Ari Cohen Movies
From the time of his onscreen debut in the early '90s, Ari Cohen came to specialize in portrayals of everymen, frequently (though not always) nice guy figures with warm and sincere personas; throughout his career, Cohen maintained a particularly strong presence in telemovies. He began his acting tenure on an unusual and uncharacteristic note, with a turn in Canadian avant-garde filmmaker Guy Maddin's 1990 Archangel, then essayed a portrayal of Saturday Night Live progenitor Lorne Michaels in the telemovie It's Always Something: The Gilda Radner Story (2002), and joined Jason Alexander for the heartwarming holiday prime-time movie The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002). In 2007, Cohen played the emotionally abusive and apathetic father of a troubled young woman (Ellen Page) in Bruce McDonald's critically acclaimed drama The Tracey Fragments. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
A man at war with his soul and his nature is led into a situation that turns his few friends against him in this psychological drama from Canada. Walter (Peter Stormare) is a policeman who was born and raised in a small Mennonite community, where he still lives and serves. Walter has a violent streak that he struggles to keep in check, and when he badly beat a man in the line of duty, his girlfriend Rita (Jill Hennessy) left him and many of his friends and family turned their backs on him. Walter has immersed himself in his faith to keep his demons at bay, and he has begun dating Sam (Martha Plimpton), a deeply religious woman, while Rita has taken up with ne'er-do-well Steve (Stephen Eric McIntyre). When the body of a woman who was raped and murdered is found in a nearby lake, Walter has to investigate the crime, and discovers that Steve found the body and Rita reported it to the police. As evidence begins to point to a man some see as Walter's rival, many of the townspeople lose their trust in Walter, and he finds himself stretched to the breaking point as he is torn between his duty, his reputation, and the people he cares about. The second feature film from writer and director Ed Gass-Donnelly, Small Town Murder Songs was an official selection at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Stormare, Jill Hennessy, (more)
A 15-year-old girl navigates a dangerous urban landscape in search of the brother whom she has hypnotized into believing he is a dog in director Bruce McDonald's pop-infused, 21st century variation on The Catcher in the Rye. When the viewer first meets Tracey (Juno's Ellen Page), she is sitting naked in the back of a bus with only a flimsy shower curtain to guard her from the elements. Tracey is the broken product of an unstable home; her father (Ari Cohen) regards his children as "accidents," and her catatonic mother (Erin McMurtry) only pauses from watching television long enough to light up another cigarette. Upon discovering that a botched hypnosis experiment between Tracey and her younger brother, Sonny, has left the young boy emotionally transformed into a canine, the decision is made to send Tracey to a psychiatrist. Tormented by her classmates and lost in fantasies about her boyfriend and rock & roll savior Billy Zero (Slim Twig), the emotionally complex young woman has become enamored with a new student at school who doesn't even realize she exists. Later, when Sonny disappears, Tracey takes it upon herself to locate her missing sibling and make sure that he finds his way back home. While at first it appears that benevolent rent boy Lance (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos) may be her guiding light through the darkened city streets, Tracey quickly learns that to trust is to place your life in the hands of someone who may sell you out at a moment's notice. Now naked and desperate in the middle of a labyrinthine metropolitan nightmare, Tracey makes it her mission to find Sonny no matter how harrowing her quest may become. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ellen Page, Ari Cohen, (more)
- 2006
This true-crime biopic explores the life of mother-and-son grifters Sante and Kenny Kimes, from Kenny's childhood apprenticeship in early-'80s Honolulu to Sante's murder trial in late-'90s New York City. Fortyish Sante Kimes (Judy Davis) uses her looks and her brazen disregard for the law to acquire whatever she wants in life, from jewels to cars to large insurance settlements. Her most frequent accomplice in these endeavors? Son Kenny (former General Hospital actor Jonathan Jackson), who spends most of his childhood serving as a bit player, then later a co-star, in his mother's schemes. When a slavery -- yes, slavery -- conviction sends Sante to prison, Kenny enjoys a more or less normal adolescence with his wealthy father (Chelcie Ross), who has long refused to marry Sante. But upon her return from the big house, the now over-the-hill Sante re-enlists her son's assistance in her amoral activities. Eventually fingered for the murder of a wealthy Manhattan matron, Sante finds herself in court, where her son's testimony may well end her lifelong crime spree once and for all. Adapted by Randy Stone and Teena Booth from Jeanne King's book Dead End: The Crime Story of the Decade: Murder, Incest and High-Tech Thievery, A Little Thing Called Murder premiered January 23, 2006, on the Lifetime cable network. It was actually the second TV movie to explore the Kimes' story, following Mary Tyler Moore's turn in the 2001 CBS offering Like Mother, Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Judy Davis, Jonathan Jackson, (more)
Of all of the ways humankind can destroy the planet, none can hold a candle to the awe-inspiring and earth-shattering power of Mother Nature. As chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, Andy Goodman (Brian Dennehy) has seen his share of storms. Now, just days shy of his eagerly anticipated retirement, Goodman is disturbed to discover three separate storm fronts approaching Chicago: a cluster of tornados from the west, a warm storm front from the south, and an Arctic system from the north. As Goodman enlists the aid of his longtime storm-chasing friend "Tornado Tommy" (Randy Quaid) in tracking the storms, ambitious Chicago television reporter Amy Harkin (Nancy McKeon) is busy researching the mysterious drought and record heat wave that has plagued the city for nearly six weeks. Though the citizens of Chicago are warned to reduce their energy consumption by secretary of energy Shirley Abbott (Dianne Wiest) the Windy City is thrust into darkness when severe thunderstorms destroy the city's main power-generating plant. With no means to warn the outside world of the dangers fast approaching, Harkin and Midwest Electric chief of operations Mitch Benson (Thomas Gibson) must race against time to get the word out to citizens and emergency workers before the snowballing blackout causes a complete collapse of the entire North American power grid. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Thomas Gibson, Nancy McKeon, (more)
- 2002
The tragically short life of one of TV's favorite funny ladies is the subject of the network-movie biopic It's Always Something: The Gilda Radner Story. The story begins in Gilda's native Canada, where as a child she develops her comic skills to overcome her shyness and feelings of inadequacy. Gravitating to show business, Gilda (played as an adult by Jami Gertz) becomes a topnotch sketch performer with the famed Second City Troupe, leading to an even more prestigious stint as one of the original "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on the irreverent American variety series Saturday Night Live. Earning the love and devotion of TV viewers throughout the nation with such ditsy comic characters as Emily Latella and Roseanne Roseanadana, Gilda nonetheless has trouble settling down in a satisfactory romantic relationship in her private life. But after a few go-nowhere affairs and an in-name-only marriage to musician G.E. Smith, Gilda at last finds happiness as the sweetheart -- and later the wife -- of actor Gene Wilder (played by Tom Rooney), her costar in the 1982 movie Hanky Panky. Just when it seems that Gilda's life is on the right course with all cylinders clicking, she is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Based on her 1989 autobiography (published the same year as her death), It's Always Something: The Gilda Radner Story debuted April 29, 2002, as part of an evening-long ABC network tribute to Radner and her career. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jami Gertz, Tom Rooney, (more)
- 2002
- Add Schmelvis: Searching for the King's Jewish Roots to Queue Add Schmelvis: Searching for the King's Jewish Roots to top of Queue
A born again, orthodox Jewish Elvis impersonator, a capricious Rabbi, and an ambitious film crew pile into a Winnebego to find out if there is any truth to the claims that the most recognizable pop culture figure in the history of rock and roll may in fact have Jewish roots. Inspired by the 1998 Wall Street Journal article that traced The King's Jewish lineage, this wild ride into the heart of rock and roll is a trip that no music lover is likely to soon forget. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Jason Alexander stars as fabled toy manufacturer, A.C. Gilbert in this Capraesque TV movie. An overachiever since his school days, Gilbert surprises his stern father (Ed Asner) by forsaking a career in medicine to pursue an entirely different business. Creating the now legendary Erector Set, A.C. sets up his own toy company in 1913, an enterprise which is raking in millions within two years. But with America's entry into WWI, the U.S. government prevails upon Gilbert to convert his factory into a munitions plant. Though at heart a pacifist, Gilbert agrees to do so, secure in the belief that he will be able to return to toys once the hostilities have ceased. Alas, the Government has other plans. At their behest, Gilbert reluctantly mounts a "Buy Bonds, Not Toys" campaign designed to divert the money normally spent on Christmas gifts to the war effort. Is this the end of Christmastime as millions of children know it, or will Gilbert be able to salvage both the holiday and the spirit of giving? The Man Who Saved Christmas debuted December 15, 2002, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Based on the "Oprah Book Club" selection by Anna Quindlen, Black and Blue stars Mary Stuart Masterson as New York City housewife Fran Benedetto. Outwardly living an ideal existence, Fran harbors a painful secret: She is regularly abused, both verbally and physically, by her husband Bobby (Anthony LaPaglia). But why does not Fran go to the police? The answer is tragically simple: Bobby is a cop himself. Ultimately, Fran goes into hiding in Florida -- whereupon Bobby grimly applies the skills gleaned from years of detective work to track his hapless spouse down. Benefiting from believable characterizations and logical plot twists, the made-for-TV Black and Blue originally aired November 14, 1999 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mary Stuart Masterson, Anthony LaPaglia, (more)
- 1990
Archangel is a courageous if not altogether successful attempt to emulate the styles and techniques of silent films within a talking-picture framework. Kyle McCulloch plays a crippled British officer, who during World War 1 takes up residence in the Russian town of Archangel. Here he falls in love with a woman who is the living image of his deceased lover. This arouses the jealousy of McCulloch's landlord's wife, who covets the soldier for herself. While it is obvious that director Guy Maddin has put a great deal of love and effort into this project, it is liable to confuse anyone not familiar with the "language" of silent movies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kyle McCulloch, Kathy Marykuca, (more)
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