Jean Louisa Kelly Movies

Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) will renew their wedding vows before the episode is over, but first Paul must be rushed to the hospital for an emergency tonsillectomy. Jean Louisa Kelly makes her first series appearance as Diane, an attractive nurse whose tender ministrations to Paul arouse Jamie's jealous ire. And by the way, baby Mabel utters her first word. ~ Rovi

Six friends in their mid- to late twenties are forced to deal with the sticky business of adulthood in this independent comedy drama. For close to ten years, Paul (Elon Gold) has organized a weekend getaway for his college friends every summer at his folks' cottage in upstate New York. This year, the number of attendees has dwindled to six, which disappoints Paul, as he prefers to look back on his past rather than deal with his present. Paul and his wife, Julia (Amanda Peet), have been trying to have a child, but she has been mixed feelings about the notion of parenthood, which are aggravated when she learns she is indeed pregnant. Stan (Jonathan LaPaglia) is still reeling from a recent bout with testicular cancer, as well as a bad breakup with his girlfriend Kate (Sybil Temchen). As it happens, Kate's pal Laura (Jean Louisa Kelly) is attracted to Stan, but between his weakened physical state and his mixed feelings about his breakup, he's not sure if he should proceed. And ladies' man Fisher (Michael Kelly), disappointed by the dearth of single woman, decides to act on his feelings for Julia; while Julia is flattered, she's not sure if Fisher is worth throwing away her marriage. Origin of the Species was the first feature film from director Andres Heinz, and was adapted from the play of the same name by Robert Weston Ackerman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Jay Craven directed this post-WWII period drama adapted from a fact-based novel by Howard Frank Mosher. During the '50s, the service record of former Army chaplain Walter Andrews (Ernie Hudson) makes such an impression that he's hired over the telephone to serve as minister at a small town in rural Vermont. Only when Andrews arrives to begin work do the townspeople realize he's black. Despite some hostility from certain locals, he's accepted into the community. However, when young Claire LaRivierre (Jordan Bayne), is found murdered in the forest nearby, Andrews becomes the leading suspect because he gave her shelter. Contrasting accounts of Claire's final hours are revealed in the courtroom. Shown at the 1998 Hollywood Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Munch (Richard Belzer) suffers a crisis in faith when a middle-aged woman whom he had pined over in high school is found murdered. As he investigates the case, Munch flashes back to his mixed-up youth, yielding few answers but plenty of questions. Meanwhile, Mary Pembleton (Ami Brabson) walks out on her husband, Frank (Andre Braugher), when he shows up for their daughter's baptism. Among its many other virtues, "Kaddish" is the only cop-series episode in living memory to invoke the title of the long-forgotten 1959 private-eye TV show Johnny Staccato (an early John Cassavetes effort). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

At first glance, the made-for-TV Harvest of Fire would seem to be a gender-switch variation on the theatrical feature Witness (1985), but it is much more than that. Assigned to investigate the possibility of a hate crime when three barns are burned in an Amish community in Iowa, FBI agent Sally Russwell (Lolita Davidovich) is given a far-from-warm welcome by the locals when she arrives at the scene of the crime. Shunned as one of "the English" -- that is, an outsider -- Sally is able to gain the confidence only of entrepreneurial Amish widow Annie Beiler (Patty Duke), who is as curious and inquisitive about the outside world as Sally is of Annie's world. The shaky but solid bond formed between the two women enables Sally to proceed with her investigation -- and, in the process, to expose several unpleasant secrets concerning the tightly-knit community. An Emmy Award winner for Best Sound Mixing, Harvest of Fire was first telecast as a CBS "Hallmark Hall of Fame" special on April 21, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The longest-running show in the history of the American theater (it opened at an off-Broadway theater in the spring of 1960, where it remained until the production finally closed in early 2002) finally arrives onscreen. Hucklebee (Brad Sullivan) and Bellamy (Joel Grey) are a pair of small town fathers who are scheming to bring their children Matt (Joseph McIntyre) and Luisa (Jean Louisa Kelly) together in a romance. As a carnival arrives to bring some excitement to the sleepy village, the fathers persuade a mysterious interloper named El Gallo (Jonathan Morris) to stage a mock abduction of Luisa, which will hopefully prompt Matt to come to her rescue. However, while El Gallo's plan succeeds, he also awakens his innocent charges to the darker and more disappointing side of love. The Fantasticks was shot and edited in 1995, but beyond a few preview screenings, it went unreleased until the fall of 2000. The film marked the dramatic debut of former New Kids on the Block vocalist Joseph McIntyre, and features Teller (of the magic/performance art duo Penn & Teller) in a rare speaking role. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In this drama based on Anne Tyler's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the long marriage of a couple en route to a funeral is seen from the viewpoint of those they encounter during the trip. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this cheerful, lightweight comedy, excruciatingly clumsy, disorganized, and messy Uncle Buck Russell (John Candy) becomes the screens most unlikely babysitter since Clifton Webb in Sitting Pretty. While their parents are away, eight-year old Miles (Macaulay Culkin), six-year old Maizy (Gaby Hoffman) and their teen-aged sister, Tia (Jean Kelly) are left in the care of Buck. Surprisingly, the very inept Uncle Buck entertains the younger children who come to love him and earns the respect of Tia when he rescues her from her worthless boyfriend. However, in doing so, Buck nearly loses his long-time girlfriend Chanice (Amy Madigan). John Candy is delightful in the leading role giving a touching and notable comic performance. Directed by John Hughes in his typical broad style, this youth-oriented comedy is perhaps the best role of John Candy's regrettably brief career. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi