William S. Taylor Movies

D.J. Caruso's Two for the Money stars Matthew McConaughey as Brandon Lang, a former college quarterback whose life plans changed when he suffered a career-ending injury. Brandon turns out to have remarkable skill at picking winning football bets. Eventually, he comes to the attention of Walter Abrams (Al Pacino), a very successful business tycoon who runs a giant gambling operation. Walter brings Brandon to New York and introduces him to a glitzy, fast-paced, money-drenched lifestyle that Brandon eagerly soaks up. When Brandon's magic touch begins to falter, Walter starts to turn on his protégé. Soon the two men are attempting to outwit each other, with Walter's wife (Rene Russo) caught in the middle. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Filmed under the title Breeders, the made-for-cable thriller Brother's Keeper concentrated on, as the print ads so delicately described it, "A serial killer -- a fallen cop." Throughout her life, Lucinda Pond (Jeanne Tripplehorn) has looked after and protected her younger brother Ellis (Corin Nemec), whose aberrant mental state was the result of constant abuse at the hands of his father (Brian Jensen). As an adult, Lucinda worked as a criminal investigator, while Ellis pursued a criminal career. Despite this, Lucinda continued to shelter her brother, carefully covering up for his many crimes. Fired for bungling the investigation of alleged serial killer Victor Orbin, Lucinda opens up a boat and tackle store at a remote lakeside community. Local homicide detective Travis Adler (Leland Orser) invites Lucinda to participate in another murder investigation, this one apparently perpetrated by the same killer who indirectly cost Lucinda her badge. At the same time, Ellis escapes from jail and goes off on a homicidal spree of his own, eliminating those whom he feels did his sister wrong, as well as a few abusive parents along the way. Gradually, Lucinda begins to deduce a connection between Ellis' escape and her current investigation -- but will she continue to protect her kid brother despite his murderous rampage? Brother's Keeper made its USA Network bow on January 29, 2002; it was supposed to have premiered as My Brother's Keeper, but this title was changed at the last minute to avoid confusion with the like-vintage CBS TV-movie My Sister's Keeper. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi