Joe Mantegna Movies
The quiet yet dynamic screen presence of actor Joe Mantegna has made him one of the most powerful supporting actors in Hollywood. Born in Chicago, Mantegna made his acting debut in the 1969 production of Hair. He then joined Chicago's Organic Theatre Company. In 1978, he debuted on Broadway in Working; he also helped write Bleacher Bums, an award-winning play. Still, he did not become well-known until he played a recurring role on the TV show Soap. By 1983 he'd returned to Chicago, where he began working with playwright David Mamet. While playing the lead in Mamet's play Glengarry Glen Ross (1983), Mantegna won a Tony. When Mamet began making films, Mantegna became his actor of choice in works such as House of Games (1987) and Homicide (1991). Prior to that, the actor had played small roles in a number of other films. He also continues to play in a variety of movie genres, working with some of Hollywood's top directors. Mantegna turned producer in 1998 with the crime comedy Jerry and Tom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Being "the chosen one" isn't exactly a barrel of laughs for teenager Joan Girardi (Amber Tamblyn) during the first season of the critically acclaimed CBS drama series Joan of Arcadia. For one thing, poor Joan never knows when God will choose to have one of his many conversations with her -- nor is she ever quite certain in what guise God will appear (a little boy, a street person, the school lunch lady, etc.). Also, the things God asks Joan to do don't always make sense; sure, she understands his motives when he persuades her to volunteer to work with underprivileged, but why in his name does he want her to join the school debate team? Finally, Joan has a tough time keeping her celestial chit-chats a secret from her police-detective dad, Will (Joe Mantegna); her art-teacher mom, Helen (Mary Steenburgen); her nerdy brother Luke (Mike Welch); her paraplegic older brother Kevin (Jason Ritter); and her somewhat befuddled artist boyfriend, Adam (Christopher Marquette). In the course of season one, Joan tries to help her dad Will capture a serial killer; she is shamed by God into enrolling in an advanced-placement chem class; she learns to play chess, a move that is linked with her dad's investigation of a missing child case; her brother Kevin ever so gradually adjusts to life in a wheelchair, though mom Helen never gives up hope of a miracle (the one issue that God hasn't entirely broached yet!); Will later lands a newspaper job, possibly via divine intervention, possibly not; God sees to it that Joan comes out of her shell by prodding her to try out for the pom-pom squad; Joan becomes mighty uncomfortable (one might say hot under the collar) when certain parties draw comparisons between her and another Joan of "Arc" fame; an acquaintance of Joan's dies, leading to some very pointed queries during her next conversation with the almighty; a cryptic request leads Joan to believe that God wants "something more" from their relationship; and in the season finale, Joan's mood swings lead her parents to wonder just where she goes and whom she's with when she's not at home -- and in so doing, realign their own attitudes toward faith in a greater power. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amber Tamblyn, Joe Mantegna, (more)
A visit from a distant relative teaches a modern family about old-fashioned values in this family drama. Robert Micelli (Joe Mantegna) and his wife Marie (Anne Archer) are a couple living in Chicago with their two children, 15-year-old Bobby (Trevor Morgan) and 12-year-old Gina (Gina Mantegna). The Micelli Family is not as close as it once was; Robert is busy with work as he tries to earn a promotion, Marie has given up on cooking as a hobby, Bobby has started a rock & roll band with his friends and prefers to hang out with them, and Gina wants both a puppy and more attention from her dad. One day, Robert's elderly Uncle Nino (Pierrino Mascarino) arrives for a visit from Italy -- much to the surprise of the family, since Gina misplaced the letter Nino sent to announce his impending arrival. It doesn't take long for Nino to see that he's staying with an unhappy family, and he reaches out to them, reintroducing Marie to her love of good food, teaching Bobby about music, and teaching Gina about caring for pets and enjoying life; however, convincing Robert to spend more time with his family and less time worrying about work turns out to be a tough sell. Uncle Nino initially failed to find a distributor until the film's producers booked it into a theater in Grand Rapids, MI, where the film became a surprise hit playing to steady crowds for over a year. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, (more)
- 2002
Hoping to utilize the Supreme Court in the same dramatic manner that West Wing utilized the White House, the weekly, 60-minute CBS series First Monday focused on the nine Justices who laid down the law for the United States. Joe Mantegna headed the cast as Joseph Novelli, the newest member of the nine-person Supreme Court. Entering a political arena that was evenly divided between Conservative and Liberal, the "moderate" Justice Novelli generally acted as the tie-breaker in matters of national jurisprudence (though supposedly noncommittal politically, Novelli's beard and pugnacious personality indicated that he was the "champion of the underdog" type). James Garner co-starred as staunchly conservative Chief Justice Thomas Brankin, who displayed his contempt for contemporary political correctness by puffing away on a cigarette in his "officially" smoke-free private office. Brankin's chief ally was the whimsical, womanizing Justice Henry Hoskins (Charles Durning), while on varying extremes of the political spectrum were Jewish jurist Esther Weisenberg (Camille Saviola) and black Justice Jerome Morris (James McEachin). Created by Jag's Donald P. Bellisario, First Monday premiered on Tuesday, January 15, 2002, before settling into its standard Friday-night slot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
After his wife Dana (Christine Lahti) walks out on him, Michael (Joe Mantegna) is visited by his friend, Bruce (Paul Reiser). The two discuss the logistics of the fight, and the state of things between men and women in general. Michael had just given Dana a new Cadillac, and Bruce tells him that Brita (Glenne Headly), his wife and Dana's best friend, and a mental health professional, told him Dana left because, with his cigars and the Caddy, Michael started reminding her of her father. Bruce talks about his own marital problems. Brita recently woke him up in the middle of the night to complain about the hair growing out of his ears. Their friend Nick (Robert Pastorelli) had an epiphany and confessed to his wife that he'd cheated on her, and she left him. After a game of pool, Michael and Bruce decide to go to Motions, a strip club. Dana returns home and sees them driving away, and decides to follow them. She tracks them to the club, and she's appalled as she watches them get lap dances. She leaves the club and calls Brita to tell her all about it. When Michael and Bruce get back to Michael's place, they find the two women waiting there, angry. Dana throws Michael out, and Brita goes along with it. The four of them spend the rest of the evening strategizing with each other, coming together momentarily only to split again, and discussing gender differences. Michael and Bruce visit Nick, who's become a world-class womanizer, while Shelly (Jennifer Coolidge) shows up at the house, and complains about single life to Dana and Brita. Things only get more heated between the two couples as the evening wears on. Women vs. Men was directed by actor Chazz Palminteri. It originally aired on Showtime. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
The third time's the charm for terror in the sky in this action-packed drama. Rock superstar Slade Craven has decided to hang up his rock & roll shoes and has planned something very special for his final show -- instead of a typical concert in some sports arena, he'll play a set aboard a 747 jumbo jet, flying from Los Angeles to Toronto, with the gig broadcast live to millions of fans over the Internet. But what Craven didn't count on is the presence of a deranged fan with a gun who attempts to hijack the plane, throwing the show into chaos and putting the lives of everyone aboard the jet at risk. Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal stars Rutger Hauer, Joe Mantegna, Craig Sheffer, and Gabrielle Anwar.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabrielle Anwar, Craig Sheffer, (more)
Three famous vocalists find their lives don't harmonize well off-stage in this farcical comedy. Armand Dupres (George Hamilton), Ricardo Palacios (Joe Mantegna), and Fabrizio Bernini (Danny Aiello) are three well-respected opera singers who have risen to superstardom thanks to a successful series of recordings and performances as a trio. However, after a disastrous concert in Mexico City, the three singers (all possessing king-sized egos) split up the act and refuse to talk to one another. A few years later, Palacios' career has taken a nosedive, and he's willing to set aside his differences and put the group back together. However, that's before he discovers that Dupres is engaged to marry his rebellious daughter Carmen (Ariadna Gil), and that his ex-wife has married Bernini. Can Palacios stop the wedding between Dupres and Carmen, win back his wife from Bernini, and still get the trio back on the road? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The crime comedy More Dogs Than Bones starts with female gangster Victoria Galetti hiding one million dollars in cash in the bags of Raj Lukla -- a foreigner flying into town in order to visit his nephew Andy. Victoria's underlings are assigned to retrieve the cash, but learn that the task is far more complicated than they expected after Andy's dog discovers the money first. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Robert Mantegna stars as tough Boston private eye Spencer in this made-for-cable adaptation of the Robert B. Parker novel Thin Air. It all begins when Lila St. Claire (Yancy Butler, the new bride of police detective Frank Belson (David Ferry), is kidnapped by Latino ganglord Luis DeLeon (Jon Seda). As a personal favor to Belson, Spencer agrees to burrow into the barrio in hopes of rescuing Lila. In so doing, Spencer is made privy to more unsavory aspects of Beantown's Latino subculture--and also learns more than he cares to know about Lila's clouded past. Thin Air was originally telecast by the A&E network on September 12, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Marcia Gay Harden, (more)
E.B. White's children's story of a swan searching for his voice comes to life in this animated adventure. When young Louie the Swan is hatched, it's soon discovered that he isn't able to make a sound, which is a matter of no small annoyance to his boastful father (voice of Jason Alexander) and doting mother (voice of Mary Steenburgen). As Louie gets a bit older, he falls in love with Serena (voice of Reese Witherspoon), but he has no way of telling her how he feels. Despondent, Louie flies away, and makes friends with a young boy named Sam (voice of Sam Gifaldi). Sam realizes Louie has a problem, and with the help of his schoolteacher, Mrs. Hammerbotham (Carol Burnett), Louie learns to read and write. Louie is thrilled that he has finally found a way to communicate, but his joy is short-lived when he discovers his fellow swans are not well acquainted with the English language. At long last, Louie finds a way to speak in a way his family and fellows can understand when his father gives him a trumpet; while Louie is thrilled and shows a remarkable gift for the instrument, his dad's happiness is diluted by the fact that the horn is stolen merchandise. Determined to pay for the stolen trumpet and make his family proud, Louie flies away to the big city, where he lands a lucrative gig playing with a jazz combo. At last, Louie has found fame, fortune, and self-respect, but can he win the heart of Serena away from her fiancé, Boyd (Seth Green)? The score for The Trumpet of the Swan was written by noted jazz artist Marcus Miller; rock & roll pioneer Little Richard also contributed a song to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Alexander, Mary Steenburgen, (more)
Renowned character actor Joe Mantegna makes his directorial debut with this film adaptation of one of David Mamet's first plays, boasting such onscreen talent as Peter Falk, Charles Durning, and Robert Forster. Based on Mamet's experiences of working on Great Lake freighters while a grad student, the film centers on Dale (Tony Mamet, David's brother), an Ivy League college kid working on the Seaway Queen on an internship one summer. Though his romantic vision of life on the sea is soon dashed, he befriends a half-dozen members of the world-weary crew and learns about the unexpectedly rich -- and occasionally tragic -- lives they lead. This film premiered at the 2000 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Durning, Robert Forster, (more)
One of Hollywood's most acclaimed directors, Barry Levinson has brought such hits as Diner, Good Morning Vietnam, and Liberty Heights to screens everywhere. This video profile highlights his career, featuring interviews with Annette Bening, Dustin Hoffman, and Kevin Pollak. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
This made-for-TV drama was based on the true story of Marita Lorenz (Gabrielle Anwar), an idealistic American of Latin descent who, in 1959, became fascinated with Fidel Castro (Joe Mantegna), the revolutionary leader who had recently seized control of Cuba. Against the wishes of her mother Alice (Jill Clayburgh), who works with the CIA, Marita travels to Cuba in hopes of meeting the charismatic leader. Fidel is quite taken with her, and he immediately asks her to stay on as his translator and secretary. But it quickly becomes obvious that Fidel's greatest interest in Marita is not professional; they are soon having an affair, and she becomes pregnant with his child. Marita becomes disillusioned with Fidel, believing that power has led him to betray many of the principles he fought for, but she's shocked and confused when she becomes frighteningly dizzy and passes out, only to wake up in New York City several days later, without her baby. Alice tells Marita that she was rescued in a daring raid after Fidel's henchmen poisoned her and aborted her unborn child. Alice now tries to persuade Marita to return to Cuba -- not to help Fidel, but to assassinate him. Originally produced for the Lifetime cable network, My Little Assassin also stars Robert Davi, Ada Maris, and Scott Paulin. The real Marita Lorenz served as an advisor to the production. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Robert Davi, (more)
A young man with an addiction to gambling (played by Ron Eldard) has managed to get himself into serious debt. In an effort to pay off the bookies, his uncle (Joe Mantegna) pulls a few strings and gets him a job working for a gangster (John Goodman) who needs a "runner" to place bets with various bookies. The gangster keeps his new "runner" on a short leash, and for the most part the young gambler behaves himself. However, the temptation of walking around with large sums of cash proves too great, and the "runner" puts both his job and his survival on the line when he dips into his boss's funds to buy a ring for his girlfriend (Courtney Cox). This story about life in the Las Vegas underworld is enlivened by a few unusual plot twists and bizarre set pieces (including Goodman's mechanical attack dog). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Eldard, Courteney Cox Arquette, (more)
- 1999
Joe Mantegna stars as Spenser, Robert B. Parker's tough and intelligent private eye, in this made-for-cable mystery thriller. When Ellis Alves (Wood Harris) is accused of the murder of a well-to-do college student, no one seems terribly surprised; Alves has a long criminal record and has served time for two previous felony convictions. But Alves' lawyers notice that many of the facts of the case don't seem to add up, and they hire Spenser to find out if their client is being railroaded. The longer Spenser digs into the murder, the more firmly he's convinced that Alves is not the culprit. But a number of people, including the parents of the murdered co-ed and the police detectives on the case, want Spenser to keep his nose out of the matter, and when someone starts shooting at him, he decides that he may need to go underground to protect his own safety and uncover the truth. Shiek Mahmud-Bey plays Spenser's sidekick Hawk, while Marcia Gay Harden plays Susan Silverman, the detective's significant other. The characters from Parker's Spenser mysteries were also the basis for the popular TV series Spenser For Hire, in which Spenser was played by Robert Urich. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Marcia Gay Harden, (more)
Writer/director Barry Levinson returns to his home town of Baltimore, where he previously set three nostalgic features (Diner, Tin Men, and Avalon) for this story of two brothers growing up in the tumultuous days of 1954, as rock 'n' roll, the atom bomb, and the civil rights movement changed the way teenagers looked at the world. One of the brothers has fallen in love with a beautiful girl who, to the chagrin of his family, is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Protestant, while the other has an even bigger shock for his folks: his new girlfriend is black. Joe Mantegna and Bebe Neuwirth play the parents, with Adrien Brody, Vincent Guastaferro, Orlando Jones, David Krumholz, and Kiersten Warren also topping the cast. Tom Waits wrote several original songs for the film, while Andrea Morricone (daughter of Ennio Morricone) wrote the score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrien Brody, Ben Foster, (more)
Black-and-white Sven Nykvist cinematography highlights this Woody Allen comedy about fame and obscurity among Manhattan celebs. Journalist Lee Simon (Kenneth Branagh), makes a play for actress Nicole Oliver (Melanie Griffith), subject of his current story. Lee is separated from his wife Robin (Judy Davis), a schoolteacher who's totally lost and insecure -- until TV producer Tony Gardella (Joe Mantegna) becomes fascinated with her. Concerned about her possible sexual inadequacies, Robin recruits a prostitute (Bebe Neuwirth) to instruct her on oral sex techniques. On the town, Lee becomes transfixed by a blond supermodel (Charlize Theron), who teases him throughout the night, eventually dropping him before they get home. Lee's relationship with book editor Bonnie (Famke Janssen) is solid, and she's due to move into his place. However, he suddenly becomes romantically involved with waitress-actress Nola (Winona Ryder), complicating his agreement with Bonnie. Lee's efforts to sell his screenplay take him to the Stanhope Hotel, where he arrives just as spoiled young movie star Brandon Darrow (Leonardo DiCaprio) is fighting with his girlfriend (Gretchen Mol), trashing his hotel room, and insulting hotel staffers. When Darrow and his entourage head off to Atlantic City, Lee tags along, but as life swirls about him, a dismal dawn awaits. In addition to the Stanhope, locations included Barbetta's Restaurant, Ziegfeld Theatre, Soho's Serge Soroko Gallery, Flamingo Club, Jean-Georges Restaurant, and the Trump Marina Hotel and Casino (donated by Donald Trump, who portrays himself in a cameo at the Jean-Georges). Shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival, this was the opening night selection of the 1998 New York Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, (more)
Joe Mantegna and Kevin Pollak star in this drama about Angelo, the son of a powerful crime boss. One day, Angelo and five other low-level gangsters are given an assignment -- they are to murder the son of one of his rivals, who blew up a building he owns. However, Angelo and his crew are more than a bit taken aback when the find that their target is only nine years old. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Kevin Pollak, (more)
As a determined collective of American and Vietnamese veterans collaborate for a sixteen day, 1,200 mile bicycle expedition across the very same landscape where they once vowed to kill each other or die trying, emotional scars cut deeper than any physical wounds. Nearly a quarter century after the last American officials were airlifted to safety from their Saigon embassy rooftop, the preparations are being finalized for The Vietnam Challenge: A grueling bicycle journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. An event organized by World T.E.A.M. (The Exceptional Athlete Matters) Sports, The Vietnam Challenge teamed able-bodied veterans with those who were wounded in battle to highlight the remarkable accomplishments that can be made by those suffering with disabilities. For some participants it was the physical aspect of the race that proved the most challenging, and for others the hardest part was moving out of the past and learning to embrace the future. Joining these exceptional veterans on their remarkable journey are Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts and U.S. Ambassador Pete Peterson. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greg LaMonde, John Kerry, (more)
Joanna Pacula stars in this thriller as Liz, an analyst who introduces her husband, the owner of an art gallery, to an attractive female artist suffering from severe depression and thoughts of suicide. Before long, she begins to suspect that her husband may be having an affair with the painter, but after she hires a detective to keep tabs on them, Liz begins to suspect that infidelity may be the least of her problems -- her husband may be a murderer. Also stars Joe Mantegna and Kate Jackson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Joanna Pacula, (more)
Former boxing great Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini brings years of experience in the ring to his role in this drama. Charlie (Mancini) is an up-and-coming boxer who decides he needs to move to the big city if he wants to be a contender. With his best friend and manager Tiny (Michael Chiklis) in tow, Charlie heads to Reno; en route, Charlie falls for Gina (Jennifer Beals), an attractive hitchhiker, though Tiny is certain she's up to no good. In Reno, Charlie's skills as a fighter attract the attention of Johnny (Rod Steiger), a veteran trainer who thinks Charlie has what it takes to be a champ. Johnny is able to arrange a meeting for Charlie and Tiny with Dumas (Joe Mantegna), a boxing promoter who controlls the fight game in Reno. Charlie soon learns that fame and fortune could be his for the asking, but is he willing to give up his principles and betray the people he cares about in exchange for a shot at the big time? Body and Soul is a loose adaptation of the 1947 classic starring John Garfield, though beyond the fact the lead characters are boxers named Charlie, the two films have little in common. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Steiger, Jennifer Beals, (more)
Joe Mantegna stars in this action drama in which a wealthy businessman sends his private jet to pick up his 13-year-old daughter and two of his most trusted employees for an important banquet at which he will speak. In transit, the jet is caught in a serious electrical storm that kills the pilot and the other two adults, leaving the girl to try and land the plane with only the radio contact of the air traffic controller to guide her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Set in Toronto's Little Italy, Boy Meets Girl stars Sean Astin as Mike, a cynical writer who pens copy for a romance magazine, and Emily Hampshire as Angelina, who has just arrived in Canada from Italy to marry a man she unfortunately doesn't care for. Mike's next door neighbor is an eccentric wallpaper hanger who writes poetry in his spare time. Somehow, one of the paperer's love verses ends up in Angelina's hands and she's convinced Mike wrote it -- and suddenly love is in the air and romance is sparked between them. The supporting cast features Kevin McDonald and Kate Nelligan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Sean Astin, (more)
This four-hour miniseries is a sequel to 1997's top-rated miniseries, The Last Don,based on the novel by Mario Puzo of The Godfather fame, but several critics noted that The Last Don II is unintentionally funny. After Don Clericuzio (Danny Aiello, the pivotal figure in the first series) dies from old age, Clericuzio's enemies come out of the woodwork with bullets and bombs. Clericuzio's nephew Cross De Lena (Jason Gedrick) is peacefully enjoying life in Paris with his attractive wife and his autistic stepdaughter; when the wife has a mail bomb go off in her face, it marks the unleashing of a new wave of violence. Rose Marie Clericuzio (Kirstie Alley), who still bemoans the killing of her son (during the first series), encounters romantic problems with Father Luca Tonarini (Jason Isaacs). With teacher and nanny Josie Cirolia (Patsy Kensit) caring for Cross' autistic stepdaughter, it's not long before the widower and the nanny take an interest in each other. But when will he figure out that she's an FBI agent? Cross's sister is Hollywood studio exec Claudia (Michelle Rene Thomas); she's married to muscular, Austrian-accented actor Dirk (Andrew Jackson), star of an action movie titled The Fumigator. Premiered May 3, 1998 on CBS. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Gedrick, Patsy Kensit, (more)
