Laura Breckenridge

The star of Andrew Bujalski's indie sensation Mutual Appreciation, Justin Rice returns to the screen in this tale of a struggling scriptwriter who takes in a plucky Jack Russell terrier in hopes of charming its pretty owner into the bedroom. Lately, Bobby (Rice) hasn't had much luck in relationships. An aimless New Yorker whose best friend Scott is an unrepentant womanizer and whose nemesis Hart Carlton steals his ideas for a corny morality play about 9/11, Bobby just wants to find a pretty girl and move beyond the petty disappointments in life. When the girl Bobby currently has eyes for asks him to take care of her Jack Russell puppy for a few days, the lovelorn lothario sees the good deed as the perfect opportunity to make an unforgettable first impression. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Following up the acclaimed documentary Children of the Street, filmmaker Eva Aridjis made her narrative-feature debut with this bittersweet drama starring Frank Wood and Ryan Donowho. Wood plays Lawrence, a man who decides to take in Johnny (Donowho), the troubled teenaged son of his recently deceased high-school sweetheart. Twenty-five years ago, Caroline (Paige Turco) broke Lawrence's heart. These days, Lawrence is a single, middle-aged photographer leading a quiet life with his loyal canine companion in Bayonne, NJ. When Lawrence receives a surprise phone call from a recently divorced Caroline, romantic feelings are rekindled and his life suddenly takes on new meaning. Unfortunately, a life with Caroline wasn't in the cards for Lawrence, because shortly after the high-school sweethearts reconnect, Caroline dies in a sudden and tragic accident. Now, in order to prevent Carlone's troubled 16-year-old son, Johnny (Donowho), from being placed in foster care, Lawrence adopts the boy and tries his hardest to be a caring father. But Johnny wants nothing to do with Lawrence, instead choosing to follow in his biological father's footsteps by becoming a petty criminal and constructing an impenetrable wall of anger and silence. It seems that the only person capable of breaking through to Johnny is Mariana (Isidra Vega), a pretty neighborhood girl with whom the boy forms a warm bond. In time, Johnny begins to realize that Lawrence is a respectable role model and caring father figure who is willing to make the sacrifices needed for him to have a brighter future. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Set in New York, the weekly, hour-long dramedy Related was another of the WB network's bids to replicate the popularity of their earlier Gilmore Girls. Upon the announcement by their widowed father (Tom Irwin) that he was about to marry his longtime fiancée (Christine Ebersole), the four "couldn't be more different" Sorelli sisters reunited under the same roof. Oldest sister Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito) was a lawyer who'd just become pregnant; Ann (Kiele Sanchez), a therapist, had recently ended a lengthy relationship with her boyfriend (Dan Futterman); Marjee (Lizzy Caplan), a professional party planner, desperately needed a new place to live after being booted out of an illegal sublet; and Rose (Laura Breckenridge) was a will-o'-the-wisp who hadn't yet decided between becoming a doctor or an avant-garde actress. Despite the friction brought about by their highly individualistic personalities, the Sorelli girls could be counted upon to stick together when it really mattered. Co-created by Marta Kauffman (Friends) and Liz Tuccillo (Sex and the City), Related underwent several major revisions between the pilot episode and the series proper, not least of which was the removal of Laura San Giacomo (Just Shoot Me) in the role of Ann Sorelli. As originally conceived, Ann was to have been the oldest of the Sorelli sisters, but as the project developed, it was clear that Ginnie Sorelli was emerging as the "leader" and surrogate mother of the bunch; hence, Ginnie was made the oldest, and San Giacomo bowed out of the cast in favor of the younger Kiele Sanchez. Related debuted October 5, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide