Wesley Bishop Movies
Made for television, The Christmas Blessing is a sequel to the earlier CBS holiday offering The Christmas Shoes, with Rob Lowe briefly reprising his portrayal of Robert Layton, a lawyer whose life was forever changed by a pair of "enchanted" shoes. This time around, the shoes have passed into the hands of Tucker Bennett (Shaun Johnston), the son of a seriously ill youngster named Charlie (Angus T. Jones. As fate would have it, Charlie is a student of schoolteacher Meghan (Rebecca Gayheart), who is endeavoring to set up a day-care center for single moms in the small town where she lives. At the same time in the same town, young medical resident Nathan Andrews (Neil Patrick Harris), his self-confidence shattered by the death of a teenage patient on the operating table, has returned home to work in the garage owned by his dad Jack (Shaun Johnston). In due course, Nathan meets Meghan and Charlie, and becomes intimately involved in the trials and tribulations of both, leading to an emotional climax in which Nathan must decide whether or not to summon his dormant medical skills to save Charlie's life. Singers NewSong and Blake Shelton appear as themselves, respectively performing the title song and the new composition "Nobody But Me". The Christmas Blessing originally aired on December 18, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Neil Patrick Harris, Rebecca Gayheart, (more)
- 2005
Produced for cable's Lifetime network, this overwrought cautionary drama could be described as "Reefer Madness" for the PC generation. Healthy, clean-cut 16 year old Justin Peterson (Jeremy Peterson) all but destroys himself and his family via his hopeless addiction to Intenet porn. In the tradition of those old WW2 venereal-disease movies, Justin's obsession even ruins his athletic prowess (he was a champion swimmer before his descent into hell began). And of course, whereas he previously adopted a "hands off" attitude towards his virginal girlfriend Amy (Lyndsy Fonseca), poor Jeremy has been twisted and warped into a junior sex maniac--all because of those lustful images dancing across his monitor. This is the sort of film in which everyone but the hero is "computer illiterate", and thus incapable of figuring out how to block his access to porn until it is almost Too Late. Curiously, it is established early on that Justin's kid brother (Jake Scott) loves violent video games like "Grand Theft Auto", over which no one raises any objections! Entertaining enough if one is in the right frame of mind, Cyber Seduction: His Secret Life debuted June 20, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Diane Keaton could not be further removed from Annie Hall if she'd taken a rocket to Mars in this gut-wrenching made-for-cable drama. Keaton is cast as widowed mother Patsy McCartle, who finds herself totally unable to support her two sons--the youngest of whom desperately needs medication for his asthsma--when she loses her waitress job. In a highly vulnerable state, Patsy succumbs to an offer made by a shady character named Roger Hopkins (Michael Rooker) and begins dealing crystal methamphetamine. At first the job seems easy, but the more she deals, the deeper she becomes involved in a deadly drug cartel--and worse, she becomes a meth addict herself. It is up to her sons to come to Patsy's rescue, if her criminal cohorts don't get to her first. At the time this film was made, the woman on whom the main character is based was in the Witness Protection Program. Executive-produced by star Keaton, On Thin Ice debuted November 3, 2003 on the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This sentimental made-for-TV drama was based on the bestselling novel by Donna VanLiere, which in turn was inspired by the popular song of the same name. Rob Lowe stars as Robert Layton, a workaholic attorney who sorely neglects his family, even during the Christmas season. Clearly, Layton is overdue for a "humanizing" treatment, which comes in the form of a little boy named Nathan Andrews (Max Morrow). Learning that his mother, Maggie (Kimberly Williams), is dying from congenital heart failure, and unable to financially rely upon his underemployed father, Jack (Hugh Thompson), Nathan goes about collecting tin cans and other throwaways so that he can afford an expensive pair of red shoes for his ailing mom. Nathan's plight not only touches Layton, but also has a heartwarming trickle-down effect on the lawyer's estranged family. The Christmas Shoes debuted December 1, 2002, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams, (more)
