Jordan Gelber Movies

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and Marisa Tomei star in director Sidney Lumet's thriller concerning two brothers who hatch a plan to rob their parent's jewelry store. When the job goes awry, the entire family is set on a collision course with tragedy. Andy (Hoffman) is an overextended broker in desperate need of some cash. His brother, Hank (Hawke), isn't much better off, so when Andy hatches a plan to rob their parent's modest jewelry store, it seems like a foolproof way to make a quick buck. But Andy's trophy wife, Gina (Tomei), is secretly sleeping with libidinous younger brother Hank, and when the robbery proves a complete disaster it isn't long before loyalties start to shift. Now Andy and Hank's father, Charles (Finney), is determined to make the unidentified robbers pay for their crime. What's a father to do when he discovers that the ones he loves have become his worst enemies? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director Roger Michell follows up the hit romantic comedy Notting Hill (1999) with this thought-provoking thriller. Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson star, respectively, as Gavin Banek and Doyle Gibson, two New York men whose lives become accidentally intertwined in a Good Friday fender bender on the FDR Drive. Late for a crucial appointment, hotshot lawyer Gavin tosses Doyle a blank check and leaves the scene, while Doyle, whose car is inoperable, is late for a court-appointed custody hearing. A recovering alcoholic, Doyle's tardiness doesn't sit well with the judge, who - sick of waiting for Gipson - grants custody to Doyle's ex-wife in Doyle's absence. The situation worsens when it becomes evident that Doyle has an equally important file belonging to Gavin, which proves that an elderly man gave Banek's firm power-of-attorney over his foundation. So begins an escalating war of words and deeds between the two men. Soon, egged on by an associate (Toni Collette), Gavin hires a "fixer" (Dylan Baker) to destroy Doyle's credit, forcing Doyle to fire back with some cunning moves of his own. Changing Lanes co-stars William Hurt, Sydney Pollack, and Toni Collette. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Five friends who nursed their dreams all through college are having a hard time making them come true in the real world in this independent comedy drama. Darrin Michaels (Brad Beyer) is a struggling playwright whose father is more than happy to keep him afloat financially, but he's trying to find a way to succeed on his own terms while battling writer's block. Darrin also carries a torch for Rebecca Moscowitz (Morena Baccarin), a beautiful actress who is willing to read for anything, but keeps coming up against dunderheaded casting agents and sexist directors. Mickey Cancoon (Michael Parducci) is a would-be filmmaker looking for a break while avoiding the real world in graduate school; he used to date Rebecca, but even though they've split up, their break-up sex was so good they're still sleeping together, much to Darrin's chagrin. Rebecca has also occasionally fallen under the spell of Jay Green (Forbes March), a talented guitarist with a fear of success who prefers to sponge meals and nights on the coach from his friends rather than make something of himself. And Ethan Willard (Jordan Gelber) is another grad student who teaches an English course; self-conscious about his weight and his inexperience with women, Ethan wants a girlfriend but can barely bring himself to answer questions in class from his female students. Way Off Broadway was the first feature film from writer and director Daniel Kay; while the film began making the rounds of film festivals in 2001, it didn't win a theatrical release until 2004, after Morena Baccarin earned a following for her role on the television series Firefly. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide