Paul Rodriguez Movies

A notoriously gullible detective becomes the number one suspect in the murder of a tabloid reporter after accepting the task of protecting a once-famous celebrity who faked his death to escape the public eye in director Peter Ettinger's quirky adaptation of Steve Brewer's popular series of novels. The grandson of the only known fatality brought on by the 1939 radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, Bubba Mabry (Jay Mohr) comes from a lone line of painfully gullible descendents - and he's determined not to live down to the family reputation. Operating from the seedy confines of a criminal-infested Route 66 Motor Inn, Bubba finds that few of Albuquerque's skeptical locals are willing to enlist the aid of a detective of such credulous origins. When a man named J.G. (Mike Star) shows up covered in gold jewelry and approaches Bubba about protecting a recently-arrived celebrity from an overzealous fan, the struggling detective sees his latest mission is an easy way to make a quick buck. Upon discovering that his latest client is none other than the Elvis Presley, and that the "fan" is actually a tabloid reporter looking to break the story that The King is still around, however, the once-simple case begins to grow increasingly complex. As if things weren't strange enough already, the body of the reporter has been discovered dead in a motel room and Elvis and J.G. have skipped town, leaving Bubba the prime suspect in the strange murder. Now, in order to crack the case and stay out of prison, Bubba is going to have to stay one-step ahead of tireless female reporters Felicia Quattlebaum (Lindsay Price) and Bambi Gamble (Nikki Cox) as he seeks out a suspicious local concert promoter and get to the source of a lucrative blackmail scheme aimed at blowing the lid off of The King's long-running ruse. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Two individualistic teenagers find one another but learn that romance can be an uphill struggle in this independent drama. RJ (Paul Rodriguez Jr.) is an aspiring artist living in Venice, California who frequently draws caricatures of the world around him when he isn't busy playing chess. One night, introspective RJ meets Angel (Emily Rios), a free-spirited Latina who sings in a rock band and lives a reckless lifestyle in defiance of her own epilepsy. It's love at first sight for RJ and Angel, but while the two young adults are clearly drawn to one another, their friends and family are not pleased with the match. Angel's disfigured brother Smiler (Robert Zepeda) is wildly overprotective of her, and doesn't think RJ is good enough for Angel, and Fin (Trevor Wright), RJ's half brother, dislikes Angel while harboring a deep resentment towards RJ's close relationship with their father (Richard Edson). Vicious Circle was the first feature film from writer and director Paul Boyd. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Produced, staged and directed as a tribute to The Alamo - the famous mission of San Antonio, Texas where a group of militant rebels wrought Texas's independence from Mexico - the music release Remember the Alamo Concert finds such performers as The Gipsy Kings, Lyle Lovett and Los Lobos delivering a set before an enthusiastic audience, with added onstage support from comedian Paul Rodriguez. The film also incorporates a prologue with archival footage of The Duke himself, John Wayne. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A middle-aged loser with a taste for strip club buffet food finds his unusual dining habits leading to an unlikely shot at success in this sexy sports comedy that shows you can never have too much fun in the sun. It's not the beautiful dancers that draw Billy Cole (Burt Reynolds) to the Cloud Nine gentlemen's club, but the delicious food served up daily at the buffet. When Billy gets the bright idea of combining sex-appeal and sports by training the Club Nine dancers to become professional beach volleyball players, the sun-drenched combination of skin and competition drives the crowds wild. But the girls want to be known for something more than just their good looks, and when Billy notices that they have the skills to back up their ambition, he decides to take one last shot at the big time. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The true story of a man who never gave up on his dreams of doing something big -- and doing it very, very fast -- provides the basis for this engaging comedy drama. Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins) was born in 1899 in Invercargill, New Zealand. From childhood, Munro had a passion for machines that moved fast, and when he was 21 he bought his first motorcycle, an Indian model with a 600 cc engine. Motorcycles became an obsession that stayed with Munro for the rest of his life, as he constantly tinkered with his beloved Indian machine, modifying the engine and frame, determined to see just how fast he could make it run. In 1967, Munro decided it was high time he proved to himself and the world just what he and his machine could do, and he booked passage for the United States, with the goal of breaking the world's land speed record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. As Munro made his way across America to Utah, he discovered not everyone took his dream seriously, but some did, and he made a handful of friends along the way, including Ada (Diane Ladd), a widow who fell for Munro's rough charm, and Fernando (Paul Rodriguez), a car dealer who offered to help him. However, when he finally arrived at Bonneville, Munro was told his machine was unsafe to participate in the time trials, and -- far worse -- he was too old to ride. It took some intervention from a ranking American driver, Jim Moffett (Chris Lawford), before Munro was given his chance to ride the famous Salt Flats. The World's Fastest Indian was written and directed by Roger Donaldson, who early in his career made a documentary about the real Burt Munro, Offerings to the Gods of Speed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cute but geeky high-school student Samantha Martin (Hilary Duff) is knocked off her feet by her father's untimely death, which leaves his diner and Samantha's well-being in the care of Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge), Sam's thoroughly wicked stepmother. Not one to take on such menial tasks as dishwashing and mopping floors, Fiona exploits Sam's dependence as a method of hoisting any dirty work off her own shoulders. School is hardly a break for Samantha, particularly when Shelby (Julie Gonzalo) is around; spoiled, wealthy, and popular, Shelby treats Samantha nearly as badly as Fiona does. Samantha's life is irrevocably changed, however, by two events: a makeover of epic proportions and a sudden electronic correspondence with a mysterious young man. Due to a misplaced cell phone and a series of fateful coincidences, Samantha and her Prince Charming develop a romance through text messages and e-mails, and ultimately promise to meet face-to-face at the biggest school dance of the year. Of course, getting there doesn't go smoothly, and Samantha may miss her chance to meet her dream date -- none other than Austin (Chad Michael Murray), the most popular boy in school. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Jeb Brien directs Original Latin Kings of Comedy, which features material from five of the most famous Hispanic standup comics of their era. Paul Rodriguez (A.K.A. Pablo), George Lopez (The George Lopez Show), Cheech Marin (of Cheech and Chong fame), Alex Reymundo, and Joey Medina deliver material on a variety of topics that will seem familiar to audiences of every race. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

A man is sent into the future to see the possible results of his actions in this mixture of sci-fi adventure and Christian drama. In 1890, Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin) is a philosopher and college professor who has completed a manuscript he calls "The Changing Times." The university where Carlisle teaches is considering publishing his latest work, but a committee of ranking professors under the leadership of the school's Dean (Hal Linden) must first vote unanimously to approve the material. One of Carlisle's colleagues, Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod), strongly objects to the paper on the grounds that Carlisle contends morality can be taught apart from Christianity -- a view that Anderson, a devout Christian, cannot abide. Carlisle becomes increasingly frustrated with Anderson's objections, but after the meeting, Anderson shows Carlisle something remarkable -- a working time machine he has built in his home. Using this innovation, Anderson sends Carlisle to a typical American city in the year 2001, in order to show the impact his ideas could have as he witnesses a society in which morality and Christianity are considered separate entities. As he tries to make his way through modern-day America, Carlisle becomes friendly with Eddie (Paul Rodriguez), a well-meaning regular guy, and Michelle (Jennifer O'Neill), a beautiful woman with a mind of her own. Time Changer is the first feature film from writer and director Rich Christiano, who has been making short films for the Christian marketplace since 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A very loose remake of the classic multi-star comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963), this madcap comedy is directed by Jerry Zucker, one third of the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker comedy team and director of Ghost (1990). John Cleese stars as an eccentric casino owner who devises a contest pitting six teams against each other in a race to claim two million dollars from a locker in New Mexico. The competitors are Owen (Cuba Gooding Jr., who ends up driving a bus full of Lucille Ball imitators, a foreigner (Rowan Atkinson) who hitches a ride in an organ donor vehicle, and a recently reunited mother and daughter (Whoopi Goldberg and Lanei Chapman) who anger a "squirrel lady" (Kathy Bates) -- much to their regret. There are also two con artist brothers (Seth Green and Vince Vieluf), the upright Nick (Breckin Meyer), who gets a lift from cute but psychotic pilot Tracy (Amy Smart), and the eccentric Pear family, headed up by Jon Lovitz. Rat Race also stars Dave Thomas, Kathy Najimy, Wayne Knight, Dean Cain, and Paul Rodriguez. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

A remake of Ang Lee's family comedy Eat Drink Man Woman, Maria Ripoli's Hispanic-American ensemble feature set in Southern California about a veteran chef named Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo), who is slowly losing his sense of taste. He has three daughters, all of whom have chosen different paths. There is Letitia (Elizabeth Pena), the oldest and most repressed of the bunch, a rigid schoolteacher who is a member of the Christian faith. His youngest, Maribel (Tamara Mello), is the most assured, though plagued by doubts. His middle daughter Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) is most like him and shares his taste for cooking, but has chosen a career as a corporate consultant, which makes for a more secure lifestyle. She is offered a high-profile job in Barcelona, which causes a rift in the family setting. Maribel soon finds herself drawn to a handsome Brazilian student (Nikolai Kinski), and Letitia is gaining affection for Orlando (Paul Rodriguez), an awkward ballplayer whom her students have sent mistaken love letters to without her knowing. Also at their dinners are a shy single mother (Constance Marie) and her obnoxious mother (Raquel Welch), who has her sights set on Martin's affections. Tortilla Soup is Maria Ripoli's second major feature, after her whimsical 1998 feature Twice Upon a Yesterday. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

Like its predecessor, this installment to the popular Laughing Out Loud series offers viewers the experience of a standup comedy club from the comfort of home. This production features a variety of comedians performing some of their funniest bits; among those included are D.L. Hughley, Jason Alexander, Rhonda Shear, Bruce Bannin, Jeff Altman, John Fox, Norm MacDonald, Paul Rodriguez, and Chris Rock. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Jimmy Smits returned to the big screen after a career-reviving stint on the TV series NYPD Blue with this emotional drama about the difficult relationship between a father and his sons. Smits plays Arturo Ortega, a man with lifelong dreams of being a contender in professional boxing. While Arturo had the knowledge, drive, and ambition to be a champ, his career proved short-lived, and, after a brief fling with success, he's a forgotten man. However, Arturo has instilled his passion for boxing in his three sons, who grow up learning the fine art of prizefighting. All three boys begin competing in the ring, with Arturo as their manager and coach, but Johnny (Jon Seda) quickly shows so much promise that other managers and promoters want to take over his contract and put him on the fast track to the championship. Arturo feels betrayed when Johnny wants to work with another manager, while his other two sons resent Johnny for turning his back on his father and wish Arturo had the same belief in their talents in the ring. The debut feature from director Carlos Avila and screenwriter Phil Berger, Price of Glory also features Maria Del Mar, Ron Perlman, Paul Rodriguez, and Clifton Collins Jr.. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Tom Musca directed this social satire on the United States electoral system. The comedy-drama explores how class and race divisions impact on the process when a Chicano housepainter in East Los Angeles decides to run for the city council. Pressured by his wife (Annette Murphy), Gustavo Alvarez (Paul Rodriguez) competes for the council seat left vacant when veteran Jack Durman (Cliff Robertson) retires, but he faces stiff competition from his opponent, the forceful black Lucinda Davis (C.C.H. Pounder). After the two split the Latino and black votes, the campaign begins to get lowdown and dirty as both candidates take aim with cheap shots and corrosive accusations. Stan Ridgway (formerly with Wall of Voodoo) provided the film's Latin-rock music score. Shown at the 1998 Seattle film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide