Daniel Whitner Movies
- 2003
A woman's body is fished out of the East River, and evidence at the crime scene points to a missing football player. Also intimately involved in the case is the athlete's brother, Sean Ridgeway (Craig Walker), and his parents Howard and Miriam (John Doman and Lizbeth Mackay). This episode is distinguished by two facts: It was broadcast on a Thursday night, rather than the usual Law & Order Wednesday slot, and it was the subject of a Newsday article, written by a journalist who'd been hired to appear as an extra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A powerful behind-the-scenes man in politics and show business finds himself skidding into a very public scandal in this taut drama. Eli Wurman (Al Pacino) was raised in the deep South, attended Harvard Law School, and has devoted his spare time to progressive political causes since working alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. However, Wurman now makes his living as a press agent and PR man, and while he's near the top of his profession, years of overwork, constant smoking and drinking, and ceaseless tension are taking their toll, leaving him on the verge of collapse, with only the prescriptions of his friend Dr. Napier (Robert Klein) keeping him on his feet. One of Wurman's biggest clients is Cary Launer (Ryan O'Neal), a fading film star with political aspirations who, after attending a disastrous Broadway opening, asks Wurman to do him a big favor -- bail Launer's girlfriend, Jilli (Téa Leoni), out of jail and keep an eye on her. Wurman manages to get Jilli out of the stir, but she insists upon being escorted to an exclusive sex and opium den for a night of heavy drinking and drugging, and then reveals to Wurman that she owns a device which she's used to record footage of the most public figures who attend the club, including Elliott Sharansky, a billionaire Jewish civic leader (Richard Schiff). That night, a half out-of-it Eli accompanies Jilli back to her hotel room when an intruder barges in and forces an overdose on her, killing her instantly. The next morning, Wurman has only fuzzy memories of what transpired. He decides to focus on his attempts to set up a political fundraiser, but has a hard time getting the right A-list celebs to appear, just as many of New York's power brokers aren't especially interesting in working with Wurman or Launer. In the midst of this chaos, Victoria (Kim Basinger), who was married to Wurman's late brother, arrives in New York and urges him to leave the city and his career behind while he still can. People I Know was screened in competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Kim Basinger, (more)
- 2002
A judge and a lawyer receive suspicious-looking envelopes in the mail -- envelopes which both explode, revealing themselves to be full of nothing more than harmless white powder. Or maybe the powder isn't so harmless, since one of the recipients goes into cardiac arrest. As the 15th precinct investigates this case, Capt. Fraker (Casey Siemaszko) of the IAB offers to turn the heat off John Clark Jr. (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) in the matter of his dead prostitute informant -- provided that John turns up evidence to destroy his own partner, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz). Meanwhile, John's detective father (Joe Spano) cuts a deal that bodes ill for the future, and gay cop John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup) makes plans to lavishly spend his huge inheritance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Simmons
In this whimsical romantic comedy that recalls It's a Wonderful Life, Nicolas Cage plays Jack Campbell, a workaholic bachelor who gets to see what his life might have been like had he stayed with his old sweetheart, Kate (Tea Leoni). Thirteen years before, Jack accepted a brokerage internship that marred his relationship with Kate, under the promise that they would only be separated one year. But much later, Jack has become an urban Wall Street exec with no wife or family of his own, and a mysterious proxy (Don Cheadle) offers him the opportunity to step into the life he left behind. After falling asleep in his posh New York apartment, Jack awakens to find himself in bed with his now-wife Kate, daughter Annie (Makenzie Vega), and a new baby, none of which he has ever experienced in his fast-paced single life. After discovering his "real" life has been eliminated, he begrudgingly tries to fit in with his newly appointed life as a family man. The Family Man also stars Saul Rubinek and Jeremy Piven. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, (more)
- 1999
- NR
In this loopy, pun-laden comedy, Max Block, a police detective who's as hard as nails but not as sharp, finds himself on the trail of a serial killer named Trojan. The cast includes Terence Goodman as Block, David Cale as the murderer, Frank Gorshin as the chief of police, and "Uncle Floyd" Vivino) as a pathologist. Rock music fans will want to keep an eye peeled for supporting performances from Ramones vocalist Joey Ramone and Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terence Goodman, David Cale, (more)
