Jonathan Tucker Movies
An actor and longtime ballet student whose plain but wholesome good looks find him frequently cast as the "boy next door" type, Jonathan Tucker has been performing gracefully on stage and screen for most of his life. Born in May of 1982 in Boston, MA, Tucker established his love for the stage early on when, in the third grade, he was cast in a Boston Ballet production of The Nutcracker. After receiving his primary education at Park School in nearby Brookline, Tucker relocated to the West Coast to receive further coaching at the Thatcher School in Ojai, CA. Though subsequently accepted for early admission at Columbia University, Tucker deferred in favor of actively pursuing a career as an actor. Following his film debut in the Terence Hill/Bud Spencer comedy Troublemakers (1994), Tucker's career began to flourish with more substantial roles in Two if by Sea and Sleepers (both 1996). On television, the up-and-comer appeared on The Practice before taking a starring role in the 1998 made-for-television feature Mr. Music. A role in The Virgin Suicides (1999) found his small-town looks again utilized to good effect, and after a dweebish turn in the coming-of-age comedy 100 Girls, Tucker essayed his most demanding role to date in The Deep End (2001). Tucker's role as a closeted gay son whose mother Tilda Swinton will go to any lengths to protect him from being pinned for murder won accolades for the dark thriller, and headlining roles in Ball in the House (2001) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) were quick to follow. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide- 1990
Filmed in black and white on a very low budget, this grim Manhattan-set documentary takes an unflinching look at the realities of inner-city life as it tells the story of how Vince Williams came to become a prison inmate. His story is told via flashback and from those who witnessed his small crime. Born in poverty to a 13-year-old mother, Vince grows up responsible for providing for her and his younger brother. Sometimes he resorts to stealing to keep them fed. Sadly, Vince had a lot of potential and maybe could have done more with his life, but unfortunately, there are few opportunities in the ghetto and his struggle to survive becomes a spiraling cycle of criminal activities, violence and humiliation that only ends with his incarceration. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Barboza, Carolyn Kinebrew, (more)
- 1994
- PG
Two bounty-hunting brothers attempt to patch up their considerable differences in accordance with their mother's desire that the family reunite for the holidays. The main difference between the brothers is that one specializes in freeing wanted criminals for a hefty price, while the other tries to round them up in order to support his large family. The two team up to capture the same crook, but somehow they end up mistaken for bad guys themselves during a bank robbery. Veterans of spaghetti westerns, actors Terence Hill and Bud Spencer direct and star in this uneven parody of the lucrative genre. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, (more)
Barry Levinson directed this crime drama based on a controversial bestseller. Jason Patrick stars as Lorenzo, a New York reporter more commonly called "Shakes," a nickname courtesy of his three childhood pals from Hell's Kitchen -- Michael (Brad Pitt), John (Ron Eldard), and Tommy (Billy Crudup). As kids, all four were sent to reform school after accidentally killing someone during a cruel prank. There, the boys were raped and beaten by several guards, including Sean Nokes (Kevin Bacon), a fact that they've kept secret into adulthood. Michael is now a rising star in the district attorney's office, while John and Tommy are founders of the Irish gang the Westies. When Nokes walks into John and Tommy's hangout, they kill him in cold blood and go on trial, defended by a drug-addicted lawyer (Dustin Hoffman). Michael and Shakes conspire with childhood friend Carol (Minnie Driver) and local priest Father Bobby (Robert DeNiro) to free their friends and get even with the surviving guards. Based on a true story chronicled by Lorenzo Carcaterra in his novel of the same name, Sleepers stirred controversy when the veracity of the book was challenged by reporters who could find no documentation of the events described. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, (more)
Co-star Denis Leary co-wrote the script for this romantic comedy-drama. Leary plays Frank O'Brien, a no-class, small-time hood who is the boyfriend of Roz (Sandra Bullock), a cashier with a New York Jewish background who dreams of settling down and having kids. Roz wants out of the relationship but is fearful to break up. On a Friday, she accompanies Frank as he steals a painting. He tells her that it's his last job as a thief. Frank plans the delivery for Sunday evening so that they can turn the job into a getaway weekend. They go to a New England town and break into a huge home; the owners are on vacation. A sophisticated neighbor, Evan Marsh (Stephen Dillane), believes that they are friends of the owners' children and invites them to a party. Evan is an upper-class bachelor and is attracted to Roz. Roz goes horseback riding and boating with him, pretending a sophistication she doesn't possess, while Frank fumes at the rich rival. Meanwhile, Frank's crime boss Beano (Wayne Robson) learns that the painting Frank has stolen is a four-million-dollar Matisse and comes to the town with three henchmen. They are pursued by Detective O'Malley (Yaphet Kotto), who is trying to find a mysterious master art thief. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denis Leary, Sandra Bullock, (more)
- 1999
In this comedy about the music industry, Mick Fleetwood (who as co-founder of Fleetwood Mac doubtless knows the subject well) plays the head of a record company who hopes to boost his label's sagging fortunes by naming a 15-year-old music fanatic as his new Vice President. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mick Fleetwood, Jonathan Tucker, (more)
A dark comedy punctuated by moments of drama, The Virgin Suicides explores the emotional underpinnings of a family starting to come apart at the seams in 1970's Midwestern America. The Lisbons seem like an ordinary enough family; Father (James Woods) teaches math at a high school in Michigan, Mother (Kathleen Turner) has a strong religious faith, and they have five teenage daughters, ranging from 13-year-old Cecilia (Hannah Hall) to 17-year-old Therese (Leslie Hayman). However, the Lisbon family's sense of normalcy is shattered when Cecilia falls into a deep depression and attempts suicide. The family is shaken and Mother and Father seek the advice of psychiatrist Dr. Hornicker (Danny DeVito), who suggests the girls should be allowed to socialize more with boys. However, boys soon become a serious problem for Cecilia's sister Lux (Kirsten Dunst). Lux has attracted the eye of a high-school Romeo named Trip (Josh Hartnett), who assures Father of his good intentions. But Cecilia finally makes good on her decision to kill herself, throwing the Lisbons into a panic; and after attending a school dance, Trip seduces and then abandons Lux. The Lisbons pull their daughters out of school, as an emotionally frayed Mother keeps close watch over them. Meanwhile, Lux continues to attract the attentions of the local boys, and she responds with a series of clandestine sexual episodes with random partners as often as she can sneak out of the house. The debut feature from Sofia Coppola (whose father, Francis Ford Coppola, co-produced this film), The Virgin Suicides also features supporting performances from Scott Glenn and Giovanni Ribisi. The film was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series as the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirsten Dunst, James Woods, (more)
A young man is looking for the woman he loves, though he wouldn't know her if he saw her in this teen-oriented comedy. Matthew (Jonathan Tucker) is a college freshman who has not been having much luck with the ladies since he started school. One night, Matthew is taking an elevator downstairs at his dorm when someone dashes in just as the door is closing. Moments later, there's a power outage, and Matthew and his fellow passenger are stuck. He soon discovers that he's stranded on the elevator with a woman, and they strike up a conversation; one thing leads to another, and they end up making love. However, Matthew never gets her name or a good look at her face in the darkness, and the next morning, he awakes to discover the power is back on, and the young woman is gone. Matthew is desperate to find her, certain that she is the love of his life, but all he knows for sure is that she lives in a nearby all-girls dorm -- and that she left behind a pair of panties. Posing as a maintenance man, Matthew sets out to visit every girl in the dorm, hoping to find the girl who matches up to the lingerie. Among the many women Matthew runs across in search of his dream girl in 100 Girls are Larisa Oleynik, Jaime Pressly, Katherine Heigl, Marissa Ribisi, and Emmanuelle Chriqui. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Tucker, Larisa Oleynik, (more)
- 2001
Following up on her crowd pleasing 1998 film Finding North, Tanya Wexler directs this tweaked coming-of-age drama about a troubled teen and his even more troubled family. Having just come out of detox for drugs and alcohol, JJ (Jonathan Tucker) returns home hoping for a little comfort and solace, but he finds little of both. Though his mother continues to dote on him, everyone else is out to get him -- his brutish step-father Bull who is still furious over the vintage car JJ wrecked while hopped up; his vampish step-aunt Dot (Jennifer Tilly); his effete uncle Ernie. Even his former dealer Bobby, his girlfriend, who dumped him for Bobby, and his high school guidance counselor Dr. Charlie (David Strathairn) has something against JJ. While JJ struggles to straighten out his life, he remembers fondly his stay in detox. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Tucker, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
A mother is drawn into a sinister web of blackmail while trying to protect her son in this drama. Margaret Hall (Tilda Swinton) is a wife and mother of three living in Lake Tahoe, whose husband is a Naval officer stationed in the Atlantic ocean. Margaret's oldest son, teenaged Beau (Jonathan Tucker), is gay and has become involved with Darby (Josh Lucas), a disreputable older man whom Margaret does not trust. Margaret confronts Darby and tells him to stay away from her son, but Darby isn't easily dissuaded, and he comes by the house late one night, leading to a fight between Beau and Darby. The next morning, Margaret discovers Darby's body on the beach, with an anchor piercing his chest. Not sure what to do, Margaret hauls Darby's body out to sea, and dumps it where she hopes it will not be found. Margaret tries to get her life back to normal, until a man named Alek (Goran Visnjic) appears at her door. Alek appears to know something about Darby's death, and he definitely knows about Beau's relationship with him; in fact, he has a videotape of Beau and Darby having sex, and he's prepared to make it public unless she'll pay him $50,000. Margaret is in no position to pay the money, but is desperate to protect her son and attempts to reason with Alek. Surprisingly enough, in time it works, and Alek withdraws his request for blackmail money. However, Nagle (Raymond Barry), a local crime boss whom Alek works for, is not nearly so generous. The Deep End was adapted from a novel by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding, The Blank Wall, which was previously filmed by Max Ophuls as The Reckless Moment. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, (more)
One of the most infamous horror films of the 1970s is revisited in this remake produced by action-spectacle maven Michael Bay. In the summer of 1973, four teenagers -- Erin (Jessica Biel), Morgan (Jonathan Tucker), Kemper (Eric Balfour), and Andy (Mike Vogel) -- are driving through Texas on a road trip when they pick up a hitchhiker, Pepper (Erica Leerhsen), who is on her way to Mexico to score some dope. With Pepper adding to the party atmosphere, the other four decide to join her, but as they're passing through a small town in Travis County, they see a bloody and distraught girl (Lauren German) wandering by the side of the road, and after stopping to help her, they realize she's been involved in something horribly traumatic. As the kids try to help the girl piece together the story of what happened, they find themselves drawn into the web of a murderous family of subnormal cannibals. Inspired -- like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs, and Deranged -- by the crimes of Wisconsin multiple murderer Ed Gein, this remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre also features narration by John Larroquette, who narrated the original film (it was his first screen credit), as well as supporting performances by R. Lee Ermey, Andrew Prine, and Andrew Bryniarski. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, (more)
- 2003
Hank Peddigrew (Christopher Wiehl), the paramedic boyfriend of the CSI's Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), is among those injured when an old woman (Sandra Gimpel) crashes her Jaguar into a bar-restaurant during a crowded "happy hour." Was it a random accident, or a deliberately mapped-out murder? As she investigates, Sara is unnerved when she finds out why Hank was at the bar in the first place. Meanwhile, Grissom (William L. Petersen) and Nick (George Eads) probe the death of a woman who succumbed to a gas leak in her home. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A con artist finds family squabbles are getting in the way of a major payday in this sharp blend of comedy and suspense, based on the Argentinean hit Nueve Reinas (aka Nine Queens). Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly) is a smart-suited confidence man who knows how to run a big con but prefers to pull off a number of small scams over the course of the day, cheating a lot of folks out of a little instead of taking one or two for a lot. One day, while looking for marks at a gambling casino, Gaddis spies Rodrigo (Diego Luna), a fellow grifter with little polish but obvious talent. Gaddis takes Rodrigo under his wing, and after showing him a few tricks, the two begin working as a team. A golden opportunity presents itself when Gaddis learns the whereabouts of an incredibly valuable antique bank note just as an ideal customer is passing through town; Gaddis and Rodrigo quickly try to set up a deal that will separate cash from customer without the note actually changing hands, but the scheme proves complicated enough that others have to be brought in, causing each individual's share of the loot to dwindle. Adding to Gaddis' annoyance is the appearance of his sister Valerie (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who works at the hotel where the deal is to go down and isn't especially happy with her brother and his attempts to get his hands on the family's fortune. Criminal marked the directorial debut of Gregory Jacobs, who previously distinguished himself as a producer and assistant director. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, (more)
Directed by Reverge Anselmo, Stateside revolves around the unique love story of two very different teens -- namely, the rich but lonely Mark Deloach (Jonathan Tucker) and Dori Lawrence (Rachael Leigh Cook), a schizophrenic singer and actress -- whose lives spiral out of control in separate but nonetheless connective ways. After Mark's prank on a local girl (Agnes Bruckner) results in a deadly drunk-driving accident, and Dori's mental health continues to deteriorate, Mark is forcibly sent to the Marines as Dori is admitted into a mental hospital. Despite the state of havoc in their lives, however, Dori and Mark are drawn to each other -- it would appear that their mutual need for love and some semblance of understanding has bonded them more tightly together than all of their more traditional relationships combined. Of course, those very relationships are insisting the young couple stay as far apart as possible; Mrs. Hagen (Diane Venora), head of Dori's halfway house, is particularly insistent. When Mark is deployed to a combat unit overseas, it looks as though Mrs. Hagen's wishes have been granted. Unable to forget each other, Mark and Dori do their best to heal one another in spite of the distance between them. Stateside features supporting performances from Ed Begley Jr., Carrie Fisher, Val Kilmer, and Joe Mantegna ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachael Leigh Cook, Jonathan Tucker, (more)
Studies say that the majority of homicides are committed by someone the victim knows, and 17-year-old J.J. White (Jonathan Tucker) is about to find that out the hard way. Upon returning to his working-class home from a court-ordered stay at rehab, J.J.'s struggle to remain sober is complicated by both the stress of dealing with his dysfunctional family and a series of late night snowstorms that makes venturing into the outside world impossible. As cabin fever takes hold and J.J. begins to suspect that his own family is plotting to kill him for the insurance money, he must discover if his paranoia is truly justified or psychosomatic if he is to survive and maintain his sanity. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A cop looking for a quieter way of life is thrown into the most dangerous crisis of his life in this thriller based on the novel by Robert Crais. Jeff Talley (Bruce Willis) used to be a hostage negotiator with the Los Angeles Police Department, but after a standoff goes horribly wrong, Talley moves himself and his family to a small, quiet town of Bristo Camino, where he serves as chief of police. When three young criminals attempt to steal a car from a wealthy accountant, the situation quickly spins out of control and the thieves are trapped inside the heavily fortified home, taking the accountant and his family hostage. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department soon arrives on the scene, and Talley eagerly hands over the situation to them, but when he unexpectedly finds himself in telephone contact with one of the children inside, he begins to suspect that the cops are in over their heads. After he's approached by a masked stranger who has an agenda of his own, Talley is forced to decide if he should protect the safety of the family in the house or his own wife and kids. Hostage was the first English-language film from director Florent Emilio Siri. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, (more)
When wireless technology puts humans into contact with an unstoppable force that's determined to claim the lives of the living for the souls of the damned, it's up to a group of determined teens to close the gate before it's too late in director Jim Sonzero's remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's apocalyptic horror classic. A doorway between the human realm and the spiritual realm has been opened, and now the technology that once made humankind the ruler of the planet has become its digital Achilles heel. With every call made and every e-mail checked, life is slowly being stolen from the living and claimed for the dead. With no way of turning off the connection and no means of reasoning with a force they cannot understand, a desperate group of college students must discover a means of stopping the takeover before the entire planet is transformed into a cosmic haunting ground for wayward souls in search of a home. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristen Bell, Ian Somerhalder, (more)
Nicholas DiBella's thriller Cherry Crush stars Jonathan Tucker as Jordan Wells, the privileged son of a successful man who gets kicked out of an exclusive prep school after his interesting photography and girls leads him to taking nude snapshots of classmates. Soon he meets a poor but attractive girl named Shay Bettencourt (Nikki Reed) who ensnares him in a web of murder and lies. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Tucker, Nikki Reed, (more)
When a model soldier who recently returned to the U.S. from the front lines of Iraq goes AWOL, his veteran father enlists the aid of a dedicated police detective in seeking out his son's true fate in director/screenwriter Paul Haggis's follow up to the Oscar-winning 2004 indie-hit Crash. Mike Deerfield (Jonathan Tucker) has served his country faithfully, and now the time has come for him to return home to the United States. Shortly after returning, however, Mike simply vanishes without a trace. Mike's father, Hank (Tommy Lee Jones), is a former MP from the Vietnam era, and quickly recruits Detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) to assist him in his search for the missing soldier. While it remains to be seen whether Hank will ever find his missing son, he gets quickly enmeshed in a tangled web of intrigue, cover-ups, and murder, all related to the Iraqi conflict. The drama thus highlights the profoundly personal tolls taken by combat while striking at the very heart of the American experience in Iraq. Inspired by a Playboy Magazine article written by Mark Boal, Haggis's fictionalized version of the actual events co-stars Jason Patrick, Susan Sarandon, James Franco, and Josh Brolin. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, (more)
- 2007
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Something of an Irish variation on The Sopranos with a considerably younger cast, NBC's weekly, hour-long The Black Donnellys was reportedly inspired on the exploits of an actual family (also named Donnelly) who were involved in a notoriously bloody fued in the Ontario of the 1880s. The TV series, however, was set in the present, and took place in the Hell's Kitchen district of New York City, specifically a patch of territory controlled by four tough young Irish-Americans with mob connections. The eldest of the four Donnelly brothers was the hotheaded, antagonistic Jimmy (Thomas Guiry), the leader of the gang and owner of the bar where the family all hung out. Jimmy's second-in-command was his brother Tommy (Jonathan Tucker), a former art student who occasionally suffered pangs of conscience over the Donnelly's dubious ethics and business practices. The third brother, Kevin (Bill Lush), was a compulsive gambler, while youngest brother Sean (Michael Stahl-David) was a weak-willed ladies' man. The series was narrated by family friend Joey "Ice Cream" (Keith Nobbs), a combination hatchet man and court jester. Created by the same people responsible for the Oscar-winning feature films Million Dollar Baby and Crash, The Black Donnellys debuted February 19, 2007, as a ten-week replacement for the floundering NBC dramedy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Acevedo, Tom Guiry, (more)
- 2007
Prolific screenwriter Brent Hanley (Frailty, Masters of Horror: Family) makes the leap into the director's chair with this short film concerning a young girl (Elle Fanning) who teams with her dead father (Jonathan Tucker) to free herself and her mother (Amber Heard) from an abusive relationship. In attempting to escape the tyrannical grip of her violent stepfather, however, the girl soon finds that her unique plan has some unexpected consequences. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elle Fanning, Amber Heard, (more)
Based on the novel by A Simple Plan author Scott Smith, director Carter B. Smith's Yucatan-set thriller follows four American tourists as they unwisely venture off the beaten path while vacationing in Cancun. When a friendly German tourist implores the Americans to help search the jungle for his missing brother, the group becomes hopelessly trapped in a nightmare scenario that seems too strange to be true. Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey, Jena Malone, and Shawn Ashmore star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, (more)
