Breckin Meyer Movies
Bearing an unconventional appeal that may have something to do with the slaphappy grin permanently stretched across his face, Breckin Meyer has made a name for himself playing characters that have an almost criminally laid-back attitude as their common denominator. Although he got his big break as endearing stoner Travis Birkenstock in Amy Heckerling's 1995 comedy Clueless, Meyer had been acting since he was 11 years old. Born in Minneapolis, MN, on May 7, 1974, Meyer was raised in Los Angeles, where he had early encounters with fame in the form of elementary school with Drew Barrymore (in her autobiography, Little Girl Lost, she credited Meyer with giving her her first kiss when she was ten and he was 11) and high school with a host of young actors, including future Clueless co-star Alicia Silverstone. Meyer got his start in commercials and television, appearing on various shows, including The Wonder Years. He had his rather inauspicious film debut in 1991, as one of the disposable teens in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, and had bit parts in various forgettable films and an appearance on Fox's Party of Five before being cast in Clueless.Following the huge success of Clueless, Meyer went on to appear in another teen movie, The Craft (1996). After secondary roles in Touch and Prefontaine (both 1997), the actor had a fairly substantial part in 54, in which he got to play Salma Hayek's husband and wear a very small pair of shorts. The film, which starred Meyer's real-life friend Ryan Phillippe, flopped with remarkable gusto, and Meyer's other film that year, the independent Dancer, Texas Pop. 81, was released without fanfare. However, the actor had success the following year as part of an ensemble cast that read like a Who's Who of Hollywood's Young and Employed in Doug Liman's Go. Playing a white boy who believes he's black at heart, Meyer won laughs for his part in the widely acclaimed film, and his appearance in the company of young notables such as Katie Holmes, Sarah Polley, and Scott Wolf went some way toward further establishing the actor's reputation as a noteworthy young talent.
A fine supporting player to this point in his fledgling career, Breckin would finally come into his own as the hapless college student racing cross country to intercept a decidedly questionable videotape in director Todd Phillips's breakout comedy Road Trip. Though a subsequent stab at the small screen as the lead in the sports comedy series Inside Schwartz ultimately did little to advance Meyer's career, later roles in the theatrical comedies Rat Race and Kate and Leopold served well to keep the amiable comic talent in the public eye. After providing the voice for the eponymous wooden puppet in Roberto Benigni's 2002 misfire Pinocchio, Breckin helped to bring everyone's favorite comic-strip cat to the big screen with his role as the lasagne-loving feline's hapless master Jon Arbuckle in the 2004 family comedy Garfield. Vocal work in such animated efforts as King of the Hill and Robot Chicken found the actor earning his keep even when not stepping in front of the cameras, and in 2006 Meyer would return to the silver screen to the delight of children everywhere in the kid-friendly sequel Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Mark Christopher wrote and directed this look back at the Disco Era when the popular Studio 54 was at its apogee in the late '70s. With obvious comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997) and Whit Stillman's The Last Days of Disco (1998), the story introduces working-class 19-year-old Irish-American Shane O'Shea (Ryan Phillippe), who has lived with his father and siblings since the death of his mother when he was 12. Shane quickly rises from busboy to bartender at Studio 54, co-owned and managed in a paternal manner by entrepreneur Steve Rubell (Mike Myers). Busboy Greg Randazzo (Breckin Meyer) and Greg's wife, Anita (Salma Hayek), the club's coat check girl, become Shane's new friends, and he encounters the possibility of romance with soap star Julie Black (Neve Campbell). The story spans the summer of 1979 until the decline of Studio 54 a year later with IRS investigations, followed by the arrest and jailing of Rubell. Costumes by Ellen Lutter capture the glitter and glam-glitz of the period. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, (more)
When a threatening gang of terrorists hijack an oil rig off the coast of California, it's up to a former Navy Seal to ensure that their deadly plan is thwarted in this explosive action entry from veteran genre specialist Anthony Hickox. When Lamont Dixon (Eddie Griffin) took a job as a tugboat captain, he thought his days as a fighting military man were behind him, but when an offshore drilling protest unexpectedly turns into a terrorist hijacking, Dixon must leap into action to save the entire state of California. As the hijackers reveal part of their scheme and Dixon begins to suspect that there is more to the elaborate plan then they let on, his only hope is to team with sexy FBI agent Lisa Reed (Vivica A. Fox) to coordinate a counterstrike from the shore and save the lives of both the hostages and thousands of unsuspecting citizens. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Griffin, Breckin Meyer, (more)
A disillusioned leftist pulls up stakes for the Great White North in this independent comedy-drama. It's 2004, and John Logue (Breckin Meyer) is a political activist working for the Democratic presidential campaign in Ohio. After a few drinks too many, John is interviewed on camera by a local broadcast journalist, and he announces that if George W. Bush is re-elected, he'll leave the country and move to Canada. A few days later, Bush narrowly defeats John Kerry, and John falls into a deep depression. After returning home to San Francisco, John ponders his alcohol-fueled pledge, and learns that a handful of leftists north of the border have formed a group called "Marry A Canadian," which provides contact with sympathetic singles willing to wed American expatriates hoping to escape the Bush regime and gain Canadian citizenship. John decides to give "Marry A Canadian" a try, and places a classified to find someone willing to split gas and keep him company as he heads for Vancouver. An attractive young woman named Chloe (Anna Paquin) contacts John and agrees to travel with him, but once they're on the road, he learns that politics are not Chloe's primary reason for leaving the States. Blue State received its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Anna Paquin, (more)
A cozy coffeehouse serves as the setting for director John Cosgrove's over-caffeinated tale of sexual peccadilloes and complicated relationships starring Mena Suvari, Katherine Heigl, and Breckin Meyer. It's a typical lunch hour in London, and The Black Cat Café is fast filling up with patrons whose sexual lives have become a tangled web of infidelity, kinky idiosyncrasies, and betrayal. Stoned on some of the most potent weed in jolly old England, a neurotic young commitment-phobe attempts to keep his cool when he has an unexpected run-in with his bitter ex-girlfriend. But he's not the only one whose secrets are about to come out today, because after a shy young lady is forced to fend off a boorish blind date whose preconception of her couldn't be more wrong, a possessive boyfriend discovers that his current girlfriend was once a well-known adult film star. Later, after a fragile old lady mistakes a patron for the ex-husband she once found in a compromising position with a kinky prostitute and a high-powered attorney discovers that her husband-to-be likes to dress in ladies' clothes, the manager's boyfriend claims that a recent ménage à trois is perfectly forgivable since it was conducted with a pair of identical twins. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mena Suvari, Marsha Thomason, (more)
After the Huntington Hills High graduation ceremony, the fun gets underway at the graduation party where an assortment of jocks, geeks, prom queens, bimbos, headbangers, and nerdy misfits unload four years' worth of emotional baggage at a house where the hostess (Michelle Brookhurst) loses control of her guests. Writer wannabe Preston Meyers (Ethan Embry) has been in love with Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt of Party of Five) since the first time he saw her during their freshman year. His tormented infatuation with Amanda has intensified throughout high school and culminates at the party, where Preston must now seize this final opportunity to proclaim his love for her before he leaves the next day for Boston. Preston decides to make his move at some point during the party, a particularly auspicious occasion since Amanda has just been dumped by her super-jock boyfriend, Mike Dexter (Peter Facinelli), who wanted freedom to pursue his testosterone-charged fantasies with college women. Cringing at this ludicrous love triangle is Preston's introverted pal and confidante, Denise Fleming (Lauren Ambrose). When Denise runs into her ex-childhood friend Kenny (Seth Green), the two begin sexual experimentation behind the closed bathroom door. Geeky science-fiction fan William Lichter (Charlie Korsmo) devises a plan to ruin Mike's stud reputation and publicly humiliate him and his meathead buddies -- sweet revenge for four years of agony. Former Huntington Hills graduate Trip McNieley (Jerry O'Connell) tells Mike about the terror awaiting in college where "Guys like us are a dime a dozen." Yearbook Girl (Melissa Joan Hart of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) wants everyone to sign her cherished volume of memories as the partying teens attempt to move into the uncertain future. Party house exteriors were shot on Rubio Street in Altadena, California, and other California locations included Johnnie's Broiler in downtown Downey, Dutton's Book Store in Reseda, Marshall High School in Los Feliz, and Union Station in LA. With more than 70 speaking parts, this film is the directorial debut of the scriptwriting team of Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, (more)
Jane Austen might never have imagined that her 1816 novel Emma could be turned into a fresh and satirical look at ultra-rich teenagers in a Beverly Hills high school. Cher (Alicia Silverstone) and Dionne (Stacey Dash), both named after "great singers of the past that now do infomercials," are pampered upper-class girls who care less about getting good grades than wearing the right clothes and being as popular as possible. But Cher, who lives with her tough yet warm-hearted lawyer dad (Dan Hedaya) and hunky, sensitive stepbrother (Paul Rudd), also has an innate urge to help those less fortunate -- like the two introverted teachers she brings together ("negotiating" herself improved grades in the process) and new friend Tai (Brittany Murphy), who starts out a geek and ends up a Cher prodigy. Cher also possesses her own sensitive side, and she is looking for the perfect boyfriend, whom she ends up finding where she least expected. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, (more)
A devoted family man with a successful career in software unwittingly falls into a hopeless pattern of corporate slacking, lavish business trips, and beautiful prostitutes after being promoted to middle-management in this humorous tale of ambition and redemption starring Breckin Meyer. Ted (Meyer) was the kind of guy who always put his family first, but now that he's been promoted his priorities are beginning to shift. His new manager (Adam Scott) seems more interested in cutting corners and taking advantage of the high life than getting any real work done, and it isn't long before Ted becomes wrapped up in the perks of his new position as well. As much fun as he may be having at the moment, however, Ted will eventually have to return home and answer to his increasingly lonely wife. It's only a matter of time before Ted's corporate affairs come back to haunt him, and when they do will they really have been worth it? Laura Harris, Monica Keena, and Bess Armstrong co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Laura Harris, (more)
Small-town America is the key setting for this tale of four West Texas high-school pals who vowed to leave their tiny town after graduation and head for L.A. Keller (Breckin Meyer) is ready to walk, but his goals are formless. Wealthy Terrell Lee Lusk (Peter Facinelli) knows his parents (Patricia Wettig, Michael O'Neill) want him to work in their family oil business. Squirrel (Ethan Embry), who lives with his alcoholic father in a rundown trailer, should find escape easy, but he finds reasons to stay, as does John Hemphill (Eddie Mills), a young man more suited for life as a rancher. Leaving was something the quartet dreamed about since age 11, but the actual departure requires ripping up some roots. Will they do it? Director Tim McCanlies shot this film in 25 days at Fort Davis, Texas. Shown at the 1998 South by Southwest Film Festival (Austin, Texas). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Peter Facinelli, (more)
- 1991
- R
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The producers insisted that this sixth entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street series marked the last; no points for guessing that additional sequels followed. This time, homicidal wraith Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) decides to extend his reign of terror past Elm Street. His agent-on-earth is his own long-lost daughter Maggie (Lisa Zane, sister of Phantom star Billy Zane). Securing a job as a dream therapist for troubled teens, Maggie is able to "open up" the minds of her patients so that Freddy can exercise his usual bloody prerogative. In a garish, 3-D climax, Freddy himself becomes the victim of the vengeful Maggie. Since what happens in this picture is laid out in the title, we can't possibly be accused of giving the ending away. Watch for cameos from Roseanne and her then-husband Tom Arnold, Alice Cooper, Elinor Donahue, and Johnny Depp, one of the stars of the very first Nightmare. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Englund, Lisa Zane, (more)
- 2006
- PG
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The laziest cat in America swaps places with the richest feline in England in director Tim Hill's lasagna-laden sequel to the 2004 theatrical hit Garfield. Jon Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer) is on his way to London to propose to his veterinarian girlfriend, Liz Wilson (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and his unflappable cat, Garfield, is determined to be there when Jon pops the big question. Of course, Garfield wouldn't go anywhere without his old pal Odie, and soon after arriving in the land of Big Ben, the clueless tomcat inadvertently changes places with royal look-a-like Prince. It seems that Prince's owner, Lady Eleanor, has recently passed away, leaving the care of her sprawling estate Castle Carlyle in the capable paws of her devoted kitty companion. The trouble is, Prince has decided it's due time for a vacation, and with Garfield in charge there's no telling what kind of trouble will befall Castle Carlyle. Despite having a devoted butler named Smithee (Ian Abercrombie) to cater to his every whim and a whole host of fun-loving critters with whom to pass the lazy days spent lounging in the sun, this crowned head begins to feel the sting of deceit as the envious Lord Dargis (Billy Connolly) hatches a dastardly plan to do away with the whiskered heir and claim Castle Carlyle all to himself. Meanwhile, as Garfield attempts to hold his ground against his greedy would-be nemesis, the fun-loving Prince is living it up with Jon and Odie by taking a trip to some of London's most popular pubs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, (more)
Jim Davis' famous cartoon cat finally makes his way to the big screen in this adaptation of the popular comic strip Garfield, which combines live action with CGI animation. Jon Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer) is a sweet, if somewhat clueless, man who shares his home with his pet cat, Garfield (voice of Bill Murray). Garfield is not your ordinary tabby -- he's fat, he's smart-mouthed, he's arrogant, he won't do anything he doesn't have to, and would rather stuff himself with lasagna than do something Jon asks of him. Despite this, Jon loves his cat, but when he decides to expand his animal family, Garfield is less than enthusiastic about the presence of Odie, a lovably enthusiastic dog whose only flaw is his extreme stupidity. While Jon is crazy for Odie, and especially likes having two pets that necessitate periodic visits to Dr. Liz Wilson (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a veterinarian he has a crush on, Garfield decides to remove Odie from the picture. Garfield arranges for Odie to become the property of Happy Chapman (Stephen Tobolowsky), a television host who acts like an animal lover on the round-cornered screen but doesn't much like pets on his own time. While Garfield at first enjoys ruling the roost again, he soon realizes the error of his ways, and in a rare example of selfless and ambitious behavior, hatches a plan to rescue Odie from Chapman. Garfield also features the voice talents of Debra Messing, Brad Garrett, Jimmy Kimmel, and Alan Cumming. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Breckin Meyer, (more)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past -- the Mark S. Waters directed fusion of A Christmas Carol with a traditional romantic comedy -- stars Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead, a famous photographer and confirmed womanizer. He takes a break from his playboy lifestyle to attend his brother's wedding, where he becomes reacquainted with Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), the only girl who ever captured his heart. After Connor delivers a drunken speech at the rehearsal dinner where he says that love isn't real, he's met in the bathroom by the ghost of his Uncle Wayne (Michael Dogulas), a Hefner-esque horndog who taught Conner everything he knows about picking up chicks. Uncle Wayne informs Connor that, over the course of the evening, he'll be visited by three ghosts who will lead him through his romantic past, present, and future. Will Connor learn to get over himself and love the right woman, or will he remain an emotional Scrooge? ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, (more)
Director/cinematographer Doug Liman's third feature links together three edgy stories, all beginning in the same Los Angeles supermarket with an interconnected group of characters. Ronna (Sarah Polley) is a down-on-her-luck checkout girl who is sweet talked into taking an extra shift from her friend Simon (Desmond Askew) so he can go to Las Vegas. Ronna is then approached by two good-looking actors, Adam (Scott Wolf) and Zack (Jay Mohr), who want to buy drugs. Ronna, who needs money, plans to act as a go-between between the actors and a dealer friend of Simon's, Todd (Timothy Olyphant), until a cop named Burke (William Fichtner) enters the picture. Meanwhile, Simon is living it up in Vegas; in the course of a very wild night on the town, he manages to bed two women, accidentally steal a car with his good friend Marcus (Taye Diggs), and get thrown out of the best strip club in town, with more than a few people after him, especially when he leaves behind a credit card he borrowed from Todd. Once again back at the supermarket, Adam and Zack turn out to not be quite what they seemed, and their relationship with Burke and his wife Irene (Jane Krakowski) takes an unexpected turn as their evening becomes very, very complicated. Go, Liman's long-awaited follow-up to his indie hit Swingers, received its World Premiere at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sarah Polley, Desmond Askew, (more)
The world's wackiest Volkswagen is back in action in this action comedy. Maggie Peyton (Lindsay Lohan) is the 18-year-old daughter of Ray Peyton Sr. (Michael Keaton), a once-successful stock car driver whose career is not what it once was. Maggie loves racing and is in line for a job covering NASCAR for ESPN, but in her heart she'd rather be behind the wheel, even though her father strictly forbids this. For Maggie's birthday, Ray takes her out looking for a used car, and she finds herself strangely drawn to a wrecked 1963 Volkswagen in a salvage yard. Against Ray's better judgment, Maggie gets the car, and a note in the glove box tells her the rust bucket is named "Herbie," and he can help her solve her problems. To her surprise, the message turns out to be true -- with a little TLC, Herbie is running like new, and after showing his stuff in a street race, Maggie persuades her naysayer dad to take her and her VW on as part of his racing team. Herbie: Fully Loaded also stars Matt Dillon as rival racer Trip Murphy, Breckin Meyer as Maggie's brother (and fellow struggling driver) Ray Jr., and Justin Long as Maggie's friend Kevin. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lindsay Lohan, Justin Long, (more)
- 2001
Sort of a jock's version of the popular cable sitcom Dream On, Inside Schwartz stars Breckin Meyer as the title character, aspiring sportscaster Adam Schwartz. Obliged to work in his family's bar, Adam dreams of a big-time career on ESPN or some other sports outlet. On each half-hour episode, Adam's imagination spills over into reality, with real-life sports announcers Van Earl Wright and Kevin Frasier providing running commentary of our hero's triumphs and tribulations, and with a whole slew of guest stars (Mills Lane, Dick Butkus, etc.) parading through Adam's subconscious. The denizens of Adam's "real" world include his father Gene (Richard Kline), his best friend David (Bryan Callen), and his erstwhile girlfriend Julie (Miriam Shor). Created by Stephen Engel) of Just Shoot Me fame, Inside Schwartz was supposed to have made its NBC debut on September 20, 2001, but the network's ongoing coverage of the World Trade Center attack moved the series' premiere date up to September 27. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Miriam Shor, (more)
Filmmaker James Mangold follows his Oscar-winning drama Girl, Interrupted (1999) with this whimsical fantasy. Meg Ryan stars as Kate McKay, a modern female executive in New York City whose drive to succeed in the cutthroat corporate world has left little time for romance. When her genius ex-boyfriend Stuart (Liev Schreiber) opens a portal in time, the experiment transports Leopold (Hugh Jackman) from 1867 to the present day. A charming bachelor and the royal "Third Duke of Albany" in his own time, Leopold is fascinated by the 21st century. As the courtly Leopold and the decidedly liberated Kate tour the town, a mutual attraction develops into something deeper, a relationship that's threatened by Leopold's temporary chronological status. Kate & Leopold (2001) was originally developed by co-screenwriter Steve Rogers as a project for star/producer Sandra Bullock, who had a hit with his film Hope Floats (1998). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, (more)
- 2002
This weekly animated series revolved around a feisty high school girl named Kim Possible. The daughter of research scientists, Kim did her best to lead a normal teenaged life, going to class, attending proms, and the like. Unfortunately, the world was full pesky master criminals and megalomaniacal supervillains, compelling the high-flying, martial arts savvy Kim to kick butt on occasion in the interests of humanity and the American Way. Acting as Kim's erstwhile sidekick was her nerdish school chum, Ron Stoppable, while teen stud-muffin Josh Manley provided the romantic interest (at least, that's what Kim hoped). Kim Possible debuted June 7, 2002, on the Disney Channel, posting the highest opening-night ratings in that cable channel's history. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christy Romano
The fifth season of King of the Hill opens as the Hill family of Arlen, TX eagerly prepares to meet then-governor George W. Bush, in an episode ironically titled "The Perils of Polling." In later episodes, Peggy Hill gets into a fierce blood-donating competition with her Laotian neighbor, Minh; Bobby Hill turns 13 and has a vicious attack of puberty; Arlen's Thanksgiving celebration is blighted when mention is made of the cannibalism in the history of John Redcorn's Native American tribe; Hank Hill's obstreperous father Cotton moves out of his retirement home; big-hearted barber Bill Dauterive is victimized by a wheedling juvenile delinquent; a trip to Austin on the occasion of Bill's birthday ends up disastrously when Hank moons former Texas governor Ann Richards; Hank learns to his horror that he isn't a native Texan; and Peggy and Bobby become hopelessly addicted to charcoal-grilled burgers. Also: Hank befriends a pretty co-worker and finds himself accused of being a pimp; the Hill's niece Luanne signs up for her church's "born again virgin" program, prompting an unexpected confession from Peggy; and Dale Gribble's wife Nancy turns 40, loses her job as a TV weather girl, and tries to sue a cigarette company for making her homely. In the season finale, Bobby poses as a high school student, thereby enmeshing himself in a plan to get the rock group No Doubt to play at the prom. Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's fifth season include Carl Reiner, James Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Amy Hill, John Ritter, Jack Carter, Ellen Barkin, Tom Poston, Snoop Dog, Renée Zellweger, Lisa Kudrow, Owen Wilson, and Robert Stack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
Season six of the animated redneck sitcom King of the Hill begins as 13-year-old Bobby Hill, unable to enroll in the Arlen YMCA's boxing class, takes the next available slot in a women's self-defense class, convincing his macho dad Hank all the more that Bobby "ain't right." In other episodes, Hank's substitute-teacher-spouse Peggy takes her students on a field trip to Mexico and ends up being arrested for kidnapping; a carpenter with the initials J.C. performs a miracle during the Christmas episode; the incomprehensible Boomhauer gives Bobby advice on how to handle women, but proves even more tongue-tied than usual when he himself falls in love for the first time in his life; Peggy foments a feminist rebellion at a Renaissance fair; Hank wins the privilege of carrying the Olympic torch through his neighborhood; military-post barber Bill Dauterive steals a tank when he finds out the Army has been using him for a guinea pig; still unaware that Native American John Redcorn is the real father of his son Joseph, conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble becomes convinced that Joseph is actually a space alien; Hank becomes the token white at an all-Asian country club; and the Hills' niece Luanne joins a Stepford-like sorority. In the season's two-part finale, the Hills head to Japan so that Hank's war veteran dad Cotton can make amends to the wife of a soldier that he killed -- and Hank discovers that he has a Japanese half-brother! Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's sixth season include Gary Busey, Bruce Jenner, Laura Dern, Alan Rickman, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Jeff Goldblum, Ed Asner, Megan Mullally, Laura Linney, and Keith Carradine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
- 2002
Redneck reactionary Hank Hill should by rights be delighted that his "not right" son Bobby has a new girlfriend named Jordan as King of the Hill launches its seventh season; unfortunately, Jordan's parents are the "progressive" kind -- and if there's anything that Hank is opposed to, it is progress! In later episodes, Hank's barber buddy Bill joins the International Federation of Competitive Easting; Peggy Hill's new hairdo literally makes Hank sick just before Thanksgiving; Hank accidentally cuts off the finger of his conspiracy theorist buddy Dale Gribble; Peggy opens a combination bookstore and gun shop; the owner of a pork sausage empire obsessively forces a fashion makeover upon the Hills' niece Luanne (in an episode titled "Pigmalion"); John Redcorn wants Hank to take Joseph (who is John's biological son) on a "vision quest," while Joseph's supposed dad, Dale, still doesn't know what has been going on between his wife Nancy and the redoubtable Redcorn; Bobby is sent to a politically correct boot camp; Peggy is forced to use insecticides after going on a pro-ecological kick; and a black handyman accuses the Hills' dog of racism. The season ends with an episode wherein Bobby's tarot card hobby attracts the attention of a bizarre coven. Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's seventh season include Debra Messing, Eliza Dushku, Milla Jovovich, Elizabeth Perkins, Kid Rock, Lucy Liu, Allison Janney, Michael Keaton, Tom Arnold, George Foreman, Bruce Dern, Carmen Electra, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Kennedy, Bernie Mac, and Janeane Garofalo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
- 2003
