Martin Freeman Movies

MGM and Warner Bros. present the second half of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh share writing duties with Guillermo del Toro on the production, which will shoot simultaneously with the first film. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Inspired by author Karyn Bosnak's novel 20 Times a Lady, director Mark Mylod's freewheeling comedy tells the tale of one hopelessly single women who's convinced she's passed up the man of her dreams. Upon reading a magazine article that leaves her dejected about her future marriage prospects, Ally Darling (Anna Faris) begins to fear that one of her many ex-boyfriends may have been "the one that got away." Now, with a little help from her mischievous neighbor (Chris Evans), Ally is paying a visit to each of her exes in order to reel in the perfect catch. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Filmmaker Peter Greenaway explored the life and work of the celebrated Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn in his 2007 drama Nightwatching, and he returns to this theme in the documentary Rembrandt's J'Accuse, in which he presents an in-depth analysis of one of Rembrandt's best-known paintings, 1642's "The Night Watch." With Greenaway offering an onscreen narration through much of the film, the director presents an illustrated lecture on the artist, the painting, and the many circumstances behind it -- the culture and politics of Holland in the 17th century, the real-life figures depicted in the painting (among them Capt. Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburgh), the controversy that surrounded these men, and the subtle suggestions Rembrandt's representation advanced -- and why some believe backlash over "The Night Watch" brought Rembrandt's career to a premature end. In addition to paintings and text, Greenaway also features several actors who are "interviewed" as key figures in the story: Martin Freeman appears as Rembrandt (as he did in Nightwatching), Eva Birthistle portrays his wife, Saskia, and Emily Holmes and Jodhi May impersonate their household servants. Rembrandt's J'Accuse was an official selection at Toronto's 2009 Hot Docs Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Director Peter Greenaway explores the life of Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt in a biographical feature that uses the 1642 painting "Night Watch" as a launching point to explore the 17th Century artist's life from an entirely new perspective. British film and television star Martin Henderson assumes the role of the prolific painter, with Eva Birthistle, Jodhi May, and Emily Holmes assuming the roles of his wife and mistresses respectively. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A top London cop who is so good at his job that he makes his fellow officers look like slackers by comparison is "promoted" to serve in the sleepy village of Sandford in this contemporary action comedy from the creators of Shaun of the Dead. Police constable Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) always gets his man, but these days his impeccable record seems to be more indicative of his fellow officers' shortcomings than his own formidable skills as a keeper of the peace. Loathe to stand idly by as their once respectable track record is steadily soiled by the hyper-competent actions of one lone overachiever, Sergeant Angel's superiors at the Met soon determine to remedy their problem by relocating the decorated constable to the West Country village of Sanford -- where tranquil garden parties and neighborhood watch meetings stand in stark contrast to the violent crime and heated gunplay of the city. As Sergeant Angel does his best to adjust to the relative calm of his new environment, his oafish new partner Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) strives to gain the respect of his fellow constables while sustaining himself on fantasies of his favorite action films and police shows. Later, just as it begins to appear as if Sergeant Angel has been relegated to an uneventful existence in the relative calm of the countryside, a series of horrific "accidents" lead him to suspect that the tranquil hamlet of Sanford has fallen prey to a sinister plot which reeks of foul play. Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Steve Coogan, and Martin Freeman co-star in the Edgar Wright film. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A petty thief is the link between a well-to-do businessman and a single mother struggling to get by in his edgy, emotional drama. Will Francis (Jude Law) is a successful landscape architect who runs an upscale business with his friend Sandy (Martin Freeman) in the King's Cross section of London, a neighborhood that has long been plagued by crime and poverty but has lately become the target of a major gentrification program. Will's longtime girlfriend is Liv (Robin Wright Penn), a lovely woman troubled by a lack of communication between herself and her husband and emotional problems with their teenage daughter, Bea (Poppy Rogers), who can't sleep and is obsessed with gymnastics. A thief has broken into Will and Sandy's office not once but twice, taking Will's laptop and the company's computer equipment, and Will begins spending his evenings at the shop in hopes of catching the culprit in action. The burglar strikes a third time, and while giving chase, Will sees him make his way into a shabby apartment building. Will learns the criminal is Miro (Rafi Gavron), a 15-year-old refugee from Bosnia. Without revealing what he knows, Will makes the acquaintance of Amira (Juliette Binoche), Miro's widowed mother -- a Bosnian refugee who makes a living as a seamstress. As Will starts bringing Amira business on a regular basis, the two begin an affair which continues even as Will maintains his relationship with Liv. Breaking and Entering was written and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Anthony Minghella; it was his first project made from his own original script since Truly, Madly, Deeply in 1991. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Three couples endure the living hell that is the happiest day of their lives in this comic mockumentary. Confetti is the United Kingdom's most prestigious wedding magazine, and publisher Antoni (Jimmy Carr) and editor Vivien (Felicity Montagu) have made a career out of documenting the cutting edge in nuptial ceremonies. Antoni and Vivien have decided to stage a contest to find the most original wedding concepts in Britain; the Confetti staff will narrow the field down to three candidates, help the couples stage their weddings, and treat the grand prize winner to a major photo spread in the magazine as well as a new home worth 500,000 pounds. Before long, Antoni and Vivien announce the finalists: Josef and Isabelle (Stephen Mangan and Meredith MacNeill), fitness enthusiasts who want a tennis-themed wedding; Matt and Sam (Martin Freeman and Jessica Stevenson), whose ceremony will be inspired by Hollywood movie musicals; and Michael and Joanna (Robert Webb and Olivia Colman), a pair of naturists who seldom wear clothes and want to be nude throughout the ceremony. Veteran wedding planners Archie Heron (Vincent Franklin) and Gregory Hough (Jason Watkins) are hired to help each couple have a day they'll always remember, though they may not look back on their work with fondness. Confetti was the second theatrical feature from director Debbie Isitt; all the dialogue was improvised by the film's cast during the filming. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of East Africa, director John Downer's Pride utilizes real wildlife in detailing the communication methods of the animal kingdom. They may not be able to form actual words, but the complex sounds and actions of the animals featured in Pride enable them to tell their remarkable story from an entirely new perspective. Despite young lion cub Suki's inability to come to grips with the demands of family life, a sudden moment of tragedy forces the youngster to fend for herself. When the law of the Serengeti comes smashing down on the innocent but courageous cub, Suki has no choice but to face her fate and accept both the good and the bad sides of nature's law -- no matter how harsh or unforgiving. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Hugo Speer, Warren Clarke, Lee Williams, and Martin Freeman co-star in the gripping British thriller The Debt (2003), which originally aired on the BBC. The story concerns Geoff Dresner (Warren Clarke), a retired English safecracker forced back into the seedy underworld and illicit doings of his past when his son-in-law (Freeman) fails to pay a cutthroat loan shark -- and must immediately cough up an enormous sum of money if he has any hope of emerging unscathed. Dresner stages a robbery to aid the young man, but it quickly goes awry -- placing Dresner in a vice between a ruthless detective, eager to bring the thief in once and for all, and an attorney (Williams) unequipped with the experience or know-how to successfully defend this career criminal. Dresner suddenly finds himself caught up in a net of lies and double-crosses, struggling to find a way to save himself and assist his family in the process. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Britain's satirist-of-all-trades Ali G (aka Sacha Baron Cohen) makes his feature-film debut with this gross-out comedy set against the backdrop of the House of Parliament. Where his British and U.S. TV shows had him conducting absurd interviews with real-life politicians and lawmakers, Ali G Indahouse casts him against Charles Dance as Carlton, an unscrupulous member of the House who's intent on upsetting the current Prime Minister (Michael Gambon) in the next election. Hoping to attract negative attention to the leader, Ali G is promoted as a running mate of sorts -- a tactic that backfires in Carlton's face as the clueless rapper quickly ascends the political ladder. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

A wildly popular British comedy series shot in mockumentary style, The Office detailed the daily struggles of the bored cubicle-dwellers at Wernham Hogg -- a paper supply company located in the quiet English town of Slough. Their boss, attention-craving lower middle manager David Brent (Ricky Gervais), possessed a tacky and tasteless sense of humor which proved a constant source of irritation to all within earshot. Throughout the first season of the series, tireless joker Brent played the constant clown even as his office faced massive cutbacks and the employees nervously pondered the prospect of unemployment. Later, when the team's worst fears began to come true, Brent dismissed their malaise while enthusiastically gloating over his own promotion. At the onset of the second season, the Slough branch of Wernham Hogg began preparing for the inevitable merger with the nearby Swinton branch, a consolidation that would find Brent under the leadership of new boss Neil Godwin (Patrick Baladi) -- a handsome and driven leader who had previously been Brent's equivalent at the Swinton branch. When Brent's awkward welcoming speech manages to offend just about every one of the serious-minded staff of the newly arrived Swinton team -- black employee Oliver (Howard Sadler) and disabled Brenda (Julie Fernandez) in particular -- David is summarily reprimanded by Wernham Hogg heavy Jennifer Taylor-Clarke (Stirling Gallacher). As David begins to ponder the prospect that his position is fast becoming obsolete due to the competent leadership of Godwin, pretty receptionist Dawn (Lucy Davis) does her best to endure the constant barrage of sexist comments as Tim (Martin Freeman) finds the flame of his longtime torch for her somewhat doused by the arrival of Swinton transplant Rachel (Stacey Roca). It's also during this time that the once casually irritating brownnosing of office suck-up Gareth (Mackenzie Crook) becomes absolutely intolerable to the put upon fellow co-workers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi