William Baldwin Movies
Bright and articulate actor William Baldwin, a graduate in political science from State University of New York at Binghamton, left the political arena of Capitol Hill to become an actor after his older brother, Alec Baldwin, became a successful movie star. For his first couple of years in Hollywood, William could only find work in advertisements. He got his first break when he was hired to play Robert Chambers in the television movie The Preppie Murder (1989). That year, Baldwin made his big-screen debut playing a small role in Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July. In 1990, Baldwin had his first major role playing opposite Richard Gere in Internal Affairs. He then had a leading role in the dark sci-fi-fantasy Flatliners (1990). A major hit, Baldwin showed the makings of a real star, following up with Backdraft (1991) and the ill-received Sliver (1993). But though he has demonstrated considerable talent and an appealing boyish sexuality, the major stardom enjoyed by Alec Baldwin has thus far eluded him, though he continues to work steadily in films, such as Curdled (1997). Baldwin's other brothers, Daniel and Stephen, are also actors. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie GuideA highly unlikely crime helps bring together two brothers in this nostalgic comedy drama. Rocky Plumm (Owen Pearce) is a five-year-old boy growing up in a small Montana town in the mid-'60s. In Rocky's eyes, there's no star bigger or brighter than local kid's show host Happy Herb (Henry Winkler), who appears on TV weekday afternoons with his puppet friend Froggy Doo. When the Froggy Doo puppet is stolen, Happy Herb's show goes off the air until the doll can be found, which only adds to Rocky's unease as his folks (William Baldwin and Lisa Guerrero) struggle to salvage their clearly failing marriage. Rocky's big brother, Elliott (Chris J. Kelly), isn't especially concerned about Happy Herb's problems or the forced hiatus of Rocky's favorite show, but when Haley (Morgan Flynn), a pretty girl with a yen for detective stories, moves in next door, he suggests they join forces to help find Froggy Doo. Before long, the youthful sleuths find themselves crossing paths with a pair of federal agents (Peter Scolari and Rick Overton) and a growing list of suspects as they follow the thief's trail. A Plumm Summer was the first feature film from writer and director Caroline Zelder. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Lisa Guerrero, (more)
This is an offbeat romantic comedy that's the directorial debut of TV producer Joshua Brand, co-creator of St. Elsewhere (1982-88) and Northern Exposure (1990-95). John Leguizamo stars as Sergio, a Toronto pastry shop worker who faints whenever he sees Hattie (Sadie Frost), a neighborhood girl with whom he is smitten. Hattie, however, wants to see the world and avoids all commitments. Sergio's employer, the kindly Linzer (Armin Mueller-Stahl), wants his shop burned down so that he can use the insurance money to give his wife (Joan Plowright) the lifestyle she deserves, so he offers Sergio $20,000 to torch the store. Sergio refuses but then one night the bakery is burnt to the ground. The real culprit is Garet (William Baldwin), a wealthy pyromaniac with a limp who's madly in love with Stephanie (Erika Eleniak). The slightly unhinged Garet uses the fire as his public declaration of affection. Although innocent, Sergio also claims culpability so that he can use Linzer's payoff to whisk Hattie away. To protect Sergio, however, Linzer confesses to the crime, and to prevent her husband from being jailed, Mrs. Linzer also claims responsibility. With four people confessing, local constable Sgt. Zikowski (Mike Starr) is at a loss. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, John Leguizamo, (more)
Adrift in Manhattan, the third feature effort of Hispanic writer/director Alfredo de Villa (Washington Heights, Yellow), intercuts three intensely dramatic stories of life during a cold New York winter, each of which revolves around the concept (and thematic motif) of vision. In the first, an eye doctor grieving from a traumatic loss (Heather Graham) must reexamine her life and priorities; in the second, an artist of advanced age must contend with encroaching blindness -- thus losing the one of his five senses that represents his greatest asset; in the third, a photographer grapples with inner turmoil. De Villa brings these stories together for an unanticipated intersection on a Manhattan subway line, and watches as these individuals -- initially, complete strangers to one another -- help to guide each other through their struggles, pain, and angst. William Baldwin and Erika Michaels co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Graham, William Baldwin, (more)
A criminal case leads a cop into both love and danger in this direct-to-video action drama. When a very valuable painting is stolen in a daring robbery of a Spanish gallery, New York-based art expert Sandra Walker (Ellen Pompeo) is called in to help track down the thieves. Sandra is a single mother following her divorce from Bruce (William Baldwin), an NYPD detective, and Sandra persuades Bruce to look after their daughter while she's away. As the case drags on, Bruce begins to have his doubts about Sandra's well being, especially after he learns that she's working side by side with fellow art authority Daniel (Abel Folk), who was once his rival for her affections. When several people connected to the case turn up dead, Bruce flies to Spain to look after Sandra and help with the investigation, but its not long before he finds himself involved in more danger than he ever suspected. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Ellen Pompeo, (more)
The sons of a Chicago fireman who gave his life in the performance of his duties, firefighting brothers Kurt Russell and William Baldwin carry their lifelong sibling rivalry into their work. Russell is convinced that Baldwin hasn't got what it takes to remain in the fire department. Baldwin is transferred to a "safe" assignment, assisting arson investigator Robert DeNiro, who is trying to make sense of a series of fires involving an oxygen-induced ball of fire called a backdraft. The investigation reveals a link between corrupt alderman J. T. Walsh and imprisoned pyromaniac Donald Sutherland. The trail of evidence leads Baldwin to suspect that his brother Russell, a much-decorated hero, may be the "inside" man setting up the arsons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, (more)
The second of three films by co-writer/director Oliver Stone to explore the effects of the Vietnam War (Platoon and Heaven and Earth are the others), Born On The Fourth Of July tells the true story of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise), a patriotic, All-American small town athlete who shocks his family by enlisting with the Marines to fight in the Vietnam War. Once he is overseas, however, Kovic's gung-ho enthusiasm turns to horror and confusion when he accidentally kills one of his own men in a firefight. His downfall is furthered by a bullet wound that leaves him paralyzed from the chest down. He returns home, spends an appalling, nightmarish stint in a veterans' hospital, and follows an increasingly disillusioned and fragmented path that ultimately leaves him drunk and dissolute in Mexico. However, Kovic somehow turns himself around and pulls his life together, becoming an outspoken anti-war activist in the process. The film is long but emotionally powerful; many consider it Stone's best work and Cruise's best performance. Both were nominated for Oscars, as was the film itself, but only Stone, who co-wrote the film with Kovic from the latter's book, won for Best Director. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Raymond J. Barry, (more)
This drama is based on the true story of Thomas Martinez (William Baldwin), a poor and uneducated Army veteran living in Philadelphia in 1983. Frustrated by his inability to find a job, especially as his wife (Kelly Lynch) is expecting their first child, Thomas thinks he's found a sympathetic ear when he meets Bob Matthews (Peter Gallagher), the leader of a white supremacist group called "The Order." Urging Thomas to "take an oath of allegiance and protect your family," Bob initiates him into the Order, and Thomas soon rises to a position of importance in the organization (and becomes privy to one of their key fund-raising operations -- counterfeiting). However, Thomas discovers that the group's racist views are not just a matter of talk when the Order engineers the assassination of radio talk show host Alan Berg, and in time Thomas approaches the FBI, risking his life to act as an informant against the racist group. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Peter Gallagher, (more)
In this dark comedy, a woman fascinated with crime has an unexpected brush with a famous murderer's handiwork. Gabriela (Angela Jones) is a Colombian immigrant living in Miami who has been fascinated with violent death since she saw a falling corpse pass by her window as a child. Today she works for a cleaning service that specializes in mopping up the blood, gore, and bone fragments left behind at crime scenes, and she is tickled to discover one day that she's cleaning up after an execution by her favorite at-large serial murderer, The Blue Blood Killer (William Baldwin), so named because his victims are all wealthy women. But Gabriela doesn't know that the killer is still in the building; he managed to lock himself in the wine cellar while trying to escape, and he is slowly trying to remove the bolts from its lock while Gabriela makes the place livable again. However, while cleaning, she discovers a piece of evidence that could confirm the identity of the killer, just as he's about to emerge from the cellar. Curdled is an expanded version of a short film that director Reb Braddock made in 1991; the short inspired one of the episodes in Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction, and Tarantino in turn helped produce this feature-length remake, as well as making a cameo appearance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Angela Jones, (more)
In this thriller, Brennan (William Baldwin) is an honest cop whose partner is murdered during an investigation of an organized crime syndicate. Determined to get to the mobsters who killed his partner, Brennan searches for the man who ordered his friend's assassination. Double Team offers two Baldwins for the price of one, with Adam Baldwin (no relation to William Baldwin) in the supporting cast alongside Elizabeth Mitchell and John Seda. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Elizabeth Mitchell, (more)
Supermodel and sex symbol Cindy Crawford made her acting debut in this high-decibel thriller. Kate McQuean (Crawford) is a lawyer who -- in the course of a divorce proceeding -- attempts to seize a 157-foot freighter docked off the Florida coast in lieu of unpaid alimony. It turns out that the freighter is the current base of operations of Kazak (Steven Berkoff), a former KGB agent who has become an international money laundering expert and leader of a crack terrorist team. As one might imagine, Kazak is not especially happy about possible eviction, and soon Kate has a hefty price on her head. Kate, however, doesn't know the nature of Kazak's business and isn't sure why someone is trying to kill her. Loose cannon police detective Max Kilpatric (William Baldwin) is assigned to protect Kate, and romance begins to bloom as they dodge a remarkable number of bullets and explosions. Fair Game was originally slated to star Sylvester Stallone alongside Crawford (the film's location was moved to Florida at his request); when he dropped out, Crawford found herself co-starring with Baldwin, another model-turned-thespian. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cindy Crawford, William Baldwin, (more)
Despite its occasional lapses into silly self-consciousness, Flatliners is one of the most intriguing and well-constructed supernatural thrillers of the 1990s. A group of brilliant medical students decide to literally play with life and death. They put themselves in suspended animation, electronically inducing a near-deathlike state and then pulling out of it at the last possible moment. Things get hairy when one of the students (Kiefer Sutherland) becomes obsessed with the notion of really dying, the better to experience the Afterlife before being revived--if he can be revived. In her first dramatic starring role (playing a sensitive young lady on a misguided guilt trip), Julia Roberts is very, very good--completely bereft of movie-star mannerisms. Audiences flocked to see Flatliners back in 1990 due to the highly publicized off-screen romance between Roberts and Sutherland. Oh, yes: Kevin Bacon and William Baldwin are in the picture, too. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, (more)
In desperate need of a vacation after being unceremoniously dumped by his TV-star girlfriend, a man travels to a lavish Hawaiian resort to nurse his wounds and forget his heartache, only to discover that his ex and her handsome new boyfriend are currently staying at the exact same island hot spot. Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) may be just another struggling musician, but for the past six years he's been dating Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), one of the hottest stars on television. Sarah is everything in the world to Peter, so when she kindly but firmly tells him that they should each go their separate ways, he is absolutely devastated. Later, after attempting to salvage his ego by awkwardly attempting to become a womanizer and nearly losing his job because of a nervous breakdown, an emotionally fragile Peter attempts to put the past behind him by escaping to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu. While at first it seems as if Peter has discovered the perfect prescription for a bad case of lost love, his plan soon turns to dust when Sarah and her new rock-star boyfriend, Aldous (Russell Brand), turn up at the exact same resort. Though accepting Sarah's lavish new lifestyle won't be easy for the crestfallen Peter, the laid-back companionship of flirtatious resort employee Rachel (Mila Kunis) -- not to mention a continuous regimen of fruity cocktails -- goes a long way in mending the wounds of a broken heart. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was penned by Segel and produced by Judd Apatow. Fun with Dick and Jane screenwriter Nicholas Stoller makes his directorial debut. The cast also includes Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, and Jonah Hill. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, (more)
The time has come for five lifelong friends to leave their familiar hometown and part ways for college, but in their final summer together these lifelong friends will grow closer than ever as they band together to protect and redeem the reputation of one of their own in director Jason Wiles' feature film debut. Though their current actions may have negative repercussions on each and every one of their futures, the bond of friendship drives these close-knit friends to drastic measures in maintaining their good name. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Michael Beach, (more)
A terminally optimistic working class dreamer attempts to shed a few extra pounds, inspire others, and finally get his driver's license so he can fuel up and set out on the road to success. Tracy (Hubbel Palmer) is a 400 pound grocery clerk who's convinced he's destined for greatness. While he's not taking acting lessons from arrogant washed-up has-been Truman Hope (William Baldwin), Tracy can frequently be found mentoring stolid bag boy Kendis Cooley (Vincent Caso) and his friends despite the disapproval of the gang's bullying boy-leader Shawn (Nick Lashaway). Back at home, Tracy is forced to contend with the religious ramblings of his bible-thumping, self-loathing mother Agnes (Kathleen Quinlan) while simultaneously trying to lift the spirits of his lonely sister Peggy (Mary Lynn Rajskub). Later, as things begin to look up for the love-struck Peggy, Tracy finally begins to sense that true fame is just over the horizon. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hubbel Palmer, William Baldwin, (more)
In this glossy L.A. crime drama by Mike Figgis, Andy Garcia stars as Sgt. Raymond Avila, a cop who just joined the Internal Affairs division of the L.A.P.D. An investigation into police corruption has led Avila and his partner, Sgt. Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf), to Officer Dennis Peck (Richard Gere). Avila suspects something about Peck from the beginning; his influence and dominance over others seems to extend further than the reach of his badge. When officers who wish to testify against Peck start dying, the depth of his corruption becomes increasingly clear; at his disposal, he has an army of cops and criminals alike. He even agrees to assassinate a sleazy businessman's own parents, and humiliates the businessman while they make the deal. In his drive to dominate others, Peck attempts to seduce almost every woman around him and is obsessed with children and fatherhood. Peck is most dangerous when the investigation threatens his territory and his extended family; he stalks Avila and turns him against his wife (Nancy Travis). ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, (more)
Nearly a decade after impressing audiences at the 1999 Toronto International Film Festival with their engaging coming-of-age story Goat on Fire & Smiling Fish, filmmakers Derick and Steven Martini return to deliver this period drama following two families whose lives are profoundly affected by complex relationships, real estate woes, and Lyme disease. Set on Long Island in the late '70s, Lymelife opens to find a suburban community swept up in fear after local resident Charlie Bragg (Timothy Hutton) is diagnosed with Lyme disease. Charlie's tightly wound neighbor Brenda Bartlett (Jill Hennessy) is determined not to let her gentle 15-year-old son, Scott (Rory Culkin), suffer a similar fate, and has taken to duct-taping his cuffs to ensure that he remains Lyme disease-free. Meanwhile, as Charlie convalesces, his wife, Melissa (Cynthia Nixon), goes to work for Brenda's philandering husband, Mickey (Alec Baldwin), a respected real estate developer. All the while, Melissa remains clueless to the fact that she was hired more out of lust than as a friendly favor to a neighbor in need. For years, Scott has pined after Charlie and Brenda's daughter, Adrianna (Emma Roberts), and strangely enough, it seems that she's finally starting to return his affections. Tensions are running particularly high in the neighborhood lately, and when Scott's older brother, Jimmy (Kieran Culkin), arrives home on leave from the army, his confrontations with his tempestuous father, Mickey, threaten to trigger repercussions that will affect the lives of everyone involved. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, (more)
Tim Robbins, Bridget Moynahan, and William Hurt star in writer/director Henry Bean's topical urban comedy following one man's quest for a little peace and quiet in the big city. The noise was bothersome when David Owen (Robbins) first moved to New York City, but back in those early days it was almost endearing in an odd sort of way; a forgivable manifestation of urban vitality, or so he had led himself to believe. These days the incessant barking of car alarms, traffic, and frustrated commuters seems to be driving David insane, never allowing him the opportunity to concentrate or focus on the task at hand. While this distraction is at first only bothersome on a superficial level, however, the thing that really riles David is that he is completely powerless to remedy the problem. As the days go on and the noise on the street seems to amplify in David's ears, he makes the decision to take up arms against the unseen intruder. Initially, David is content to simply let the air out of tires or leave notes on windshields when the owners of cars fail to turn off their alarms. When this approach fails to yield acceptable results, David's subversive urban sabotage techniques quickly evolve into full-blown acts of vandalism. Eventually, David is caught in the act and arrested by the police. After spending a night in jail, David confesses to his wife that he is in fact the urban folk hero who has come to be known by the public as "The Rectifier" for his repeated attempts to hold those responsible for urban noise pollution accountable for their auditory transgressions. When his wife voices concern about such extreme and irrational behavior, David dutifully agrees to give up his career as a noise-fighting vigilante. But try as he might, David simply cannot repress his lingering urge to strike back against such a formidable enemy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Robbins, Bridget Moynahan, (more)
The debut feature from television producer Robert Moresco, One Eyed King is an ensemble crime drama detailing the trials and tribulations of several characters living together in the same Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Starring Armand Assante, William Baldwin, Jim Breuer, Bruno Kirby, Chazz Palminteri, and Jason Gedrick, the film had its premiere at the 2001 Boston Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Armand Assante, (more)
This program examines the evolution of the Cold War following World War II and America's decision to use atomic weapons against Japan. It looks at the fears and paranoia that often went unchecked as Americans and their enemies second-guessed one another before new crises could develop. The program brings various realities to light by showing how the lives of eight ordinary Americans were affected by the Cold War. The program also examines the terror many experienced during the McCarthy hearings. People knew that their careers could suddenly end if Communist accusations were brought against them and their names were added to blacklists. The Soviet Union's response to all of these events is also reviewed. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
Set during one afternoon at a Los Angeles, this edgy ensemble sex comedy was the feature debut of director Kurt Voelker. Starring William Baldwin, Ricki Lake, and Cheri Oteri, Park intertwines the lives of several unsuspecting people, including a suicidal woman, a philandering lawyer, his snooping wife, a pair of dog groomers, and a van of aspiring nudists. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Anne Dudek, (more)
William Baldwin plays an undercover cop driven to desperation in this psychological thriller directed by former character actor Jeff Celentano. Baldwin plays Christian Box, a loose cannon detective who's still suffering from the loss of his wife when the film opens. The force reprimands Box for his hostile tendencies by assigning him a desk job. However, when his friend asks him to assist in a sting operation aimed at the man responsible for his wife's death, Box accepts in the single-minded hope that he can wreak some vengeance. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Baldwin, Brigitte Bako, (more)


































