Bonnie Somerville Movies
Fair-haired, blue-eyed American actress Bonnie Somerville seemed tailor-made for on-camera work, and fell into her niche as supporting actress, beginning in her mid-twenties -- typically in the casts of Hollywood A-list features and hit television programs. In an unusual feat for an ingenue, the Brooklyn-born Somerville took one of her first bows as a lead -- with a starring role in the epic-length TV miniseries Shake, Rattle and Roll (1999), about an apocryphal music group from the '50s called "the Heartaches." Somerville portrayed Lyne Danner, the lead singer of the group. Many supporting roles followed, such as a small turn in the 2000 Harold Ramis comedy Bedazzled and a multi-episode role on the hit sitcom Friends as Mona, a girlfriend of Ross (David Schwimmer).Somerville then signed for regular roles in occasional sitcoms during the early 2000s, including Grosse Pointe and In-Laws; unfortunately, these failed to catch fire with the public. Somerville's fate turned in 2003 with a multi-episode run on the Fox prime-time soaper The O.C.; the actress played Rachel Hoffman, a former associate of Sandy Cohen's (Peter Gallagher) from the DA's office, who makes advances toward her married colleague but receives a rebuff from him.
After a supporting turn in the big-screen comedy Without a Paddle (2004), Somerville scored a regular part as Det. Laura Murphy on the hit cop drama NYPD Blue; she played the role throughout its 12th and final season (2004-2005). Not long after, the actress signed for another regular TV part, portraying Mimi, the restaurant manager of Nolita (and daughter of the owner, Pino [Frank Langella]) in the U.S. sitcom Kitchen Confidential (2005). Unfortunately, that program folded shortly after it premiered, but the actress found another major TV role when she was cast in the Darren Star (Sex and the City) ABC drama Cashmere Mafia in 2008; she played Caitlin Dowd, a senior VP for a cosmetics company on that series, which focused on the lives of a group of four friends who were high-powered New York City businesswomen. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Katherine Heigl stars as a lovelorn television producer who's made to run a gauntlet of romantic exploits by a pig-headed morning-show host (played by Gerard Butler) as a way to prove whose romantic methods are more accurate. Legally Blonde's Robert Luketic directs from a script by Karen McCullah Lutz, Kirsten Smith, and Nicole Eastman. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler, (more)
Originally slated to premiere on November 27, 2007, then held back until December 4, the hour-long dramedy Cashmere Mafia finally made its ABC debut on January 6, 2008. The series focused on a quartet of highly successful female executives, friends since their days in business college, who continued to meet, compare notes, and advise and console one another in various expensive Manhattan restaurants and watering holes. Miranda Otto played the "anchor" of the group, Juliet Draper, the powerful COO of the Stanton Hall hotel chain, who wryly observed the passing scene, dispensed sage wisdom, and merrily dissed most of the males who crossed her path--with the occasional exception of her husband Davis (Peter Hermann). Lucy Liu costarred as Mia Mason, high-powered functionary at Barnstead Media, a publishing firm run by a Murdoch clone; Mia was so ambitious that she was even willing to sacrifice her love life for her career, maneuvering her own fiancee out of the job she finally grabbed for herself. Frances O'Connor played Zoe Burden, senior marketing VP for Lily Parish cosmetics, who after several dead-end heterosexual romances suddenly found herself attracted to another woman, Alicia Lawson (Lourdes Benedicto). And Bonnie Somerville appeared as Zoe Burden, managing director of mergers and acquisitions at the investment firm of Gorham Sutter, who encountered considerable difficulty juggling her career and her private life with her stay-at-home husband Eric (Julian Ovenden) and twin children Luke (Nicholas Reese Art) and Sasha (Peyton List). Also in the cast was Addison Timlin as Juliet and Davis' mildly rebellious 14-year-old daughter Emily. If Cashmere Mafia seemed to be an upscale variation of HBO's Sex and the City, it may have been because it was executive-produced by former Sex and the City producer Darren Star. The ABC series also bore a marked resemblance to Lipstick Jungle, a novel written by Starr's onetime Sex and the City partner Candace Bushnell; ironically, the TV-series version of Lipstick Jungle made its NBC bow some four weeks after Cashmere Mafia's inaugural episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Liu, Frances O'Connor, (more)
A gay wedding planner backs out of a promise to organize his brother's nuptials after discovering that his sibling's future father in law is a politician who opposes gay marriage and that the future groom himself supports the conservative fundamentalist agenda. Shel (John Stamos) is a gay party planner. Ben (Eric Dane) is a campaign manager for a right-wing governor (James Brolin) and the soon to be husband of said politico's beautiful daughter (Bonnie Somerville). Though Shel and Ben are brothers, their disparate personal and political beliefs have caused them to clash on more than a couple of occasions. When Shel discovers that the governor is preparing a searing speech against gay marriage, his decision to go on strike for equal rights sends his brother's big day into an unexpected tailspin. Incredibly, Shel's protest gains nationwide support and Ben is forced to hire a tacky, run of the mill wedding planner who doesn't appear prepared to organize such a big event in such a short amount of time. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2005
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The half-hour FOX sitcom Kitchen Confidential was inspired by the warts-and-all memoirs of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. Bradley Cooper headed the cast as Jack, a infamous "bad boy" chef who had destroyed his career through a combination of bad drugs, bad booze, and bad women. After hitting rock bottom (he couldn't even hold down a fry-cook job in a theme restaurant), Jack was given a second chance by the owner of a upscale New York restaurant -- provided he could assemble a kitchen staff and serve hundreds of A-list guests within 48 hours. In desperation, Jack pulled together a number of eccentrics, goof-offs, and looney tunes from his culinary past, including troublesome chefs Steve Daedelus (Owain Yeoman) and Seth Richman (Nicholas Brendon), novice pastry chef Jim (John F. Daley), and sassy hostess Tanya (Jaime King). Hoping against hope that Jack would fall flat on his keester was the restaurant owner's vituperative daughter Mimi (Bonnie Somerville). Created by Sex and the City's Darren Star, Kitchen Confidential premiered September 19, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bradley Cooper, Nicholas Berendon, (more)
Just as the old saying goes, a trio of hapless city-dwelling friends (Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, and Dax Shepard) find themselves spiraling out of control up a very brown river in this raucous comedy from Little Nicky director Steven Brill. Heading out for a weekend canoe trip in search of an elusive 200,000-dollar treasure, the trio must contend with everything from raging rapids to backwoods mountain men if they're ever going to uncover the secret of the missing booty. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, (more)
- 2003
Although they still intend to "play it slow" romance-wise, Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Marissa (Mischa Barton) prepare for their first real date. Meanwhile, Summer (Rachel Bilson) continues to play coy with Seth (Adam Brody), driving him ever closer to Anna (Samaire Armstrong). And Seth's mother, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), wonders if husband Sandy (Peter Gallagher) is seeing another woman. A great deal is ultimately revealed -- if not resolved -- during a lavish O.C. charity event. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2003
During Thanksgiving week, Ryan (Ben McKenzie) is summoned back to Chino by his family. Accompanied by Marissa (Mischa Barton), Ryan ends up visiting his brother, Trey (Bradley Stryker), in prison. Meanwhile, back in the O.C., Marissa's mother, Julie (Melinda Clarke), expresses outrage that her daughter has taken off without telling her or asking her for permission, blaming it on both Ryan and her ex, Jimmy (Tate Donovan). Many unpleasant memories are invoked throughout the remainder of the episode, with (potentially) worse to come. Meanwhile, the romantic triangle involving Seth (Adam Brody), Summer (Rachel Bilson), and Anna (Samaire Armstrong) rushes toward a resolution. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2003
Resuming its first-season run after a six-week hiatus, The O.C. picks up shortly after the disastrous "vacation" in Tijuana. As Marissa (Mischa Barton) recovers from her drug overdose, her mother, Julie (Melinda Clarke), accuses Ryan (Ben McKenzie) of causing Marissa's pain -- oblivious to the fact that it was Julie's divorce from Jimmy (Tate Donovan), along with Marissa's boyfriend Luke's (Chris Carmack) betrayal, that set Marissa off. Meanwhile, Ryan's "foster father," Sandy (Peter Gallagher), is faced with a daunting workload at his new job, and Sandy's wife, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), is none too thrilled with her husband's co-worker Rachel Hoffman (Bonnie Somerville). As the episode draws to a close, Ryan's fall enrollment in Newport's prestigious Harbor High School is placed in jeopardy, not least by the school's highly judgmental dean, Dr. Kim (Rosalind Chao); and Marissa faces the likelihood of being sent away from the O.C. permanently. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2003
Gossip buzzes like a swarm of bees on the first day back at Harbor High School. Thanks largely to his vindictive rival Luke (Chris Carmack), new student Ryan (Ben McKenzie) feels like the proverbial square peg in a round hole. Ultimately, Marissa (Mischa Barton) is forced to choose between Ryan and Luke, and her decision may spark yet another punch-fest. Meanwhile, Summer (Rachel Bilson) feigns indifference to Seth (Adam Brody), and as a consequence may lose him to Anna (Samaire Armstrong). And outside the walls of the school, Sandy's (Peter Gallagher) newest legal case threatens to cause friction between his wife, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), and her father, Caleb. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2003
As several of the younger O.C.ers plan an end-of-summer trip to Tijuana, Sandy Cohen (Adam Brody) takes a new legal job that disturbs his social-climbing wife, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) -- who in turn must now fend off her suddenly amorous neighbor Jimmy Cooper (Tate Donovan). The sojourn into Mexico swings from delightful to disturbing when Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) finds out about her parents' divorce and learns the whole truth about her boyfriend, Luke (Chris Carmack), all at once. A near-tragedy results when Marissa tries to "solve" her troubles in an extremely dangerous fashion. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2002
This NBC sitcom was rather blatantly inspired by the movie comedy hit Meet the Parents. According to network publicity, however, In-Laws was primarily based on the standup routines of comedian Elon Gold, who starred in the series as newlywed Max Landis. Quitting his job to enroll in culinary school, Max and his new bride Alice (Bonnie Somerville) reluctantly moved in with Alice's parents to save money. While Alice's mom Marlene (Jean Smart) pursued a real estate career and Alice herself worked two shifts, poor Max was left home alone with his supremely judgmental father-in-law Victor (Dennis Farina). Perhaps it goes without saying that the humor arose from the prickly relationship between the wisecracking Max and the growling, grumbling Victor. Co-produced by Frasier star Kelsey Grammer, In-Laws debuted September 24, 2002 and was cancelled in January 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Smart, Dennis Farina, (more)
How far will a man go to win the woman he loves? That's the devilish question behind this satirical romantic comedy. Elliot Richards (Brendan Fraser), a low-level white-collar worker, has fallen in love with his co-worker Allison (Frances O'Connor), who barely knows he exists. Desperate to win her love, sad sack Elliot is approached by the Devil (Elizabeth Hurley), who offers him seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Elliot accepts, but none of his wishes works out quite the way that he had hoped; after transforming himself into a South American tycoon, a champion NBA basketball player, a famous author, the most sensitive man in the world, and even the president of the United States, Elliot discovers that the Devil has added a crucial loophole each time, and for all his troubles, Allison still isn't interested in him. Directed by Harold Ramis, Bedazzled was adapted from the 1968 cult movie of the same name written by and starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Fraser, Elizabeth Hurley, (more)
Darren Star, the creator and principle writer behind such series as Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, and Sex and the City, offers a satiric look at his own medium in this situation comedy that offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the production of a youth-oriented prime-time soap opera. Hunter Fallow (Irene Molloy), the show's leading lady, is queen of the set and will go to any lengths to keep it that way, while Quentin King (Kohl Sudduth), her male counterpart, is a bit paranoid about his advancing age and the state of his hairline. William Ragsdale and Joely Fisher play Rob Fields and Hope Lustig, the show's producers, who have to keep their ego-driven cast happy while cranking out a show once a week. Grosse Pointe debuted on the WB network on September 22, 2000. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyle Howard, Irene Molloy, (more)
- 1999
In this two-part miniseries, the formative days of rock & roll are relived through the experiences of a fictional musical quartet called the Heartaches. The group is led by the handsome Tyler (Brad Hawkins), whose heart belongs to Lyne (Bonnie Somerville), the female member of the band. Along the bumpy road to fame, Tyler achieves enormous success, his ego swelling with every new gig -- and the chasm between himself and his three fellow band members growing ever wider. Eventually Lyne breaks up with Tyler, finding success of her own in a most unexpected fashion. The soundtrack reverberates with expert re-creations of vintage rock & roll tunes, while B.B. King shows up to offer a rendition of Bob Dylan's "Fur Slippers." Shake, Rattle & Roll: An American Love Story was telecast on November 7 and 10, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bonnie Somerville, Samaria Graham, (more)
