Spencer Breslin Movies
Sure, he may have yet to land the role that would launch him from popular child star to serious young actor, but the fact that Spencer Breslin has appeared in such notable blockbusters as Disney's The Kid, The Santa Clause 2, and The Cat in the Hat by the age of 12 certainly isn't a bad start. A native of New York City who once voiced the hope to one day study football at Notre Dame, young Breslin had traveled the globe by the time he was only ten. He'll be the first to point out that his mother has been indispensable in terms of developing his screen talents. Though he may be remarkably capable of running the gamut of emotions for such a young star, Breslin admits that the one thing that does come hard to him is the ability to cry onscreen, a weakness which only his mother could help him overcome.Following his television debut in the series Soul Man, Breslin was cast in a small role in Stephen King's television miniseries Storm of the Century. Not only did the part offer the young actor the chance to meet one of the most popular writers of contemporary horror fiction, but it also gave him the chance to hone his onscreen persona. By the time casting was underway for Disney's The Kid, Breslin was talented and confident enough to beat out nearly 2,000 other hopefuls. A brief appearance in the same year's Meet the Parents soon followed, and after a quick pair of television appearances, Breslin was back on the big screen with the boy-meets-talking-koala charmer Ozzie (2001). In 2002, Breslin ventured into the world of animation by lending his voice to the popular television cartoon Teamo Supremo, with the same year's Return to Neverland offering even more vocal work. Of course, Breslin is primarily a live-action star, and after gaining feature face time in The Santa Clause 2 (2002), the rising star signed on for the eagerly anticipated feature The Cat in the Hat. The film starred Mike Myers as the titular character and featured Breslin and Dakota Fanning as the hapless children who are sucked into his surreal world. It wasn't long before Breslin was back up on the big screen in the 2004 comedy drama Raising Helen. A brief dalliance with royalty followed when Breslin was cast as the young prince Jacques in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, and after seeing his father literally go to the dogs in the 2006 Tim Allen comedy The Shaggy Dog, it was time to join a ragtag group of superpowered adolescents charged with the sizeable task of saving the world in the family oriented adventure Zoom. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
If you could talk to the child that you used to be, what advice would you give him? That question forms the basis of this comic fantasy. Forty-year-old Russ Duritz (Bruce Willis) is a wealthy and powerful "image consultant" who has made a career out of telling people how to present themselves. But while he's a success in business, he's a failure in life; he's vain, mean-spirited, and hasn't been able to hold onto a marriage (or even a pet dog). One day, Russ is startled to meet Rusty (Spencer Breslin), a stocky kid whom he soon realizes is himself at the age of eight, having passed through a wrinkle in time. Young Rusty doesn't seem much happier than the grown-up Russ, so the older man takes his younger self under his wing and tries to teach him how to avoid the mistakes he's made, while Rusty encourages Russ to be a more caring human being. Along the way, Russ and Rusty become friends, and realize how much they can learn from each other. Disney's The Kid also stars Jean Smart as one of Russ' clients, Lily Tomlin as his assistant, and Daniel Von Bargen as his father. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Spencer Breslin, (more)
Following up on the success of 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Imagine Entertainment presents The Cat in the Hat, their second live-action adaptation of a classic Dr. Seuss book. Starring Mike Myers, the film follows the adventures of Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and Sally Walden (Dakota Fanning), a young brother and sister who find themselves visited by the titular mischievous cat (Meyers) and his entourage when their mother (Kelly Preston) leaves them home alone. Also starring Alec Baldwin and the voice of Sean Hayes, The Cat in the Hat is the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated art director Bo Welch. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, (more)
A 13-year-old boy (Spencer Breslin) suffering from premature male-pattern baldness does his best to adjust to life in a new high school despite becoming the hapless target of every bully and cruel-minded teenager in town. While he's got the high-school janitor (Cuba Gooding Jr.) on his side, the follicly challenged Harold must still endure the merciless teasing of his unsympathetic peers. Rachel Dratch, Fred Willard, and Nikki Blonsky co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Breslin, Cuba Gooding, Jr., (more)
- 1998
Angie Harmon joins the cast as A.D.A. Abbie Carmichael in the opening episode of Law & Order's ninth season. The focus is on the "ethics" of foreign adoptions, and the catalyst is the suspicious death of a baby girl. The detectives are puzzled by the secretive attitude of the infant's parents, who won't allow the authorities into their apartment. Once this matter is settled, the D.A.'s office sets its sights on Russian doctor Andre Kostov (Victor Steinbach), who for a price has been farming out unhealthy children for adoption in the U.S. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Based on a true story, Moms on Strike stars Faith Ford as Pam Harris, a working mother who barely has time to catch a breath between her professional work and her household duties. When her husband Alan (Tim Matheson) and her kids thoughtlessly forget her birthday, Pam rebels, refusing to do any cooking or cleaning until she is appreciated. Pam's strike ultimately becomes a nationwide cause, with her Grandma Betty (Florence Henderson) as her biggest booster. Filmed in Ontario, the made-for-TV Moms on Strike premiered March 17, 2002 on the ABC Family Channel cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Faith Ford, Tim Matheson, (more)
Eight-year-old Justin Morton (Spencer Breslin) gets a birthday present he never expected while visiting Australia with his mother (Rachel Hunter). Thanks to the work of two dimwitted thugs, Tank Emerson (Ralf Moeller) and Buzz Maroni (Peter Rowley), a walking, talking, sunglasses-clad koala named Ozzie ends up in Spencer's backpack instead of the highly realistic stuffed koala he was expecting. It seems that the devious Maxine Happy (Joan Collins) has learned of this magical animal's existence among a peaceful tribe of aborigines and wants to clone the koala to make a fortune for her company "Happy Toys." Furious over Ozzie's escape, Happy sends her two bumbling henchman to recover her prize. This leaves Spencer no choice but to try and get Ozzie back "down under" using every trick and gadget he can muster. ~ Scott St. Clair, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Breslin, Joan Collins, (more)
Directed by Garry Marshall, Raising Helen revolves around Helen Harris (Kate Hudson), whose successful fashion career and decadent Manhattan lifestyle are plenty in terms of keeping her occupied and content. Helen's days as a socialite are brought to a swift end, however, when she is informed not only of the death of her sister and brother-in-law, but of the decision to leave their three children in her care. Being one of New York's hippest matters little to 15-year-old Audrey (Hayden Panettiere), ten-year-old Henry (Spencer Breslin), and five-year-old Sarah (Abigail Breslin), who would much rather have their parents back. Convinced she can raise the kids and maintain her already fast-paced schedule, Helen quickly finds herself burnt out and disheartened by her older sister's (Joan Cusack) lack of faith. Despite her already hectic schedule, however, Helen finds the time to develop a genuine affection for her new dependents, as well as an equally genuine attraction to Pastor Don Parker (John Corbett), the kids' school principal and local pastor. Eventually, Helen realizes she can't balance the two lives, and is faced with a difficult decision: Does she live her old dreams or take a chance on a new one? ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Hudson, John Corbett, (more)
Almost 50 years after Walt Disney brought James M. Barrie's classic children's tale Peter Pan to the screen in one of the best-loved animated features, the studio that bears his name revisits the story of the magical boy who doesn't grow up in this sequel. In London during World War II, Wendy (voice of Kath Soucie) comforts her children with stories about her youthful adventures with Peter Pan (voice of Blayne Weaver) in the fantastic world of Neverland. Young Danny (voice of Andrew McDonough) loves the stories and believes that they're real, but his older sister, Jane (voice of Harriet Owen), isn't so certain. Jane soon discovers her mother is indeed telling the truth when she's kidnapped by the evil Captain Hook (voice of Corey Burton) and spirited away to his lair in Neverland. Hook is still trying to capture his nemesis, Peter Pan, after all these years, and is certain he'll come to the rescue of his old friend, Wendy; however, Hook realizes too late that he's carried away Wendy's daughter instead. Peter comes to the aid of young Jane, but as they do battle with Hook, he realizes it will take some work before Jane will fit in with the Lost Boys. Return to Neverland includes original songs from Jonatha Brooke and They Might Be Giants. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harriet Owen, Blayne Weaver, (more)
Lady in the Water director M. Night Shyamalan puts PG-13 suspense on pause to tell this grim apocalyptic tale about a family fleeing a natural disaster that poses a grave threat to the whole of humanity. Philadelphia high-school science teacher Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) is discussing the disappearance of the bees with his students when the staff is summoned to the theater and briefed about a mysterious event that is currently unfolding in New York City. According to reports, citizens in the vicinity of Central Park have suddenly and inexplicably begun seizing up just before killing themselves by whatever means are at their disposal. As the phenomena begins to spread and talk of terrorism fills the airwaves, Elliot, his wife, Alma (Zooey Deschanel), their friend Julian (John Leguizamo), and his daughter, Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez), board a train bound for the presumed safety of the country. When the train screeches to a halt before arriving at its final destination, however, the frightened passengers are forced to fend for themselves as each consecutive news report paints an increasingly grim picture of the situation in more urbanized areas. Theories abound on what could be causing the unexplainable rash of suicides, but the only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that it's some kind of airborne contagion that is carried in the wind. It would appear that humankind's reign on planet Earth has come to an end, but perhaps if this small band of survivors can find a safe place to lie low until this all blows over, all hope for survival of the species might not be lost just yet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, (more)
Eight years after getting a crash course in the fine art of personifying Christmas, Tim Allen returns as Kris Kringle's replacement in this sequel to the 1994 hit The Santa Clause. While Scott Calvin (Allen) initially had mixed feelings when he became the new Santa Claus, after eight years on the job he's come to enjoy being Father Christmas, and he and the Elves are looking forward to another holiday season when things begin going a bit wrong. Scott finds he's becoming less and less "Santa-like," and his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) has become difficult enough to land on the official "Naughty" list. Scott discovers most of his problems stem from an obscure passage in his contract with the North Pole which decrees that he has to find a Mrs. Claus. Scott has little choice but to start dating, but he soon learns that when you're a big guy from the North Pole who lacks conventional employment, single women do not come running. In order to leave him more time to search for a wife, Scott and the Elves create a duplicate Santa to keep an eye on the shop; however, the "other" Santa turns out to be more Naughty than Nice, and in time Scott has to wrestle control of the North Pole away from his doppelganger. Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold, and David Krumholtz also reprise their roles from The Santa Clause. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, (more)
- 2006
- G
- Add The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause to QueueAdd The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause to top of Queue
Tim Allen returns as a regular guy-turned-Jolly Old Elf in the second sequel to the 1994 hit The Santa Clause. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), who doubles as Santa Claus, has settled into his home at the North Pole with his new wife, Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell), and is preparing for another Christmas when he receives a visitor -- Jack Frost (Martin Short), the cold-weather sprite who has been sent to help out St. Nick by Mother Nature (Aisha Tyler) and Father Time (Peter Boyle) after making a scene at a meeting of the Council of Legendary Figures. However, while Jack is supposed to acting as an assistant to Santa, he has a habit of making things go haywire, and as it happens this is no mistake -- Jack is hoping that an exasperated Santa will quit his position so Jack can take over and finally have a holiday he can bend to his will. Meanwhile, Scott has invited Carol's parents, Bud (Alan Arkin) and Sylvia (Ann-Margaret), over for a long-promised visit, but since he needs to keep his other identity a secret, he and his elves are forced to go to great lengths to convince them that they're actually in Northern Canada. Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold, and Spencer Breslin also reprise their roles from the first two Santa Clause films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, (more)
An unexpected transformation helps a workaholic attorney learn that there's more to life than the courtroom in this remake of the 1959 Disney canine classic of the same name. Deputy District Attorney Dave Douglas (Tim Allen) takes his job in the halls of justice very seriously -- so seriously in fact that his wife and family see considerably less of their frequently-absent husband and father than they would prefer. When a case involving an animal laboratory finds the distracted dad once again taking an extended leave of absence from his frustrated family, Douglas' luck takes a turn for the worst after he is inadvertently infected by a top-secret genetic-mutation serum that transforms the two-legged lawyer into a four-legged sheepdog. Though his current situation has its drawbacks to be sure, the fly-on-the-wall perspective afforded to Douglas in his newfound state alerts the well-intending father and husband that all is not well on the home front. Moved by the unfulfilled needs of his neglected family and determined to become a better father if he can only shed his winter coat, Douglas' unique new vantage point could offer just the motivation needed to bring the nefarious forces behind the serum to justice and win back his wife and kids once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Robert Downey, Jr., (more)
- 2003
In this adaptation of If I Had One Wish a children's novel by Jackie French Koller, 16-year-old Alex (A.J. Trauth) wishes that his pesky kid brother Stevie (Spencer Breslin) would disappear. This Stevie does -- literally. Belatedly realizing not only that he misses Stevie, but he doesn't really like being an "only child," Alex searches high and low for a way to undo his fateful wish. Looking suspiciously like the pilot for a weekly TV series, You Wish! aired January 10, 2003 over the Disney Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andrew James Trauth, Spencer Breslin, (more)
When Earth is faced with certain destruction, an over-the-hill superhero is charged with the task of training four super-powered kids to harness their powers and save the planet in an out-of-this-world comedy adventure for the whole family from director Peter Hewitt. Tim Allen, Spencer Breslin, Courteney Cox, and Chevy Chase star in a film written by Adam Rifkin and David Berenbaum and based on Jason Lethcoe's comic book Zoom's Academy for the Super Gifted. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Courteney Cox Arquette, (more)