Brad Pitt provides the voice of a fellow named Path, the brother of supremely inarticulate good ol' boy Boomhauer, in the opening episode of King of the Hill's eighth season. In subsequent episodes, Texan Hank Hill regrets forcing his son Bobby to join a "positive" Christian youth group (their voices supplied by Sum 41); likewise, wife Peggy suffers the consequences when she secretly administers testosterone medication to Hank. Later on, Hank, Bobby, Boomhauer, Dale Gribble, and Bill Dauterive embark upon a road trip to Arizona; Peggy creates the Strickland Propane Company mascot "Probot"; the Hills' niece Luanne leaves college to jump-start her career as a beauty stylist; Peggy coaches Tom Landry Middle School's cheerleading squad; the entire town is imperiled by a flood, not to mention Bill Dauterive's unexpected bout with megalomania; Hank gets in trouble when he stages a revisionist version of the Battle of the Alamo; and in the season finale, Bobby winds up as an advice counselor for the girls in his school. Other guest voices heard during King of the Hill's eighth season include Gene Simmons, Fred Willard, Chris Elliot, George Strait, Travis Tritt, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Ben Stiller, Christina Applegate, Melissa Etheridge, Elijah Wood, Ben Stein, Johnny Depp, Marg Helgenberger, Tom Petty, Laura Prepon, Lindsay Lohan, and Alyson Hannigan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Season nine of the animated redneck comedy series King of the Hill begins as Peggy Hill briefly leaves Arlen, TX and returns to her Montana hometown when her mother is threatened with losing her land as the result of an influx of Hollywood movie stars -- including Henry Winkler, heard as himself. Another Happy Days alumnae, Marion Ross, can be heard as the title character in the next episode, "Ms. Wakefield." In later episodes, Hank Hill is outraged when Peggy buys a lawn gnome; the world of conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble collapses when he becomes convinced that the Warrren Commission has been right all along; Bobby Hill tries to unlock the Fox network on the family TV (so that he can watch his own show?); the Hills' niece Luanne begins dating a good ol' boy named Lucky (voiced by Tom Petty); Native American John Redcorn tries to open up his own gambling casino; the "Smoking Bandit" strikes when all tobacco consumption is banned in Arlen's restaurants; and Bobby thrills his macho dad Hank when he makes the school track team -- but not for the right reasons. In the season's final episode, Hank and his pals try to save their barber buddy Bill when his obsession with his hobbies threatens his job. In addition to the celebrity voices mentioned above, the ninth season of King of the Hill also boasts the vocal talents of Jason Bateman, Trace Adkins, Mac Davis, Tone-Loc, Henry Gibson, and Brendan Fraser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The ABC sitcom Married to the Kellys was reportedly based on the life experiences of its producer, Tom Hertz. An only child who had lived a blissful solitary existence most of his life, Manhattanite Tom Wagner (Breckin Meyer) was swept off his feet by Susan Kelly (Kiele Sanchez), an attractive Midwesterner. Upon relocating to his new bride's Kansas home town, Tom soon learned that he had not only married Susan, but also her large and boisterous family. Our hero immediately found a kindred spirit in Susan's dad Bill (Sam Anderson), who was likewise an only child. But Tom had a more difficult time adjusting to Susan's control-freak mother Sandy (Nancy Lenehan), her highly competitive sister Mary (Emily Rutherfurd), her nerdish, bug-collecting kid brother Lewis (Derek Waters), and Mary's envious husband Chris (Josh Braaten). Though life with the Kellys could be quite a trial at times, Tom was consoled by the advice given him by his father-in-law Bill: "Family is like quicksand. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink." Married to the Kellys debuted October 3, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Kiele Sanchez, (more)
- 1996
Grace (Tamara Taylor) uses the local media to attack Charlie (Matthew Fox) for his "cruel and unusual" treatment of homeless people at his restaurant, while Claudia (Lacey Chabert) is also sore at Charlie for blocking her from studying at the music conservatory. More seriously, Bailey's drinking is obviously getting out of hand, but he refuses to face up to the fact, even after he fails to qualify for the high school soccer team; later, Bailey (Scott Wolf) has a fight with Sarah (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who also notices that his personality has taken a sharp downward turn. And after expressing outrage when the man repairing her roof offers her marijuana, Julia (Neve Campbell)is lovestruck by the pot-smoker's cute brother Sam (Ben Browder in his first series appearance). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
