Taraji P. Henson Movies

An amiable Navy veteran loses his comfortable job at a big-box store, enrolls in community college, and seeks to reinvent himself while falling for his apathetic speech professor in this romantic comedy re-teaming Academy Award-winning Charlie Wilson's War co-stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Larry Crowne (Hanks) has just been downsized. The unfortunate victim of a failing economy, Larry decides that his best option to avoid becoming idle is to take some classes at his local community college. In no time, Larry befriends a colorful group of moped-obsessed outcasts on the road to self-improvement, and begins working to sharpen his communication skills in a public speaking class taught by Mercedes Tainot (Roberts). Disenchanted with her job and bored in her marriage, Mercedes has begun to feel as if she's missing out on life. But whenever she's with Larry, all of her problems seem to disappear. Now, just as Larry and Mercedes are feeling as if their lives have been put on hold, they both discover that fate sometimes has a way of giving us exactly what we need, at precisely the right time. Bryan Cranston, Cedric the Entertainer, Pam Grier, and George Takei co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This standup concert film captures Kevin Hart performing on his highly successful Laugh at My Pain tour, a series of concerts that found the funnyman breaking box-office records formerly held by Eddie Murphy. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

When a 12-year-old from Detroit moves to China with his mother and incurs the wrath of the class bully at his new school, he makes an unlikely ally in the form of his aging maintenance man, a kung fu master who teaches him the secrets to self-defense. Upon arriving at his new school, Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) develops a powerful crush on pretty classmate Mei Ying. The feeling is mutual, although the cultural divide between Dre and Mei Ying makes a friendship unlikely, and romance impossible. When cruel classmate and kung fu prodigy Cheng learns of Dre's feelings for Mei Ying, he harasses and humiliates the young outsider in front of the entire school. With no one to turn to for help, Dre confides his fears in kindly maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a kung fu master who knows that serenity and maturity -- not punches and power -- are the true keys to mastering the martial arts. As Dre prepares to face down his intimidating tormentor, he begins to realize that the real fight is just beginning. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A family's dirty laundry get aired out in public, and not everyone is happy about it in this dark comedy from director Barry W. Blaustein. Nathan (Ben Schwartz) is a writer who has recently published a best-selling novel that's being made into a major motion picture. Nathan is feeling very good about himself, but his siblings aren't so happy for him -- the book is a very thinly disguised version of his family's wildly dysfunctional history, and nearly everyone close to him can see themselves in its key characters. Nathan's older sister, Cheri (Sarah Silverman), a struggling actress, is so outraged that she's considering taking her brother to court, especially since the film version of the book is being shot outside her apartment and her father's new (and much younger) girlfriend (Alicia Witt) has been cast in the role patterned after her. Nathan's book has also become a thorn in the side of wildly irresponsible Joel (Rainn Wilson), who is on the run from loan sharks, and Jack (Michael C. Hall), whose career as an architect is crumbling almost as quickly as his marriage to Laura (Judy Greer). When the family gathers to celebrate the 70th birthday of their father (Ron Rifkin), along with their mother (Lesley Ann Warren) and her new husband (Nicholas Hormann), it makes for an evening with explosive potential. Peep World also features narration by comedian Lewis Black. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A hard-living nightclub singer discovers the importance of family with the help of a handsome Mexican immigrant in this inspirational comedy drama from writer/director Tyler Perry. When pistol-packing granny Madea (Perry) awakens to the sound of her home being ransacked by wayward teen Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson) and her two younger brothers, she promptly marches the troubled kids over their aunt April's house. But despite being the only relative the kids can turn to, April (Taraji P. Henson) is hardly a role model; a self-destructive songbird with a serious drinking problem, she spends her nights at the club and relies on her married boyfriend, Raymond, to pay the bills. Suddenly, into April's life wanders Sandino (Adam Rodriguez), a hard-luck immigrant in search of some honest work. Before long, Sandino has moved into April's basement room, and formed a solid connection with the kids. The closer April and Sandino grow, the more April begins to recognize the importance of faith and family. When the time comes to say goodbye to her old ways and start a new life, the wounded chanteuse realizes that she may have finally found the true love that's always eluded her. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's story, re-teams the director with Brad Pitt, who takes on the title role. What makes Button such a curious case is that when he is born in New Orleans just after World War I, he is already in his eighties, and proceeds to live his life aging in reverse. This sweeping film follows the character's unusual life into the 21st century as he experiences joy and sadness, loves lost and found, and the meaning of timelessness. Cate Blanchett co-stars along with Tilda Swinton, Elias Koteas, and Julia Ormond. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

The quirky characters at Crane, Poole and Schmidt are at it again, bringing the most outrageous and often times improbable cases to court.

When a shifty magician turns state's evidence against a Las Vegas underworld heavy, the high price placed on his head sparks a fevered race to rub the snitch out and collect a tidy paycheck in Narc director Joe Carnahan's dark action comedy. Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) is a small-time scammer who has somehow managed to get the goods on big-time mobster Primo Sparazza. Upon discovering that Buddy is about to deliver the evidence needed to get him thrown in jail for life, Primo takes out a sizable contract on Buddy that entices every two-bit thug, grizzled bounty hunter, deadly vixen, skilled assassin, and ladder-climbing Mafioso within a hundred-mile radius into taking a shot at the prize. Now holed up in his luxurious Lake Tahoe hideout with only two FBI agents (Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta) standing between him from a virtual army of money-hungry rogues, Buddy is about to find out just how far this motley crew of killers is willing to go in order to take him out and hit the jackpot. Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, and Martin Henderson co-star in a bullet-strewn, ensemble crime comedy that never stops to reload. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

House (Hugh Laurie) is certain that champion cyclist Jeff Foster (Kristoffer Polaha) is suffering from respiratory problems because he's been taking enhancement drugs--but he's ordered by Foster's handlers to keep his theories to himself. The diagnosis keeps changing as new information continues to turn up, culminating in a public brouhaha when the word "cancer" is mentioned. Meanwhile, Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) holds a grudge against Foster for betraying his devoted fans by not telling them the whole truth, and her attitude casts a pall over the entire proceedings. Elsewhere, House prepares to confront Mark Warner (Currie Graham), the husband of his ex-lover Stacy (Sela Ward), at a group therapy session. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

One man's struggle to rise above his circumstances prompts him to try a career in music in this acclaimed drama from writer and director Craig Brewer. Djay (Terrence Howard) is a low-level pimp and drug dealer who scraped together a living in the ghettos of Memphis, TN. Djay isn't happy with his life, and the realization that he's reached the same age when his father unexpectedly died has made him start thinking about changing his ways. Djay has always had a gift for spinning stories, and after picking up a cheap keyboard, he begins picking out beats to go along with his rhymes. After bumping into an old high-school buddy who works in gospel music, Key (Anthony Anderson), Djay decided to take the plunge and remake himself as a rapper. With the technical know-how of Key and the musical input of a local beat maker named Shelby (DJ Qualls), Djay begins turning his way with words and his first-hand knowledge of the street life into music, as his two live-in girlfriends, Lexus (Paula Jai Parker) and Shug (Taraji P. Henson), add their musical input and emotional support and Nola (Taryn Manning) continues to turn tricks to pay the bills. When local boy-turned-nationwide hip-hop star Skinny Black (Ludacris) comes to town to pay a visit to Arnel (Isaac Hayes), a club owner friendly with Djay, he sees an opportunity to put his demo in the hands of someone who can bring his music to the masses, though it turns out to be far more difficult than he expected. Hustle & Flow had its world premiere at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where it received a number of rave reviews and took home the Audience Award. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Ten years later, writer and director John Singleton returns to the South Central Los Angeles neighborhoods of his debut film Boyz 'N the Hood (1991). Tyrese Gibson stars as Jody, a jobless 20-year-old African-American man who has fathered two children by two different women, Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and Peanut (Tamara LaSeon Bass), although he still lives with his 36-year-old mother Juanita (Adrienne-Joi Johnson). As Jody grapples with the increasing pressures of adult responsibility, he also contends with his troubled best friend Sweetpea (Omar Gooding) and new adversary Rodney (Snoop Doggy Dogg). Then there's his mother's live-in boyfriend Marvin (Ving Rhames), a reformed gangsta who agrees with Juanita that her son should grow up, move out, and move on. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Carol (Julianna Margulies) comforts a security guard (Michael Rapaport) as he lies dying from severe chemical burns. The other staffers tend to a young man (Keith Bogart) who fell 75 feet into the Chicago river. Also part of the ER caseload is an elderly couple who may or may not have AIDs, and a heroin-addicted infant named Josh McLean. And elsewhere, Benton (Eriq La Salle) is none too happy that Carla (Lisa Nicole Carson) has invited her boyfriend to Reese's baptism. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the opening episode of Homicide: Life on the Street's fourth season, the viewer is informed that Baltimore homicide detectives Bolander and Felton have been suspended without pay for 22 weeks after their misbehavior at a D.C. police convention -- thereby neatly explaining away the departures of former series regulars Daniel Baldwin and Ned Beatty. The rest of the episode sets up a plot line that will not be resolved until the following week, beginning with the discovery of a charred body at an arson scene. This grisly revelation leads to a clash between homicide cops Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor), and all-too-glib arson detective Mike Kellerman (played by new series regular Reed Diamond). And in other developments, Pembleton discovers that his wife is pregnant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi