Tom Barnett Movies

A straight-laced chemist begins questioning society's standards and confronting his own darkest desires after falling for the all-American homecoming queen who joined a hippie death cult and made headlines for her murderous exploits. Perry (Gregory Smith) is your typical God-fearing American: A diligent academic who landed a good job at a chemical company before proposing to his Christian girlfriend Dorothy (Kristin Adams), he always did right by the Lord and his parents. But while Perry was always fortunate in life, Leslie was irreparably damaged by her parents' divorce, an abortion, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Following Timothy Leary's advice to "tune in, turn on, and drop out," the former cheerleader joined up with charismatic cult leader Charles Manson and helped his gang slaughter an upstanding citizen in her own home. Now Perry has been chosen to serve on the jury that will decide Leslie's fate. The moment Perry and Leslie lock eyes in the courtroom, the sheltered chemist is hopelessly smitten. Could their wildly divergent paths somehow converge? The more Perry learns about Leslie the stronger his infatuation grows, and the more he begins to question the rules that society has imposed on them both. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A ten-year old girl who has lived her entire life in either her front yard or the park at the end of the block connects with an older pair of neighborhood misfits in this short comedy from director Megan Martin. The sun is shining down on a typical, 1980s-era summer and Sara (Samantha Weinstein) is simply looking for a fun way to pass the day. In her ten short years on the planet, Sara has been witness to numerous domestic quarrels, seen sex performed out of both love and anger, and even felt the pain of a broken heart. When Sara's unconventional idea of fun finds her effectively banned from socializing with her usual playmates, she soon befriends two older boys who have also been cast out of the community as a result of their questionable behavior. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Based on a true story, this "Hallmark Hall of Fame" TV movie was produced by Rosie O'Donnell, who also stars as the profoundly mentally challenged Beth Simon. When Beth's father dies, her sister, Rachel (Andie MacDowell), a brittle, self-absorbed fashion photographer, takes charge of Beth -- who, having been allowed to grow up without learning anything of self-discipline and social propriety, is no prize herself. Though she loves her sister, Rachel is embarrassed by Beth's obnoxious, obstreperous behavior, especially when riding the bus, which she does religiously and obsessively every day, much to the dismay of the other passengers. (Be warned: this is not one of those lachrymose "lovable handicapped adult" movies so common to network television.) Also, Beth has been allowed by her overindulgent father to neglect her health and hygiene in a deplorable fashion. Gradually, the two sisters connect and manage to profoundly change one another. Those viewers and critics who condemned Rosie O'Donnell for her abrasive, over-the-top portrayal of Beth were generally those who had had little contact with genuine handicapped people; conversely, those who had such people in their own families, or who had worked extensively with them professionally, applauded O'Donnell for her disturbingly accurate performance. Adapted from the book by the real-life Rachel Simon (actually an English professor and not a photographer), Riding the Bus with My Sister was telecast by CBS on May 1, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jamie Foxx once again brilliantly demonstrates his acting chops as Stan "Tookie" Williams, the South Central Los Angeles native who, at the age of 17, co-founded the infamous Crips street gang. If one is to believe the script of this made-for-cable film, Williams hadn't intended the Crips to wallow in crime and violence; instead, he'd hoped that the gang would form a united front to protect his 'hood from other gangbangers. Needless to say, it didn't turn out that way, and within a few years of its 1971 formation, the Crips was the biggest and most powerful gang in the country, with branches in virtually every state. Ultimately, Williams is charged with murder and sentenced to San Quentin's death row in 1987. There he experiences an epiphany and becomes an advocate for peace, harmony, and tolerance, writing children's books that preach against the lure of street gangs. As the years roll by and the date of his execution draws closer, Williams manages to negotiate a peace between the Crips and their chief rivals, the Bloods, and even manages to receive three Nobel Prize nominations. Lynn Whitfield co-stars as Barbara Becnel, the crusading journalist who helped Williams see the light -- not so much to save his soul, but to prevent a similar fate from befalling her own son. Although considerable liberties are taken with the facts, Redemption: The Stan "Tookie" Williams Story neither glamorizes nor excuses its title character, nor the "gangsta" culture that he so enthusiastically embraced in his youth. After a showing at the Sundance Film Festival, the movie made its FX network debut on March 3, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide