzwiak's bumbling underlings Stan (Mark Ruffalo) and Patrick (Elijah Wood) perform the operation on Joel -- over the course of an evening, in his apartment -- Joel struggles in his own mind to save the memories of Clementine from being deleted. Kirsten Dunst, David Cross, and Jane Adams also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, (more)
Just as the original 1950 version of Father of the Bride spawned a sequel, so did the 1991 remake; like its counterpart four decades earlier, this story concerns a father who learns that his anxieties are just beginning after his daughter takes the big walk down the aisle. George Banks (Steve Martin) has finally adjusted to the marriage of his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) when the fates drop a new bombshell on his head: Annie and her husband Bryan (George Newbern) announce that they're going to have a baby. While George's wife Nina (Diane Keaton) is happy enough about the news, George is thrown into an immediate mid-life crisis; while he and Nina were once discussing the possibility of selling the family home and moving to a place on the beach, George impulsively sells their home to Mr. Habib (Eugene Levy), a greedy land speculator. Now, with ten days to move, George gets even more unexpected news: Nina, who had earlier been fretting about the onset of menopause, has just learned that she's pregnant as well. George now has to deal with being a father again as well as becoming a grandparent, while he also figures out how to get the Banks family home back. Martin Short returns as Franck, the oddly accented wedding planner from Father of the Bride, who has moved into a new career organizing baby showers and redecorating homes. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, (more)
- 2000
In part one of Frasier?s eighth-season opener, the wedding of Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) and attorney Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek) has come to end before the knot has even been tied as Daphne runs off with her true love, Niles Crane (David Pierce). Left standing in the exhaust fumes of the fugitive couple's Winnebago are both Donny and Niles' vengeful bridge Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams). The upshot of all this is an enormous lawsuit brought against Daphne by Donny and an even more sinister revenge cooked up by Mel. Originally telecast as a 60-minute special, this episode has since been reedited as two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
In the concluding half of Frasier's eighth-season opener, outraged lawyer Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek) and infuriated plastic surgeon Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams) draws up plans to get even with their respective mates Daphne (Jane Leeves) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce) for running out on them (Niles had sped off in the same Winnebago used by Daphne to escape her wedding to Donny). As Donny prepares to sue Daphne for breach of promise, Mel sharkishly promises to divorce Niles, with whom she had earlier eloped -- but only under certain humiliating conditions. Originally telecast as a 60-minute special, this episode has since been reedited as two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
With her wedding day rapidly approaching, Daphne (Jane Leeves) finds herself in a court-ordered anger-management therapy program. As her counselor (S. Epatha Merkerson of Law & Order fame) listens with professional detachment, Daphne recounts the events leading up to the outburst that led to her current plight. What it boils down to is this: Daphne may be marrying Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek), but her heart still belongs to Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce). Anthony LaPaglia makes his first series appearance as Daphne's boorish, hard-drinking brother Simon, who turns out to know his sister's heart better than she does. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
In the first part of Frasier's Emmy-winning season-seven finale, the wedding day of Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) has arrived -- and so have several members of Daphne's bombastic cockney family. Admidst preparations for the big event, Daphne confesses to Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) that, although she is promised to Donny Douglas, she is still in love with Niles (David Hyde Pierce). Meanwhile, Daphne's loutish brother Simon (Anthony LaPaglia) tries to make time with Roz (Peri Gilpin). Originally telecast as a one-hour special, this episode has since been reedited as two half hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
In the concluding half of Frasier's Emmy-winning season-seven finale, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) tries to bring Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne (Jane Leeves) together for one last fond farewell before Daphne marries Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek). Meanwhile, Daphne's boorish brother Simon (Anthony LaPaglia) continues putting the moves on Roz (Peri Gilpin) -- who, as Donny's ex-girlfriend, is not altogether unresponsive. A shocking revelation about Niles' current companion Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams) sets off a chain reaction of calamitous events, culminating in perhaps the series' most famous season-ending cliffhanger. Originally telecast as a one-hour special, this episode has since been reedited as two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
The Crane household is set on its ear when social-climbing Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) hires a "veddy" proper British butler named Ferguson (Victor Garber). Not only is he the perfect gentleman's gentleman, but Ferguson is also knowledge on all matters ranging from social decorum to gourmet food -- and he isn't afraid to express his opinions, albeit ever-so-respectfully. Ferguson, however, draws the line at any familiarity between employer and employee -- which does not rest well with the very "familiar" Daphne (Jane Leeves). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1999
The Christmas Season is also a time of contemplation for Daphne (Jane Leeves). As she prepares for her marriage to Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek), Daphne wonders if the time has come to clear the air concerning Niles' pent-up feelings for her. As for Niles (David Hyde Pierce), it may be a bleak holiday indeed when his current "significant other" Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams) tumbles to a lie he has handed her. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
If he wants to keep his job, Frasier must curry favor with Todd Peterson (Alan Tudyk), the youthful, self-made billionaire owner of station KACL. As it happens, Todd is shy around "high society" folks, and wants Frasier to give him a few pointers. The result: Todd turns into a Frasier clone, much to the dismay of the "original." Meanwhile, Niles continue humiliating himself in public to in order to secure his divorce from the vengeful Mel (Jane Adams) -- but the more he tries to run away from his contentious spouse, the more he is entangled in her web. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1999
Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) is appalled when his own obituary is accidentally released to the media. Although reports of his death are highly exaggerated, the mistake sets Frasier to thinking about his future...or how much future he actually has. Meanwhile, Niles (David Hyde Pierce) begins seeing an attractive doctor named Mel Kanorfsky (Jane Adams, in her first series appearance) -- who happens to have been his ex-wife Maris' plastic surgeon. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) is tired of being considered a stuffed shirt. Offering to throw a bachelor party for Daphne's fiancé Donny (Saul Rubinek), Frasier intends to prove that he's as much a swinger as the next man by booking a stripper -- the sort who brings her own handcuffs and other such things. Meanwhile, Niles (David Hyde Pierce) continues to have trouble with the estimable Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams), especially when ex-wife Maris (who had previously used Mel's services as a plastic surgeon) finds out about their relationship. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
Niles' fractious lady friend Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams) has no qualms about exploiting the long-standing rivalry between Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Frasier (Kelsey Grammer). In fact, it was Mel's idea to pit brother against brother in a wine-tasting competition -- proof positive that it is high time Niles be told that Mel is definitely not the woman for him. As for the Crane boys' dad, Martin (John Mahoney), he is having trouble making peace with himself after sleeping with the widow (Anita Gillette) of one of his oldest friends. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
After his 1995 breakthrough, Welcome to the Dollhouse, director Todd Solondz was courted by a number of studios to make a big-budget film with top stars. Instead, he chose to make this aggressively dark comedy-drama of perversions and twisted lives. Andy Kornbluth (Jon Lovitz) explodes with anger after rejection in a restaurant from Joy Jordan (Jane Adams), one of a trio of middle-class New Jersey sisters. Joy's sister Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), a housewife with three kids, is married to psychiatrist Bill (Dylan Baker), who counsels the lonely, overweight Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Allen is obsessed with Joy's other sister, the successful poet Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), all the while ignoring the attentions of his seemingly sweet yet overweight neighbor Kristina (Camryn Manheim). Bill has fantasies of turning an assault rifle on families in a park, masturbates to teen magazine photos, and develops an unhealthy interest in a classmate of his 11-year-old son, Billy (Rufus Read). After a telephone sales job, Joy moves on to substitute teach at an adult education class, where she falls prey to the advances of an insensitive cabdriver, Vlad (Jared Harris). Allen's series of obscene phone calls to Helen come to an end when she challenges him to come next door and carry out his sexual threats. Meanwhile, the sisters' parents, Lenny and Mona Jordan (Ben Gazzara and Louise Lasser), find their marriage collapsing after 40 years. Lenny has sparked the interest of divorcée Diane Freed (Elizabeth Ashley), but he actually would prefer to be alone. The path to happiness, it seems, is littered with dreams, despair, and abnormalities. Winner of the International Critics' prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, Happiness met with much controversy both in pre-production and upon its release, as chronicled in producer Christine Vachon's book Shooting to Kill. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jane Adams, Dylan Baker, (more)
- 2007
Foreman (Omar Epps) takes on the case of Lupe (Monique Gabriela Cumen), a 28-year-old con artist suffering from "brain freeze". At first contemptueous of Lupe because she has never tried to rise above her inner-city surroundings (as he has), Foreman eventually becomes so emotionally involved with the woman that it clouds his medical judgment--a fact that will have serious ramifications in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, House (Hugh Laurie) picks the brain of one of Wilson's ex-wives (Jane Adams) to figure out why Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) has so much trouble holding on to a woman. This episode was directed by former ER costar Paul McCrane. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In the style of the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, I Love Trouble depicts the developing romance of two rival reporters who reluctantly fall for each other while competing for a major scoop. Old hand Peter Brackett (Nick Nolte) and aspiring newcomer Sabrina Peterson (Julia Roberts) first meet when they are both assigned to cover a mysterious train crash. The pair immediately develops a connection despite their professional rivalry, and they decide to work together. Sensing something fishy about the crash, they look deeper and are soon fighting to expose a wide-ranging conspiracy, while also struggling to outmaneuver and out-charm each other along the way. Co-creators Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers, who previously found success harking back to 1940s comedy in Father of the Bride, borrow heavily from His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby, and other screwball classics. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Julia Roberts, Nick Nolte, (more)
A tough cop must deal with some ugly crimes in a small New England town in this made-for-TV mystery. Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) is the thick-skinned chief of police in the small town of Paradise, MA; while Stone has a good heart, he's not the sort of man who wears his emotions on his sleeve, and often turns to whiskey when his work gets to be too much for him. When a series of unexplained murders begin occurring in Paradise, Stone begins to suspect Andrew Lincoln (Reg Rogers) and his wife, Brianna (Jane Adams), a pair of eccentric artists who have a fascination with violence. But when 16-year-old Candace Pennington (Alexis Dziena) is brought in to see Stone by her mother and father after she's been raped, Stone is a bit puzzled by the parents' reaction to the crime, and wonders if there might be some link between this assault and the murders. Stone Cold was based on the best-selling novel by noted crime author Robert B. Parker. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Jane Adams, (more)
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