Elizabeth Sampson Movies

Two women who don't look at all alike find out they have an unfortunate amount in common in this independent comedy drama. Lydia (Deidra Edwards) is a woman in her early thirties who lives and works in Venice Beach, CA, a place where appearance counts for a lot. Lydia is more than a little overweight, and she's a member of a "Fat Acceptance Group," a support organization where plus-sized women gather to discuss their emotional issues and their desire for the world to understand them at face value. One day, a new face appears at the group's weekly meeting -- Darcy (Staci Lawrence), a strikingly slender woman who informs the regulars that she's a recovering anorexic who wants to attend because despite her size, she still sees herself as fat. While the leader of the group rejects Darcy, Lydia strikes up a friendship with her, and as they get to know one another they come to understand their unique anxieties about their bodies. Lydia has begun a tentative romance with a stocky but likable man named Bob (Ryan C. Benson), who wants a woman who won't judge him for his girth, but when she learns he's planning to have gastric bypass surgery in a final bid to lose weight, she's afraid he'll leave her behind and makes an unusual request to Darcy -- lessons in how to become anorexic. Disfigured was the first directorial assignment for screenwriter Glenn Gers. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A typically quirky and eccentric offering from prolific TV producer David E. Kelley, the weekly drama series The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire was set in the titular fictional community, wherein virtually everything of any importance was handled by the three Shaw brothers. Oldest sibling Hank Shaw (Randy Quaid) was the town's police chief and hockey coach; middle brother Garrett (John Carroll Lynch) was the mayor of Poland; and younger brother Waylon (Chris Penn) managed to wield a lot of authority despite the fact that he was an unemployed ex-convict. Also seen were Mare Winningham as Hank's wife Dottie, Elizabeth McGovern as Garrett's wife Helen, Ann Cusack as Waylon's wife Julie, Megan Henning as Garrett's daughter Monica, and Angela Goethals as Waylon's daughter Katie. Best described as Northern Exposure with middle-aged angst and populated with the sort of oddball supporting characters so typical of the Kelley oeuvre, The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire premiered September 24, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi