Melissa Leo Movies
After supporting roles in a handful of small films and a short stint on the soap opera All My Children, New York-born Melissa Leo gained prominence on the critically-acclaimed Barry Levinson-produced television drama Homicide: Life on the Streets. After leaving the show in 1997, Leo continued to appear in a range of features, including 1999's 24 Hour Woman. But it was her role as Benicio Del Toro's wife in 2003's 21 Grams that gave Leo her first exposure to a wide moviegoing audience. The performance also won her recognition from the L.A. Film Critics Association, who named Leo the runner-up for the Best Supporting Actress honor.Leo continued to work steadily in a series of independent films including American Gun, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and Stephanie Daley. In 2008 she landed the lead role in Courtney Hunt's debut feature Frozen River. As a financially strapped woman who turns to human-trafficking in order to earn a living, Leo earned thunderous critical praise as well as Best Actress nominations from both the Screen Actors Guild, and the Academy.
Frozen River led her to steady work un a variety of projects, but it was as the matriarch of the boxing brothers in The Fighter that Leo had the biggest success of her career capturing numerous year-end critics awards as well as the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In the years after that she appeared in works as diverse as the remake of Mildred Pierce for HBO, and Kevin Smith's Red State. ~ Rovi
- 1996
A radio talk show host who "dared" his audience to seek revenge for his volatile opinions is found murdered. Investigating the case, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and Howard (Melissa Leo) come up with a likely suspect -- or do they? Elsewhere, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) reacts strongly when he is told that Lewis (Clark Johnson) is going to be married, while Munch (Richard Belzer) is convinced that Kellerman is being set up for an elaborate practical joke; and Pembleton's (Andre Braugher) nervousness increases as his pregnant wife's due date rapidly approaches. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
The unit's investigation of six unsolved homicides involves the detectives in a violent drug turf war. Things get worse when a peace demonstration proves to be anything but, and Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) begins showing signs of being close to a total breakdown. And in a more lighthearted development, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) is dying with curiosity over the identity of the person who is currently dating Lewis (Clark Johnson). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
The entire Baltimore homicide squad quietly surrounds the apartment of a suspected serial killer, with all the detectives taking 24-hour stakeout shifts. Forced into closer proximity than usual with one another, the cops begin to unload their pent-up feelings and bare their souls. At least two of the detectives would rather be somewhere else: Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) worries that he won't be able to attend his daughter's wedding, while Bayliss (Kyle Secor) is on the verge of giving up police work for good. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Baltimore cop Jake Rodzinski (Bruce Campbell) is the prime suspect in the murder of Kenny Damon, who had been acquitted on the charge of killing Jake's father. Kellerman (Reed Diamond) investigates the case, but withholds details of his findings from Jake's good friend Lewis (Clark Johnson). And in a less crucial development, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) and Pembleton (Andre Braugher) squabble over possession of a cold sandwich. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
Although several years have passed, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) continues to be haunted by his first case on the Baltimore homicide unit: the unsolved rape and murder of young Adena Watson. When a 12-year-old girl is assaulted and killed in a manner resembling the Watson incident, Bayliss becomes obsessed with finding out if the crimes are linked -- leading to a bitter argument between himself and Pembleton (Andre Braugher). Elsewhere, the squad's crime-scene photographer Brodie (Max Perlich) messes up an opportunity to express his affections for Howard (Melissa Leo). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
This independent film is about four homeless people in Brooklyn, and how they manage to get by from day to day. At the beginning, it depicts the lives of Sammy, his heroin-addicted girlfriend and his crack-addict brother. Sammy's brother and girlfriend raise money by selling their bodies for sex. Sammy seems to get by through foraging and fishing. They live together in an unused, semi-abandoned warehouse through an arrangement made with its caretaker/watchman. Their lives gain dramatic poignancy when they are joined by a young runaway boy named Shiner. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1995
When a ten-year-old is rendered brain-dead by a random shooting in a mall, Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor) are assigned to investigate the child's "murder." Not unexpectedly, both detectives become emotionally involved in the plight of the youngster's anguished family. Meanwhile, the rest of the Baltimore police force prepares for a visit by the Pope. Watch for a brief and unheralded crossover with the TV series Chicago Hope. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
The sudden exhumation of the remains of a person who was obviously walled up alive reopens a ten-year-old unsolved crime. Howard (Melissa Leo) and Munch (Richard Belzer) follow the trail of clues to a fanatical devotee of Edgar Allan Poe (this is, after all, in Baltimore). Elsewhere, the entire police force learns of the pregnancy of Pembleton's (Andre Braugher) wife, and Munch's date with Dr. Alyssa Dyer (Harlee McBride) takes an unexpected detour thanks to Alyssa's roommate. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
Not all is what it seems as the detectives investigate a hate crime perpetrated by skinheads in a gay community. In other developments, Howard (Melissa Leo) displays an unattractive case of envy when Lewis (Clark Johnson) begins to make headway in an unsolved case left behind by the late Steve Crosetti. And actor Max Perlich takes his first steps toward becoming a full-fledged series regular when his recurring character, J.H. Brodie, is hired by Homicide to videotape recent crime scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
Bruno Kirby guest stars as Victor Helms, a former plumber's assistant who was convicted of murder after causing the deaths of an entire family in a gas explosion. Newly released from prison, Helms has sworn vengeance against the Baltimore homicide cop who put him away: Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher). In concert with his buddy Danny Newton (Richard Newton), Helms conducts a carefully plotted campaign of persecution and harassment against Frank and his family -- a campaign that, unless nipped in the bud, will culminate in murder. This was the final episode of Homicide: Life on the Street's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
A serious rift develops between Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) and Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher) when Tim's cousin Jim (David Morse) shoots a Turkish exchange student whom he thinks is breaking into his house. Upset that Bayliss is willing to accept Jim's self-defence plea, Pembleton becomes convinced that the Bayliss family is rife with inherent racism. Elsewhere, Lewis (Clark Johnson) thinks he has made a clever economic move when he hires his own grandmother as cook for the new bar -- but he's wrong. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
As indicated by its opening caption, this episode was shown out of sequence with the rest of season three when it originally aired on April 21, 1995. While adjusting to the news that their former colleague Steve Crosetti committed suicide, the homicide detectives divvy up Steve's huge caseload. In the course of events, Felton (Daniel Baldwin) misplaces a valuable piece of evidence, with potentially disastrous consequences for Howard (Melissa Leo). Elsewhere, the detective's new bar proves to be a bottomless money pit, and Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) briefly entertains romantic yearnings for Russert (Isabella Hoffman). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
When an aging convicted murderer is slated to be executed after 16 years on death row, the condemned man's daughter takes Col. Barnfather (Clayton LeBouef) hostage, demanding that her father's case be reopened. While Bolander (Ned Beatty) races against time to find any shred of evidence that might free the death-row prisoner, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and Russert (Isabella Hoffman) try to forget their differences long enough to defuse the hostage crisis. And on a lighter note, new tavern owner Munch (Richard Belzer) may be talked into investing in a microbrewery. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
The homicide detectives team up with the FBI to track down a serial killer who is moving progressively northward on I-95. The combined law officers manage to capture a man (Jeffrey Donovan) who fits the description of the killer perfectly -- only to find out that they might have the wrong person in custody. And in another development, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) has an awkward meeting with his estranged daughter. The role of TV reporter Dawn Daniels is played by Rhonda Overby, a real-life correspondent for Baltimore's NBC affiliate WBAL-TV. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
A gas leak at homicide headquarters forces the detectives to temporarily pitch camp at an old bank building, where several bad moods are quickly exacerbated. The many story developments this evening include the negative effect that Howard's (Melissa Leo) promotion has on her colleagues, and Giardello's (Yaphet Kotto) inadvertent dismissal of a key piece of evidence in the murder of an elderly woman. Meanwhile, Pembleton (Andre Braugher) continues to fret over his wife's pregnancy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
In the concluding episode of Homicide: Life on the Street's two-part season-four opener, the discovery of a second body at an arson scene suggests that the fire was started to cover up a double homicide. With Bayliss (Kyle Secor) sidelined by illness, his partner, Pembleton (Andre Braugher), is reluctantly teamed with brash arson detective Kellerman (Reed Diamond), who continues to rub the homicide squad the wrong way when he turns down a transfer offer extended by Giardello (Yaphet Kotto). Meanwhile, Munch (Richard Belzer) and Howard (Melissa Leo) compete for a coveted promotion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
In the opening episode of Homicide: Life on the Street's fourth season, the viewer is informed that Baltimore homicide detectives Bolander and Felton have been suspended without pay for 22 weeks after their misbehavior at a D.C. police convention -- thereby neatly explaining away the departures of former series regulars Daniel Baldwin and Ned Beatty. The rest of the episode sets up a plot line that will not be resolved until the following week, beginning with the discovery of a charred body at an arson scene. This grisly revelation leads to a clash between homicide cops Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor), and all-too-glib arson detective Mike Kellerman (played by new series regular Reed Diamond). And in other developments, Pembleton discovers that his wife is pregnant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
In the first episode of a three-part story arc, Bolander (Ned Beatty), Howard (Melissa Leo), and Felton (Daniel Baldwin) are ambushed and shot down when attempting to serve a warrant. In his efforts to track down the suspect, Pembleton (Andre Braugher) is partnered with a detective who prefers to use a bizarre psychological approach to crime-solving, and is also given a helping hand by Bolander's former partner Mitch (Tony Lo Bianco). Complicating matters is the realization that the shooting might have been averted had it not been for a disastrous clerical error. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
Russert (Isabella Hoffman) suspects that her new partner is at the end of his rope -- and is abusing his wife as a result of his frustration. In other developments, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor) try to talk Pembleton (Andre Braugher) out of resigning; Lewis (Clark Johnson) surprises Bayliss during a wild ride to a crime scene; and Felton (Daniel Baldwin) catches up with his kids. And after innumerable setbacks, the detectives' after-hours bar is on the verge of opening to the public. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
As a personal favor, Deputy Commissioner Harris (Al Freeman Jr.) asks Pembleton (Andre Braugher) to conduct an unofficial investigation of a case involving a congressman. As a result of his generosity, Pembleton finds himself part of a wide-ranging coverup, in which he may wind up as the "fall guy." Meanwhile, a homicide case involving a homeless man is complicated when the victim's body keeps disappearing and reappearing; Felton (Daniel Baldwin) continues to be frustrated in his efforts to locate his kids; and Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Munch (Richard Belzer) tackle the case of a murdered biker. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
As Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor) investigate the killing of a 14-year-old boy, the mother of the victim has an unexpected meeting with the mother of the killer. The plans drawn up by Bayliss, Munch (Richard Belzer), and Lewis (Clark Johnson) to renovate their new bar are stymied by a bureaucratic glitch -- not to mention an unwelcome visit from the IRS. And Felton (Daniel Baldwin) gets a line on the location where his estranged wife has taken their kids. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
NBC news commentator Tim Russert makes a cameo appearance as himself in this episode, wherein detectives Felton (Daniel Baldwin), Bolander (Ned Beatty), and Howard (Melissa Leo) continue to recover from their physical and emotional wounds as they return to active duty. Tonight's case roster includes two "murders in the family," one involving a walled-up skeleton, the other the double killing of an elderly couple. And though Giordello (Yaphet Kotto) is finally given the satisfaction of literally flushing out the corrupt hiring practices of his longtime nemesis Col. Granger (Gerald F. Gough), "Gee" is none too happy when Granger's exit results in the sudden promotion of Lt. Russert (Isabella Hoffman). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
Investigating the highly suspicious death of the person suspected of ambushing three of his fellow homicide detectives, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) runs up against a wall of departmental silence. Meanwhile, wounded detective Felton (Daniel Baldwin) returns to work, though he hasn't recovered emotionally from his ordeal -- nor is he prepared for the hostility attending his return. Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Lewis (Clark Johnson) have a falling out during the seemingly random killing of a white woman in a black neighborhood. And Munch (Richard Belzer) discovers that he has been used as the "model" for a painting hanging in an art gallery exhibit. Chris Noth makes a cameo appearance in his Law & Order role as Detective Mike Logan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
In the conclusion of a three-part story arc, public anger over the shooting that left three homicide detectives seriously wounded and the killer at large results in an ultimatum: Either Homicide solves the case within 48 hours, or it will be turned over to another department. Making matters worse, the cops may have the wrong man in custody when they catch up with the suspect, and the recovery of wounded detective Stan Bolander (Ned Beatty) is progressing painfully slowly. On a more positive note, Russert (Isabella Hoffman) and Howard (Melissa Leo) finally agree to settle their differences and work in harmony -- or at least try to do so. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1995
In the second episode of a three-part story arc, the detectives continue tracking down the pedophile who may or may not have seriously wounded Bolander (Ned Beatty), Howard (Melissa Leo), and Felton (Daniel Baldwin) in a bloody ambush. Meanwhile, Felton begins to recover from his wounds, but his colleagues may not be so lucky. And it looks as though Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) will be forced to take the rap for the clerical error that led to the shooting -- and that Russert (Isabella Hoffman) will be the one who hangs Giardello out to dry. Real-life Baltimore homicide cop (Gary D'Addario), the series' technical advisor and the prototype for the Giardello character, appears as Col. Granger. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
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