Patricia Healy Movies

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, Rovi

Carter (Noah Wyle) pulls off his first major blunder when he tells the wrong family that their teenaged son died in a car accident. Resident Romeo Ross (George Clooney) steps up his campaign to win Carol (Julianna Margulies) away from her current beau, Dr. Taglieri (Rick Rossovich). And the volatile Benton (Eriq La Salle) attacks his brother-in-law, Walt (Ving Rhames), for neglecting his family, then turns his wrath upon Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) for a misdiagnosis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

China Moon is a slick noir thriller, nice to look at, well-acted and directed, but ultimately predictable, even to its "surprise" ending. Kyle Bodine (Ed Harris) falls in love with Rachel Munro (Madeleine Stowe), the unhappily married wife of a drunken Southern aristocrat Rupert (Charles Dance). One night, tired of his beatings and abuse, Rachel kills Rupert, apparently in self-defense. Kyle helps her cover-up the crime and establish an alibi. However, Kyle's young partner Lamar (Benecio Del Toro) suspects Rachel of the murder and begins an investigation. In fairly predictable plot twists reminiscent of the far superior Body Heat Kyle finds his life falling apart. While the plot is contrived, the performances are convincing, particularly that of Madeline Stowe as the treacherous Rachel. Ed Harris gives the character of Kyle depth and complexity. Cinematographer-turned-director John Bailey gives the film a great, dark, rain-slicked noir look and feel and lingers on details which take an otherwise predictable mystery/thriller and make it seem like a game of wits. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

Angry over the demolition of his home, eccentric Mr. Willard (Stephen Root) begins buying up major New York City landmarks--including the Night Court building. When it turns out that Willard is within his legal rights, Harry (Harry Anderson) is put on the trail of a serious financial snafu made by the city government. Meanwhile, Dan (John Larroquette) savors the prospect of judging the annual "Miss Mass Transit" beauty pageant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Howard Franklin wrote and directed this film noir character study based on the famed New York Daily News photographer Weegee. Joe Pesci plays a character named Bernstein, a freelance photographer for the New York City tabloids of the 1940s. His life is dedicated to his work; with a police radio under the dashboard of his car and a darkroom in his trunk, he quickly and efficiently races to the scene of crimes, accidents and murders to snap photographs of gangsters, politicians, cops, and prostitutes, which he promptly delivers to the newspapers. His knack for arriving at a crime scene before the police earns him the nickname the Great Bernzini. The trouble begins for Bernstein when he agrees to look up a gangster for Kay (Barbara Hershey), the sexy owner of a fancy Manhattan nightclub. After making inquiries, Bernstein traces the man Kay is looking for, but he turns up dead. When he informs the police, he becomes a suspect in the murder; it also turns out that the FBI is interested the case. Bernstein then uncovers an elaborate conspiracy concerning gas rationing, the mob, and the government. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Although there have been several British TV adaptations of Emily Bronte's gothic romance Wuthering Heights, this five-part 1978 version is the one regarded as being the most faithful to the original novel. In covering the star-crossed romance between the headstrong Cathy (Kay Adshead) and wild gypsy boy Heathcliff (Ken Hutchinson), this adaptation did not (as have so many others) end with Cathy's death, but instead carried over the story into the next generation, wherein the vengeful Heathcliff continued to wage his private war of retribution against the people whom he felt had wronged him. Irish playwright Hugh Leonard handled the adaptation, deftly juggling the many characters and subplots without the slightest sense of strain. Wuthering Heights was originally beamed out to the British Isles from September 24 to October 22, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi