Michael O'Keefe Movies

A desperate single mother living in upstate New York resorts to smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States as a means of making ends meet in first-time feature director/screenwriter Courtney Hunt's emotionally wrenching drama, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Ray Eddy is in an impossible position; it's two days before Christmas and her husband has suddenly disappeared with all of the family savings. Now, as the newly single mother of two realizes the futility of attempting to cover the house payments on her meager Yankee One Dollar Store wages, her children are forced to exist on a nutritionally devoid diet of popcorn and Tang. Deciding that her only hope for survival is to find a man who will support her and her children, Ray sets out to find a husband but instead makes the acquaintance of street-smart Mohawk Lila Littlewolf. Lila, too, has been struggling to keep her head above water amidst economic despair, and has recently stumbled across a rather unconventional solution to her dire financial situation. Lately, Lila has been earning a living by smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S., but her tribal elders vehemently disapprove of the scheme and have recently attempted to stop it by forbidding the local auto dealers from selling her a car. As fate would have it, Ray's Dodge Spirit may just be the only thing the destitute mother can count on anymore, and as this unlikely pair gas up the tank for a daring dash across the iced-over St. Lawrence River, their fates become forever intertwined in ways that neither could have ever anticipated. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The true story of a young girl held captive by her insane caretaker comes to life in this disturbing film from Ella Enchanted director Tommy O'Haver. Hard Candy's Ellen Page stars as Sylvia Likens a teenager who, along with her sister, is left to live temporarily with seemigly-mild-mannered housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, played by Catherine Keener. Unfortunately for Sylvia, Gertrude soon snaps and holds her hostage in harsh conditions until the former's eventual death. Bradley Whitford costars as the prosecutor tasked with trying the case against Baniszewski. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

While House (Hugh Laurie) and Stacy (Sela Ward) are in Baltimore to explain House's highly suspect Medicaid billing practices, journalist Fletcher Stone (Michael O'Keefe) is rushed to the New Jersey clinic. After suddenly collapsing during a reception, Stone has begun speaking in gibberish, and Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), Chase (Jesse Spencer) and Foreman (Omar Epps) are unable to agree on the cause of the man's affliction. The three doctors contact House by phone in hopes of getting him to return to the clinic, but he is snowed in at the Baltimore airport. Worsening the situation is the fact that Stone has been hiding certain details of his medical problems from his wife (Erica Gimpel)--and now is unable to say anything at all! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Annie Potts stars in the true story of Colorado housewife Julie Posey, whose sense of outrage goes into overdrive when her teenaged daughter is solicited online by a sexual predator. When her efforts to track down the pervert are thwarted, she briefly gives up -- only to be spurred forward with the encouragement of her husband when another little girl is killed by another Internet pedophile. Posing as a 14-year-old girl, Julie, working in concert with dedicated police detective Mike Harris (Michael O'Keefe), brings her daughter's would-be rapist out of the shadows, then embarks upon a worldwide crusade to stop other such pedophiles in their high-tech tracks. Directed by actress Joanna Kerns, the made-for-cable Defending Our Kids: The Julie Posey Story made its Lifetime network debut on July 21, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

KACL manager Kenny (Tom McGowan) figures that Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) could improve his following amongst younger listeners if he agrees to appear on the station's public-service program "Teen Scene." Confidentially, Frasier gears up for questioning from the show's panel of high-school journalists. Unfortunately, the show's host has nothing but contempt for Frasier, and as a result, our hero ends up a laughing stock to listeners of all ages. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This holiday-themed children's film offers a unique take on the legend of Santa Claus and his tiny reindeer. In this movie, a young boy finds a deer in the forest he is sure is Santa's beloved Prancer. Determined to return the creature to the North Pole and his rightful destiny, the child overcomes the cynicism of his family to teach them and us a lesson about the true spirit of Christmas. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

In the tiny town of Herman, Minnesota, the ratio of single women to single men is staggering. The farming community is just about overflowing with unmarried, middle aged men who finally decide that they're sick of the bachelor lifestyle, so they organize a town festival as a means to attract potential mates. Little do the fellas know, however, that their plan will be almost too effective, bringing in droves of ladies from all over the country. Crazy, hilarious, and surprisingly touching, the romantic comedy that unfolds for this group of small-town bachelors leaves all their lives changed forever. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Sean Penn directed this tense drama of loyalty, honor, and obsession, based on a novel by Friedrich Durrenmatt. Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson) is a veteran police detective who lives and works in a small Nevada town. On the day of his retirement, it falls to Jerry to handle an especially unpleasant assignment -- a seven-year-old girl has been brutally murdered, and Jerry has to check out the crime scene, and then tell the girl's parents the awful news. The girl's mother (Patricia Clarkson), understandably distraught, demands to know if the killer will be brought to justice, and Jerry promises her that he will personally see to it, "on my soul's salvation." A younger detective also on the case, Stan Krolak (Aaron Eckhart), thinks he's traced the crime to Toby Jay Wadeneh (Benicio Del Toro), a mentally retarded man who confesses to the murder shortly before killing himself. Stan considers the case closed, but Jerry can't shake his belief that Toby Jay wasn't actually the murderer, and Jerry begins to investigate the case on his own time, over the objections of his former boss, Eric Pollack (Sam Shepard), who reminds Jerry that he's no longer an official member of the police force. Before long, Jerry's personal investigation has taken over his life, and he uncovers evidence that suggests the girl's murder was just one in a series of killings involving young girls and a mysterious man called "the Wizard." When Jerry becomes close to a young single mother, Lori (Robin Wright-Penn), he feels he has reason to believe the murderer may be targeting her eight-year-old daughter, and finds himself using her as a decoy in order to bring the killer to justice. The Pledge marked Jack Nicholson's second starring role in a film directed by Sean Penn following 1995's The Crossing Guard; The Pledge's stellar supporting cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, Harry Dean Stanton, and Mickey Rourke. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Actor Michael O'Keefe directed this documentary, shot on video and transferred to 16mm, about a five-day interfaith retreat at Auschwitz. Organizer and Zen master Roshie Bernie Glassman brought together 150 people from different religions, including a few descendants of both camp survivors and Nazis, for a "healing" experience. With soundtrack songs by Patti Smith and Neil Young, color shots of guests at the retreat are intercut with black-and-white atrocity footage. O'Keefe reads a poem by a camp survivor. Shown at the 1997 Mill Valley and AFI/Los Angeles film festivals. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, two women head for Reno to get simultaneous quicky divorces and end up becoming friends. Edie was married years ago, but her husband abandoned her two weeks after the wedding. Pen spent nine years married to an ice-cold businessman who neglected her. Edie and Pen meet while leaving the courtroom. They immediately head for a bar where they encounter Harry, who is despondent that his wife took his beloved dog when she left him. As the three grow increasingly inebriated, they begin having long conversations about their pasts, presents and futures. Now that ditzy Edie is divorced, she plans to marry her new love in Acapulco. Meanwhile, womanizing Harry attempts to bed the vulnerable Pen. Dramatic tension rises when Pen discovers that Edie's fiancé is her ex-husband. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this offbeat comedy set in the 1950s, Patrick Swayze plays Jack McCloud, a drifter and beatnik who enters the conservative suburban life of the Holman family after Jeanne Holman (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) accidentally hits him with her car. Jeanne takes Jack into her home while he recovers from his injuries. McCloud offends the neighbors and friends of the Holmans with his unorthodox behavior, including nude sunbathing and Buddhism. He tells the children, Tom (Joseph Mazzello) and Gunny (Seth Mumy), stories of a genie who has taken the form of a dog. Jeanne and her kids come under his sway as Jack's mystical powers help the kids' Little League team win a big game. Martha Coolidge directed the film from a script by Elizabeth Anderson, based on a short story by Ellen Green. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

In the episode "Labor Day," Jackie has her baby. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide