Dennis Haysbert Movies
Dennis Haysbert looks good in a suit, and his imposing frame and commanding voice make him ideal for roles as respected, but generally liked, authority figures. Although he does indeed excel at these types of roles, that isn't to suggest that the talented actor is without humor or a certain alluring charm. With a kindly face that suggests a sympathetic nature fronted by a confident exterior, Haysbert has excelled at portraying everything from detectives to presidential candidates, all undeniably convincing and with the sort of complex emotional texture that makes them entirely three-dimensional.A San Mateo, CA, native and graduate of Pasadena's American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the burgeoning actor made his earliest appearances on such television classics as Laverne & Shirley, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and The Incredible Hulk. The made-for-television feature Code Red provided Haysbert with his first substantial role, and after reprising that part in the subsequent television series based on the feature, he would appear sporadically in numerous small-screen series and features throughout the remainder of the 1980s. In 1989, Haysbert garnered his most substantial role up to that time, playing the voodoo-worshiping baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the sports comedy hit Major League. His pitch-perfect comedic performance effectively launched his career into the 1990s, and Haysbert would later reprise the role in both of the film's sequels.
By the time of his supporting role in 1990's Navy SEALS, Haysbert was a recognizable face onscreen, and though audiences may not have committed his name to memory yet, roles in Mr. Baseball (1992, again running the bases), Love Field (1992), and Heat (1995) proved he was a talent on the verge of stardom. Haysbert's memorable lead in the darkly comedic 1993 thriller Suture, though unseen by many as a result of poor distribution and advertising, proved once and for all that he was well capable of carrying a film. Though he was not given that particular opportunity in many of the movies that immediately followed Suture, the few in which he did lead found him remarkably effective and the remainder found him higher on the credits list than ever before. Haysbert's role in the short-lived Sci-Fi Channel series Now and Again may have drawn favorable reviews from critics and audiences (even earning the actor a Saturn award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films), but that wasn't enough to keep the series afloat. After one all-too-brief season on that show, the actor moved on to memorable roles in Random Hearts (1999) and Love and Basketball (2000).
When the hit series 24 debuted in 2001, viewers discovered what the lucky few had been clued in to for years, and Haysbert's onscreen intensity proved an ideal match with the series' marked urgency. Haysbert's performance as presidential hopeful David Palmer proved so effective that he was not only nominated for a Golden Globe for the role in 2003, but an Image Award and a Screen Actor's Guild Award as well. Though an exhausting bi-coastal shuttle may have left Haysbert bleary-eyed as he maintained his role in 24 while also essaying a role in director Todd Haynes' acclaimed drama Far From Heaven, his flawless performances on both the big and small screens proved that he was no longer a talent to watch for, but one with which to contend. The following year, Haysbert lent his voice to the animated adventure Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Tony (Carlos Bernard) is being held hostage by Mandy (Mia Kirshner from seasons one and two). When Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) realizes that Tony has gone missing, he uses all available personnel to seal a perimeter around the apartment complex and begin searching. Mandy, who knows that Tony once committed treason to save Michelle (Reiko Aylesworth), calls Michelle and asks her if she loves Tony enough to do the same for her. Michelle reluctantly agrees to help Mandy escape by redeploying the men in her path. Michelle relents, however, and tells Buchanan (James Morrison) what's going on. He relays the information to Jack, who tells Michelle to proceed as if she's holding up her end of the bargain, in hopes of drawing out Mandy. But the pretty mercenary is more cunning than they give her credit for. Meanwhile, Bern (Robert Cicchini) is abducted by the Chinese while trying to flee the country. Cheng (Tzi Ma) threatens to spirit him away to a remote labor camp if he doesn't reveal who led the operation to kidnap Lee Jong. This episode was originally shown together with the finale in a two-hour block. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Federal agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is having a very bad day in this unique, action-packed drama series in which events unfold in real time and the entire season takes place within one 24-hour day. Bauer is the director of the Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles. He's also a married man who is attempting to rebuild a trust-depleted relationship with his wife Teri (Leslie Hope), and a father to independent-minded teen daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert). Shortly after midnight on the morning of the California Democratic presidential primary, Jack receives information that an assassination attempt will be carried out against Maryland senator David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) -- the first African-American with a legitimate chance of capturing the White House -- sometime within the next 24 hours. Jack's mission is made even more difficult when he learns from his boss Richard Walsh (Michael O'Neill) that someone within CTU may be a mole involved with the foreign-based conspiracy. Meanwhile, Palmer, unaware of the assassination plot, receives a phone call from a dogged reporter who says she has evidence that his son Keith (Vicellous Reon Shannon) committed murder. He allegedly killed his sister's rapist. Palmer initiates an investigation to uncover the truth and must decide whether to break the story himself or wait. Jack is contacted by terrorist Ira Gaines (Michael Massee), who informs him that his wife and daughter have been kidnapped by Gaines' henchmen. Gaines threatens to kill them if Jack refuses to follow his detailed instructions. Gaines' goal is simple: Jack is to carry out the assassination against Palmer himself. As the hours pass, the conspiracy deepens, and Jack learns the surprising truth behind the plot and his role in it. ~ Tim Holland, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Leslie Hope, (more)
Eighteen months after Day 1's foiled assassination plot, Day 2 finds Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) officially stepping into the role of America's protector as he attempts to stop terrorists from setting off a bomb in Los Angeles. During his hunt for the nuclear device, Jack becomes romantically involved with Kate Warner (Sarah Wynter), who suspects her sister's fiancé is working with Middle Eastern terrorists. Behind-the-scenes political intrigue centers on David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), now president of the United States after surviving Day 1's assassination attempts. While Palmer supports Jack and CTU's efforts to track down the nuclear device, Vice President Jim Prescott (Alan Dale) and Palmer's own Cabinet question the president's decision-making ability and seek to undermine his authority at every turn. Meanwhile, Jack's daughter, Kim (Elisha Cuthbert), who was rescued from kidnappers in the first season, turns the tables during Day 2. This time, it's Kim who does the kidnapping---or, as she sees it, rescuing---of a child she's been babysitting in order to protect the girl from an abusive father. Later in the day, guest star Kevin Dillon appears as survivalist Lonnie McRae, who takes Kim hostage after convincing her that the nuclear bomb has already been detonated in L.A. Familiar faces returning to action include CTU agents Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) and Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), whose relationship begins to develop romantically under the day's stress; CTU director George Mason (Xander Berkeley), who is exposed to radiation during a fierce gun battle; and First Lady Sherry Palmer (Penny Johnson Jerald), who reveals a dark side in her manipulations of the president for political gain. ~ Todd Thatcher, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Dennis Haysbert, (more)
After thwarting last season's attempted nuclear attack on Los Angeles, Day 3 finds Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) again fighting to protect the city, this time from a weaponized virus. But Jack is also battling a personal demon -- a heroin addiction he picked up while working undercover in a drug-smuggling ring run by terrorist Ramon Salazar (Joaquim de Almeida). At Jack's side throughout Day 3 is his daughter, Kim (Elisha Cuthbert), who took a desk job at CTU in the time between Seasons 2 and 3. Complicating matters is Kim's relationship with Jack's new partner, Chase Edmunds (James Badge Dale), whom she has been secretly dating. Further CTU romance is found between agents Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) and Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), whose working relationship has blossomed into marriage. But it's a rocky union that's tested throughout Day 3, by everything from charges of terrorism to exposure to a deadly virus. Following the dissolution of his marriage to the first lady, President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) is deep into his reelection campaign. But privately he is still grappling with the lingering effects of the viral attack carried out by assassin Mandy (Mia Kirshner) during Day 2's final moments. New to the series is Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), a CTU senior analyst whose computer skills prove helpful during Jack's mission this season and beyond. Day 3 also features the first appearance of Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), who serves as the new chief of staff for his older brother. While lacking in major guest stars, Day 3 does feature Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as rookie computer analyst Adam Kaufman, and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost), who returns for a second go-round as CTU agent Tom Baker. ~ Todd Thatcher, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Dennis Haysbert, (more)
Season four of the wildly successful "real-time" adventure series 24 begins some 18 months at the end of season three. John Keeler (Geoff Pierson) has succeeded David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) as president of the United States, and the new secretary of defense is James Heller (William Devane) -- who is also the new boss of crack CTU agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). One of Heller's first moves is to reunite Jack with his old nemesis Erin Driscoll (Alberta Watson), now the head of the CTU. Unbeknownst to most of the principal characters, Jack is in love with Heller's daughter (and policy assistant), Audrey Raines (Kim Raver), this despite the fact that Audrey is still legally married to estranged husband, Paul (James Frain). Outside of Jack Bauer and President Keeler, the only series character from season three to return as a regular in season four is CTU tech analyst Chloe O'Brien (Mary Lynn Rajskub); the rest of the cast is virtually brand-new. The "day" that comprises the fourth season begins, typically, with a nail-biting crisis, when James Heller and his daughter Audrey are captured by a terrorist group headed by Habib Marwan (Arnold Vosloo), who has already set a fiendish master plan in motion with a train bombing in the U.S. It soon develops that the abduction of Heller and Audrey is but a subterfuge to allow an enemy stealth bomber to blow up Air Force One and eliminate the president -- and ultimately to gain control of a nuclear warhead that will destroy a major U.S. city. Making matters worse, there is a turncoat in the ranks of the CTU -- and without giving the game away, it can be noted that CTU agent Sarah Gavin (Lana Parrilla) tumbles to the mole's identity before Jack Bauer does. As the tension mounts, Paul Raines is seriously wounded saving Jack during a covert mission, which "ices" Jack's relationship with Audrey; a shattering personal tragedy forces Erin Driscoll to resign from her post in mid-season; there is dissension in the terrorist ranks during a concerted effort to trigger nuclear meltdowns in six different cities; the seldom-used 25th Amendment is invoked to change presidents in midstream; and an old enemy of Jack's from the series' first two seasons appears virtually out of nowhere to make a terrible situation far worse than could ever be imagined. Clearly, the fourth season of 24 drew inspiration from the headlines of the day, notably the controversial treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. The series also was attacked by certain special-interest groups for making several of the villains Arabs, or of Arab descent. And of course, there were those who carped that the series' notion of "real time" (each episode consisted of a single uninterrupted hour in the same day) resulted in some rather ludicrous lapses of logic. But 24 was as big a hit in the ratings throughout its fourth season as it had been all along. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, William Devane, (more)
In this thriller, an aging cat burglar becomes a crusader embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game involving murder and a government cover-up. Adapted by distinguished scenarist William Goldman from a novel by David Baldacci and featuring a powerful all-star cast, the story works at different levels, not only as a straight-forward thriller but also as an insightful look at the love between the old thief and his estranged daughter, a highly successful prosecuting attorney. The trouble begins when ex-con Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood, who also directed) decides to pull off one last heist before retiring. Just as he finishes looting the vault of a well-fortified mansion, a drunken couple enters the adjoining bedroom apparently eager to start making love. But something goes awry and a violent tussle ensues that abruptly ends when gun-wielding men bust in and shoot down the woman. During the ensuing chaos, Luther slips out. Only later does the audience learn that the would-be lovers were U.S.-President Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman) and Christy Sullivan (Melora Hardin), the young wife of the President's biggest supporter Walter Sullivan (E.G. Marshall). As the investigation and cover-up begins, Luther, who has already been contacted by hard-boiled and suspicious detective Seth Frank (Ed Harris) begins to fear that he will be blamed for the killing and prepares to leave the country. He tries to see his daughter Kate (Laura Linney) to make peace with her for having been absent in prison during most of her life, but she rejects him. Luther goes to the airport, but just before he flies, he sees a press conference in which President Richmond, without so much as a twitch, goes on a tirade concerning his stand against violence. Something inside him snaps and he abruptly decides to stay and fight for justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, (more)
Shattered Glass director Billy Ray directs Chris Cooper and Ryan Philippe in this fact-based drama concerning the FBI traitor who carried out what many historians refer to as the most notable national security breach in U.S. history. A key member of the FBI's elite Soviet Analytical Unit, Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) would, for 15 years beginning in 1985, sell thousands of pages of classified documents to the Soviets. After making roughly 600,000 dollars on his clandestine endeavor and compromising everything from the identities of KGB spies working for the American government to nuclear war contingency plans, Hanssen was eventually transferred to a newly created position at the FBI's Washington headquarters and assigned the task of guarding his country's most sensitive secrets. It was while working in this capacity that a young agent named Eric O'Neill (Phillipe) was assigned the task of keeping tabs on Hanssen by suspicious higher-ups. Later, after being arrested while delivering a cache of secret documents to a "dead drop" spot in a Virginia park, the notorious traitor was arrested and sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, (more)
The assassination of Julius Caesar has plunged Rome into chaos, and the only hope for the once-thriving empire lies in the ability of his 18-year-old nephew Octavius to defeat the manipulative Marc Anthony in this epic miniseries starring Santiago Cabrera and directed by John Gray, Kim Manners, and Greg Yaitanes. On the eve of Caesar's demise, Rome is thrown into anarchy and Octavius is thrust into exile with his guardian Tyrannus lest he meet a similar fate as his uncle at the hands of those who wish to see Caesar's bloodline severed once and for all. In the years that follow, Octavius is trained by his faithful mentor for the day he will return to Rome and seek revenge against the man who orchestrated his uncle's downfall. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Maverick director Todd Haynes embraces the look and feel of classic Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s in this period drama. Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) and her husband, Frank (Dennis Quaid), are a seemingly perfect couple; living in a handsome suburban neighborhood in Hartford, CT, in 1957, Cathy and Frank have a beautiful home and two happy, healthy children, while Frank pursues a successful career in sales and Cathy cares for the home. But Cathy has begun to sense something isn't quite right in her marriage, as Frank begins working late, spending less time with her, and seems cold and distant. One day, Cathy visits Frank's work and discovers something she never expected -- her husband is kissing a man. At Cathy's urging, Frank undergoes psychotherapy, but as she tries to keep up a brave face, the emotional trauma takes a great toll on her, and she finds there are very few people she can talk with. Cathy strikes up a friendship with Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert), an African-American gardener who works for the Whitakers, and as she discovers how intelligent and compassionate Raymond is, she finds herself drawn to him. However, Hartford is in many ways still a small town, and when Mona (Celia Weston) sees Cathy and Raymond alone together, it sets off a wave of vicious gossip that threatens to make the Whitakers' many secrets public knowledge. Far from Heaven premiered at the 2002 Venice Film Festival, where Julianne Moore's performance won the prize for Best Actress. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, (more)
- 2007
- R
Bille August's inspirational docudrama Goodbye Bafana begins in 1968, with South Africa buried neck-deep in the horrors of apartheid and Nelson Mandela (Dennis Haysbert) -- then an underground leader of the African National Congress -- imprisoned on Robben Island for sedition. As the story opens, the native African population of the country -- 25 million in number -- buckles beneath the crippling weight of the racist white minority, who control the Nationalist Party Government. The film follows the spiritual and psychological journey of James Gregory (Joseph Fiennes), a Caucasian Afrikaner who came of age on a farm in the Transkei and initially views all blacks as subhuman. Gregory also speaks Mandela's native language of Xhosa with perfect fluency, which makes him an ideal candidate to serve as warden of the Robben Island Prison and eavesdrop on Mandela and his inmates. What he fails to anticipate is the most unlikely and special of friendships (one of history's greatest) that burgeons between himself and Mandela -- and helps him evolve from a narrow-minded bigot with limited self-awareness to a sensitive, humane critic of social injustice with a heightened awareness of humankind's ill treatment of one another and a genuine love for his fellow man. As the friendship between Gregory and Mandela grows and matures, it symbolizes Africa's transition from the oppressiveness of apartheid to the freedom of multiracial democracy. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, (more)
- 1981
Produced by Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner, Grambling's White Tiger stars Jenner as real-life quarterback Jim Gregory. The film recounts Gregory's efforts to become the first white player on Grambling College's all-black football team. Harry Belafonte made his TV-movie debut as legendary Grambling coach Eddie Robinson. The script was adapted from My Little Brother is Coming Tomorrow, a book by Bruce Behrenberg. Filmed on location in Louisiana, Grambling's White Tiger originally aired October 4, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
It's hardly a happy birthday for Maggie (Joanne Kerns) when the Seavers come home to discover that their house has been burglarized. Literally everything is gone--including several precious heirlooms and other beloved objects. This unusually serious episode focuses on the profound feelings of "violation" experienced by the family. Future 24 and The Unit regular Dennis Haysbert is seen as a police officer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Maggie (Joanna Kerns) has been inordinately touchy and argumentative of late, which she attributes to her frustration over the predominance of males in American society. The limit comes when Jason (Alan Thicke) cluelessly humiliates Maggie in front of her boss Sid (Kenneth Tigar). At this point, Maggie is convinced that she and Jason have grown inexorably apart...or at least that's what she thinks until the real reason for her mood swings is revealed (to everyone's surprise but the audience). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Despite their trepidations, Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns) agree to let Mike (Kirk Cameron) take charge of the house while they spend the weekend at a Vermont mountain lodge. When they call home and no one answers, Jason and Maggie begin to imagine all sorts of horrible scenarios, ranging from a weird stranger kidnapping the kids to Carol (Tracey Gold) and Ben (Jeremy Miller) cutting up at a bar! But what is actually occuring back at home turns out to be far more fascinating. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A successful career criminal considers getting out of the business after one last score, while an obsessive cop desperately tries to put him behind bars in this intelligent thriller written and directed by Michael Mann. Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is a thief who specializes in big, risky jobs, such as banks and armored cars. He's very good at what he does; he's bright, methodical, and has honed his skills as a thief at the expense of his personal life, vowing never to get involved in a relationship from which he couldn't walk away in 30 seconds. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is an L.A.P.D. detective determined to catch McCauley, but while McCauley's personal code has forced him to do without a wife and children, Hanna's dedication has made a wreck of the home he's tried to have; he's been divorced twice, he's all but a stranger to his third wife, and he has no idea how to reach out to his troubled step-daughter. While McCauley has enough money to retire and is planning to move to New Zealand, he loves the thrill of robbery as much as the profit, and is blocking out plans for one more job; meanwhile, he's met a woman, Eady (Amy Brenneman), whom he's not so sure he can walk away from. The supporting cast includes Val Kilmer as Chris, one of McCauley's partners; Ashley Judd as his wife Charlene; Jon Voight as Nate; Hank Azaria as Alan Marciano; and Henry Rollins as Hugh, who is beaten up by Hanna. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, (more)
- 1998
Kip Koenig wrote and directed this comedy, set in a small college town, about neurotic Bell Bryant (Clea DuVall) who explains her problems directly to the camera: her older sister Sarah (Jorja Fox) has a happy marriage plus a baby on the way. Her other sister, beautiful Dot (Amy Smart), is involved in an affair with Bell's ex, Leonard (Gabriel Mann). In a remote location, Bell makes love to Leonard and then departs, abandoning the nude Leonard who makes his way to the house of a married couple (Dennis Haysbert, Marianne Jean-Baptiste). Wondering if she's a lesbian, the confused Bell dates a woman and then dashes around from one place to another, dropping in on her mom (Mary Kay Place), her uncle, John David Souther), and various eccentrics. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clea DeVall, Gabriel Mann, (more)
A young man gets a crash course in the madness of war in this fact-based drama from director Sam Mendes. Anthony "Swoff" Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) decides to join the Marines, just like his father and his father before him, and signs on just in time to be sent to Iraq to fight in the Gulf War in 1991. After experiencing the rigors of boot camp, Swofford and his pal Troy (Peter Sarsgaard) are trained to be snipers, and under the leadership of Sgt. Sykes (Jamie Foxx) and Lt. Col. Kazinski (Chris Cooper), the two land in the middle of a desert where they're up against an enemy they can't always see under a blazing sun with hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Swofford, Troy, and their fellow soldiers rely on the wits, their sense of humor, and their friendship of their brothers in arms to deal with a situation that doesn't much resemble what they saw on television at home. Jarhead was based on the memoirs of the real-life Anthony Swofford, who did serve as a sniper in the 1991 Gulf War; the title comes from military slang for a Marine enlistee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, (more)
- 2003
In the first episode of a two-part story, John Stewart, aka The Green Lantern, must come to the rescue of his fellow "Lanterns," several of whom have pitted their lives against the alien minions of the evil Despero. John is alerted to this peril by another "Lantern" named Kilowog, who has escaped the villain's clutches and made his way to the headquarters of the Justice League. Complicating matters is the presence of Stewart's mentor and former sweetheart Kama Tui, who has apparently sold out to Despero. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Haysbert, Keith David, (more)
- 2003
In the conclusion of a two-part story, League member John Stewart, aka The Green Lantern, continues in his efforts to save his fellow "Lanterns" -- and by extension, all mankind -- from the mass-brainwashing scheme fomented by the evil Despero. Happily, it turns out that Stewart's former sweetheart Katma Tui has not joined the enemy camp but has gone undercover to destroy Despero's operation from within. Unhappily, Stewart, Katma, and Hawkgirl are captured by Despero's alien minions, leaving J'onn J'onnz and The Flash to mount a desperate rescue effort. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Haysbert, Keith David, (more)
- 1979
Ed Begley Jr. returns in the role of Shirley's brother Bobby Feeney. Evidently Bobby's years in the Navy have not been altogether beneficial; during her sibling's shore leave, Shirley becomes painfully aware that Bobby has developed into a full-fledged alcoholic. Featured in the supporting cast of this surprisingly somber episode is future 24 and The Unit star Dennis Haysbert. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A young African-American couple navigates the tricky paths of romance and athletics in this drama. Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) grew up in the same neighborhood and have known each other since childhood. As they grow into adulthood, they fall in love, but they also share another all-consuming passion: basketball. They've followed the game all their lives and have no small amount of talent on the court. As Quincy and Monica struggle to make their relationship work, they follow separate career paths though high school and college basketball and, they hope, into stardom in big-league professional ball. Love and Basketball was the first feature film for writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously helmed several comedy specials for Dave Chappelle. Spike Lee co-produced. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, (more)
Jonathan Kaplan directs this drama which grafts a nostalgic mood piece with a race-to-the-finish road movie. Lurene Hallett (Michelle Pfeiffer) is an insulated middle-class wife living in Texas in the early 1960s who adores the Kennedys, particularly Jackie, whom she feels is a kindred soul. When she finds out the President and First Lady will be in Dallas on November 22, 1963, she races to the airport to greet the couple. Just missing them, she drives through the Dallas streets and notices a quiet chaos developing. When she finds out John Kennedy has been assassinated, Lureen is determined to get to Washington to be with Jackie for the funeral. When her redneck husband Ray (Brian Kerwin) refuses to give her the car, she gets on a bus, where she meets a black man named Johnson (Dennis Haysbert), with his five-year-old daughter Jonell (Stephanie McFadden). Lureen speaks continually about Kennedy and the rest of the black occupants of the bus roll their eyes. But after an accident with the bus, Lureen uncovers the fact that Mr. Johnson's real name is Cater, and he has kidnapped his daughter from an orphanage and is heading to Philadelphia. With the cops on their tail, the trio steals a car and race northward with the police in pursuit, Lureen hoping to make to Washington in time for Kennedy's funeral. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michelle Pfeiffer, Dennis Haysbert, (more)
- 1985
Called back to active Naval service by Admiral Hawkes (Paul Burke), Magnum (Tom Selleck) is handed the delicate task of pinpointing and plugging a security leak at a Navy base where a top-secret nuclear submarine is docked. The mission proves to be a painful one when it appears that the source of the leak is the fiancee (Simone Griffeth) of Hawkes' own son Andy (Jeff Yagher)--and things go from bad to worse when circumstantial evidence suggests that Andy himself is the guilty one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
