Jimmy Smits Movies

Season 3 of the drama about the Miami forensic expert (Michael C. Hall) who moonlights as a vigilante serial killer features Jimmy Smits as ADA Miguel Prado, who does more than prosecute homicides -- he engages in them. While getting ready to make his move on Freebo, an abusive, drug-dealing lowlife who got away with murdering two college women, Dexter interrupts a two-man skirmish and winds up dispatching one as the other, Freebo, escapes. The victim, Dexter later discovers, is Oscar Prado, the righteous, respected "pride of Little Havana" and Miguel's younger brother. Miguel eventually ingratiates himself with Dexter and it appears the latter is on the verge of having something he's never had before-a best friend. On a trip to the grocery store with Rita (Julie Benz) and the kids, Dexter catches a pedophile buddying up to Cody and must decide whether this sexual deviate fits the Code and is a candidate for Dexter-mination. As Dexter and Miguel become closer, Dexter feels his new pal is on to his dark-side job, so he tests Miguel and the results are most interesting. Soon, Miguel pressures Dexter to work his lethal magic on a "bloodsucking, soulless defense attorney" who keeps putting "murderers, rapists and carjackers...back on the street...to commit more heinous crimes." But hey, she's just doing her job, and that doesn't necessarily conform to the Code, so Dexter balks at taking her out. On the home front, Rita startles Dexter with news that she is expecting, and he's faced with a big-time family decision involving her and her two children. And later, when everyone is on board with Rita's pregnancy, she decides it would be a good idea for Dexter to move in with her, Cody and Astor, but he's somewhat conflicted by this possible major upheaval in his very structured existence. ~ Ray Stackhouse, All Movie Guide

Best described as Dallas with a Latino flavor, the CBS drama series Cane dealt with a wealthy and powerful Cuban-American family, the Duques, who ran a luctrative rum-and-sugar business in South Florida. Sensing that he wasn't long for this world, patriarch Pancho Duque (Hector Elizondo) began making arrangements to turn over his business to a younger member of the family--but which one? The two leading contenders were Pancho's oldest biological son Frank (Nestor Carbonell) and his adopted son Alex (Jimmy Smits), who in his own sly-and-cunning way was the series' "J.R." character. As Frank and Alex fought tooth and nail over control of the Duque empire, Frank indicated a willingness to sell out to the rival Samuels family, if for no other reason than he was having an affair with Ellis Samuels (Polly Walker). Alex resisted the notion of a sell-out, not only out of loyalty to his adoptive father, but also because he was married to Pancho's biological daughter Isabel (Paola Turbay), making him son and son-in-law all in one! Befitting his status as the series' "hero-villain", Alex handled his business and personal affairs with equal ruthlessness, especially when it came to his dealings with his own son Jaime (Michael Trevino), who in the earliest episodes was being pressured to stay in college, though he himself was torn between joining the Army and making a commitment to his girlfriend Rebecca (Alona Tal). Cane premiered on September 25, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A young boy grows up among a makeshift family of oddballs and dreamers in this adaptation of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's acclaimed one-man show. Ruben Junior (Marcus Carl Franklin) is a young boy who was born in the late '40s into a family that started crumbling not long after he was born. Ruben Junior's parents were from Lackawanna, a city in Upstate New York, and were living in a rooming house run by Nanny Crosby (S. Epatha Merkerson), whose place was a hub for the local African-American community. When Ruben Junior's parents split up, he and his mother return to Lackawanna and Nanny's rooming house; with mother overworked physically and in sad shape emotionally, Nanny takes Ruben Junior under her wing, and offers him the sort of nurturing she gives all her boarders. Nanny's house is full of people struggling for a fresh start in life, ranging from former convicts to recovering drug addicts, and she opens both her doors and her heart to them as they strive to make themselves better people. Ruben Junior finds a loving home amidst the colorful eccentrics in Nanny's circle of friends, but as America changes over the course of the 1950s and '60s, so does the neighborhood where Nanny and her tenants live -- and not for the better. Produced for the premium cable network HBO, Lackawanna Blues features a stellar supporting cast, including Delroy Lindo, Louis Gossett Jr., Rosie Perez, Jimmy Smits, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def, and Ernie Hudson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This video documentary looks at the history of Hispanic or Latino stars and pictures in Hollywood, focusing on the last half of the 20th century. Stars such as Jimmy Smits, Antonio Banderas, Sonia Braga, and others discuss their experiences as Hispanic actors. They reflect on prejudices and attitudes, "Latin lovers" such as Valentino, and on how their positions in Hollywood differ compared to previous Hispanic actors. Highlights include excerpts from various movies with Latino actors, stories or themes, including the Academy Award-winning West Side Story (1961), Neptune's Daughter (1949), The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982), Stand and Deliver (1987), and others. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide

As expected, the opening episode of NYPD Blue's fifth season resolved the cliffhanger established at the end of season four, with 15th precinct detective Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) returning to active duty after being cleared of all charges relating to the murder of late, unlamented mobster Jimmy Salvo. Bobby would figure prominently in the fifth season finale as well, marrying co-worker Det. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney, who'd been pregnant with Simone's baby, but had suffered a miscarriage) in a civil ceremony. Of the other regular characters, Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence), wife of Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and mother of Andy's son Theo (Austin Majors), would take a leave of absence for half the season. This was because actress Sharon Lawrence had landed her own starring sitcom, Fired Up, and could not realistically continue appearing in a lesser role in a different series. But once Fired Up was canceled, Lawrence returned to NYPD Blue, where she would remain until the conclusion of season six. In a similar vein, Det. James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro), briefly went on sick leave suffering from back problems, the better to give actor Tuturro time to play real-life mobster Sammy "The Bull" Gravano in the made-for-TV movie Witness to the Mob. Key plot developments of season five included Andy Sipowicz' prostate surgery and the pregnancy of Martinez' girlfriend, PAA Gina Colon (Lourdes Benedicto). The most significant of the new characters was Gina's temporary replacement, Naomi Reynolds (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick), who like many another character on the series, turned out to have a most fascinating past. And finally, after a season's worth of recurring appearances, Andrea Thompson was promoted to regular status in the role of Det. Jill Kirkendall. In what was becoming a regular pattern, NYPD Blue closed out its fifth season with two more Emmy awards. This time around, the recipients were actor Gordon Clapp (Detective Greg Medavoy) and director Paris Barclay (who helmed the second episode of the two-parter "Lost Israel"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The fourth season of NYPD Blue saw the introduction of two important new cast members: Andrea Thompson as Detective Jill Kirkendall, fearless crime-fighter, single mother, and potential threat to the burgeoning romance between Det. Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Det. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney); and Lourdes Benedicto as Gina Colon, one of several novice 15th precinct administrative assistants, and the new love interest for Det. James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). While Andrea Thompson would ultimately be promoted to series regular, Lourdes Benedicto remained among the recurring-character ranks, albeit a prominent one. In other developments, Det. Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) went on a crash diet and somewhat reluctantly volunteered to be the father of gay cop Abby Sullivan's (Paige Turco) baby; Bobby Simone inherited a shabby Brooklyn apartment building, involving him in a whole new crop of oddball characters, chief among them surly building super Henry Coffield (Willie Garson); combustible Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) continued to behave in an unpredictable fashion from one day to the next, though he was considerably humanized by his newborn son Theo (the mother, of course, was Assistant DA Sylvia Costas [Sharon Lawrence]); and recovering alcoholic Diane Russell, beset by professional and personal woes, suffered a nervous breakdown.

Of the major story arcs, two involved delicate and potentially deadly undercover operations. Diane Russell was assigned to get "close" to handsome, hair-triggered mob functionary Jimmy Liery (Christopher Meloni); it was the grim outcome of this case that nearly pushed Diane over the edge and back into a bottle. And, prodded by the Feds, who were anxious to build a case against hoodlum Joey Salvo (Peter Onorati), Bobby Simone infiltrated Salvo's circle of friends and performed a few conspicuous "favors" for Joey. The fact that Bobby's covert activities aroused the suspicions of Internal Affairs very nearly lost Simone his badge -- and also set the stage for season four's cliffhanger finale. As was the case in the three previous years, NYPD Blue collected quite a few statuettes at the annual Emmy awards presentation. Dennis Franz copped his third Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actor; Kim Delaney was honored as Outstanding Supporting Actress; and David Milch, Stephen Gaghan, and Michael R. Perry shared an award for their scripting of the episode "Where's 'Swaldo?" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The second season of NYPD Blue was transitional in every sense of the word, with a number of major cast changes and the deepening of characterizations within the people who remained. The big news during the 1994-1995 season was the defection of David Caruso as Detective John Kelly, the sensitive younger partner of the irascible Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz). It was no secret that Caruso wanted more screen time and a lot more money to continue with the series, and when producer Steven Bochco said no, the actor departed -- four episodes into season two. His replacement proved to be just as popular with viewers as Caruso, if not more so: Jimmy Smits as the recently widowed, pigeon-fancying Detective Bobby Simone, whose single status not only opened the door for a whole new slew of romantic complications with various female cast members, but also set hearts aflutter amongst audience members. Also leaving the series after the first two second-season episodes was Amy Brenneman as Off. Janice Licalsi, who had been found guilty of the murder of mob functionary Angelo Marino -- an act that also precipitated the departure of John Kelly, who, for trying to suppress evidence on Janice's behalf, was given the choice of being demoted or leaving the 15th Precinct altogether (of course, he chose the latter).
Also added to the cast was Kim Delaney as Det. Diane Russell, who like most the series' characters arrived at the 15th carrying a lot of emotional baggage, in her case an extremely abusive husband and, like Andy Sipowicz, a drinking problem. Andy was, in fact, the first to glom onto Diane's closet boozing, and it was he who offered to become her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor -- though it would be the younger and svelter Bobby Simone who would win Russell's heart. During her freshman year on NYPD Blue, Diane Russell appeared only on a recurring basis, as did two other new characters: the precinct's temporary administrative assistant, John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup), the series' first (but hardly the last) openly gay character; and Det. Adrianne Lesniak (Justine Miceli), who'd transferred to the 15th to escape a disastrous inter-departmental romance -- only to find herself the object of the affections of Precinct stalwart James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). But while neither Delaney, Brochtrup, nor Miceli were as yet listed among the "stars" of the series, two recurring characters from season one, Gordon Clapp as Detective Greg Medavoy and Gail O'Grady as administrative assistant Donna Abandando, were bumped up to full "regular" status. Greg and Donna's very, very close friendship became very, very much closer as the year progressed, despite Medavoy's periodic returns to his estranged wife. This was the year in which the misogynistic Andy Sipowicz finally humanized to the point of proposing marriage to Assistant DA Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence), despite having characterized her as a "prissy bitch" during the previous season. This was also the year in which series regular Dennis Franz entered "pop culture Valhalla" by flashing his naked backside to the camera. And this was the year in which NYPD Blue added two more Emmys to its collection, for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Shirley Knight in the episode "Large Mouth Bass"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted for TV, this is a Stephen King story in which an aspiring writer and an alcoholic poet (with a metal plate in his head, no less) literally stumble over a long-buried spaceship while walking in the woods. It starts glowing green when uncovered and soon everyone in town has green eyes, their teeth fall out and they act out all of their fantasies (violent or otherwise). Guess who's immune to the power of this alien spaceship? You got it--our good old metal-headed poet can save the day if he can get it together enough to do so. Really more of a B movie than most King horrorfests. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

Sight unseen, anthropologist David Moore (Jimmy Smits) adopts a Native American child named Adam. As Adam grows older (he is played as a boy by Michael Spears, and as a teenager by Fredrick Leader-Charge), Moore becomes painfully aware that the boy is developmentally delayed and emotionally disturbed. Doing some investigating on his own, Moore discovers that Adam is a victim of fetal alcohol syndrome. Despite the nagging temptation to divest himself of Adam, Moore loves the boy, and is determined to help him come to terms with his inherited handicaps. Directed by thirtysomething star Ken Olin, the made-for-TV Broken Cord debuted February 3, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Pee-wee's efforts to fix the malfunctioning Conky the computer just make things worse. Enter the handsome repairman (an up-and-coming Jimmy Smits) who fortunately has "the right tools and knows how to use them." When flirtatious Miss Yvonne hears this declaration, her lovestruck reaction is "Great!" -- which just so happens to be today's secret word. "Conky's Breakdown" was first released on video in tandem with "I Remember Curtis" in Volume 2 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Glitz was a disappointment for fans of the Elmore Leonard novel on which it was based. Jimmy Smits stars as a savvy Miami police detective Vincent Mora, who is wounded in a shoot-out. Convalescing in Puerto Rico, Mora falls in love with a beautiful woman who later dies under suspicious circumstances. Unable to pursue the case officially, Mora conducts a private investigation of the case. Along the way, he makes the acquaintance of a sprightly lounge singer (Markie Post) and a seriously disturbed ex-con (John Diehl). To many viewers, the title was appropriate: Glitz was plenty of style with little substance. The film was first telecast October 21, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A police psychologist and his school-age son become embroiled in the machinations of a mysterious cult religion in this thriller from director John Schlesinger. After his wife is electrocuted in a freak accident, Dr. Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) and his son, Chris (Harley Cross), move back to Manhattan, where Cal went to school. When not spending time with his son and surrogate extended family -- husband-and-wife anthropologists Kate (Elizabeth Wilson) and Dennis Maslow (Lee Richardson) -- Cal settles into his new job and romances his landlady, Jessica Halliday (Helen Shaver). Soon, though, a series of brutal murders of young children begins to take over Cal's life. Through the ravings of policeman Tom Lopez (Jimmy Smits), who believes the killers have supernatural power over him after stealing his badge, Cal learns of Santeria, a voodoo-like Latin American sect that mixes elements of Christianity and pagan mysticism. Although the religion turns out to have ties to some of the richest men in the city and even Cal's well-meaning maid seems to be a practitioner, he can't get any straight answers as to whether the cult is responsible for the murders. But after a sinister African shaman (Malick Bowens) places a curse on Jessica, Cal finally begins to understand the danger that faces him -- and his son. The Believers was very loosely adapted from Nicholas Conde's 1982 novel The Religion. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide