Jon Bon Jovi Movies
After spending most of the '80s as a hard rock god, Jon Bon Jovi decided to put his proven charisma and movie-star looks to work in front of the Hollywood cameras. Making his major screen debut as an amiable house painter in Moonlight and Valentino (1995), Bon Jovi earned surprisingly good notices for his performance, winning both grudging respect from film critics and further offers from casting agents.Born John Francis Bongiovi in working-class Perth Amboy, NJ, on March 2, 1962, Bon Jovi spent much of his adolescence skipping school to play in a series of local rock bands. After one of his first demos, "Runaway," became a hit on the Jersey airwaves, the young musician formed Bon Jovi in 1983. The group went on to become one of the most successful hard rock bands of the decade, earning a huge number of fans and numerous industry honors. In 1990, during the band's 18-month hiatus, Bon Jovi wrote the soundtrack for the blockbuster Young Guns, and also had a very small role in the film. His soundtrack produced two hit singles and won Grammy and Oscar nominations, and Bon Jovi re-formed his band shortly thereafter.
Following his first major foray into acting in 1995, the musician won his first starring role in John Duigan's The Leading Man (1996). The film, which cast Bon Jovi as its title character -- a seductive and conniving actor -- earned lukewarm reviews and did negligible business at the box office. The aspiring actor was soon back in front of the camera, however, appearing in a string of films that included the submarine thriller U-571 (2000), in which he shared the screen with Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, and Bill Paxton, as well as Pay It Forward (2000), which cast him as Helen Hunt's loutish, absentee husband. Bon Jovi also continued his work as a musician, releasing a solo album in 1997 and then regrouping with his band members in 2000.
He earned decent reviews for his work as a possible love interest for Ally McBeal, and parlayed that into roles in the films Cry Wolf and National Lampoon's Pucked. In 2011 he was one of the many members of the ensemble in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy New Year's Eve. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi
- 2013
- R
- Add Stand Up Guys to Queue
Three geriatric criminals reunite to recapture the glory of their lawless youth, but find their celebrations interrupted when one is put into a difficult position by a vengeful mob boss. Nearly 20 years after refusing to inform on his partner-in-crime, Val (Al Pacino) emerges from prison a free man. Waiting for him at the gate is his old friend Doc (Christopher Walken), who quickly takes him out on the town with the mischievous Hirsh (Alan Arkin) to stir up some trouble. It's been far too long since the trio raised hell on the streets, and they're all eager to make up for lost time. Meanwhile, one of the three is harboring a secret that will test their longtime friendship unless they can finally come to terms with their troublesome past. Julianna Margulies co-stars. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director Garry Marshall follows up his surprise hit Valentine's Day with this all-star ensemble film featuring a cast that includes Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hilary Swank, and Ashton Kutcher. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, (more)
- 2007
This 2007 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Jon Bon Jovi and features musical guest Foo Fighters. ~ Skyler Miller, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, (more)
- 2007
- Add A Very Special Christmas: The 20th Anniversary Video Collection to Queue Add A Very Special Christmas: The 20th Anniversary Video Collection to top of Queue
The 'Very Special Christmas' albums began appearing in the late 1980s. A series of yuletide-themed compilations that featured contemporary rock stars performing beloved Christmas songs (some secular, some not) the albums were recorded and issued to raise money for the Special Olympics. Volume One emerged in 1989, and by the holiday season of 2001-2, four sequels had been produced and issued. Now, the home video release A Very Special Christmas compiles some of the most memorable music videos and live performances of songs from those initial albums, with additional renditions of holiday tunes culled from the 1998 and 2000 Christmas at the White House specials. Performers include Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Wyclef Jean, Tracy Chapman, Jon Bon Jovi and many others. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Run-D.M.C., U2, (more)
Credit cards and women on skates prove to be a dangerous mixture in this comedy. Frank Hopper (Jon Bon Jovi) is a former lawyer whose career has hit the skids, and he currently lives off the largesse of his more successful sister, Leona (Nora Dunn). Frank has dozens of business ideas, but has no way to finance them, until he heads out with his friend Carl (David Faustino) one evening and fills out a questionnaire in which he jokingly states his income is a million dollars a year. Suddenly Frank's mailbox is flooded with pre-approved credit cards, and with his new line of credit, Frank launches his dream project -- a women's hockey league. But it seems that the world is not yet ready for women playing professional ice hockey, and before long Frank is 300,000 dollars in debt, with a handful of credit agencies taking him to court to get back the money he's spent so far. Frank turns to his former girlfriend Jessica (Estella Warren), now a successful lawyer, to help him stay out of jail, but it seems their work is cut out for them when they learn Jessica's very competitive former beau Norman (Cary Elwes) is prosecuting Frank's case. National Lampoon's Pucked was directed by Arthur Hiller; it was his first directorial project since 1997's An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn, for which Hiller opted not to take credit. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Bon Jovi, Estella Warren, (more)
A big lie told in fun has deadly consequences in this horror story. A group of students at an exclusive private school decide to have some fun by creating an urban legend and seeing how far it will spread. When a woman is murdered not far from the school's campus, the students create an elaborate mythology about a serial killer known as "the Wolf," whose motives and methods would make him a likely culprit for the recent crime. However, when other people begin dying at the hands of "the Wolf," the students are forced to admit to their lie in hopes of stopping the killings. But will anyone believe them? And how does the real-life killer know so much about the backstory of "the Wolf"? Cry_Wolf stars Julian Morris, Lindy Booth, Jon Bon Jovi, and Gary Cole. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lindy Booth, Julian Morris, (more)
Summoned to Mexico to slay a clan of malevolent bloodsuckers, vampire hunter Derek Bliss (Jon Bon Jovi) finds himself in need of a new team when his former group of slayers falls prey to the fanged menace. Once again desperately striving to activate the black cross that will render vampires immune to the normally explosive effects of sunlight, the night fliers are led this time by deadly beauty Una (Arly Jover). Heads will roll and the red stuff will flow as the hardened slayers battle the vicious undead while trying to save Zooey (Natasha Wagner), a member of their team who may getting a little too long in the tooth for her own good. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
In the wake of the attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. on September 11, 2001, many figures in the entertainment community stepped forward to offer their talents to raise money towards relief efforts for the victims and their survivors. On October 20, 2001, some of the biggest names in popular music appeared at New York's Madison Square Garden in a special marathon concert to raise funds, and to pay tribute to the firefighters and police officers who gave their strength, their courage, and in some cases their lives to help the victims of this tragedy. The Concert for New York is a video that documents this historic evening. Musicians include Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bono, and many more. The long list of celebrity presenters includes Rudy Giuliani, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Halle Berry. And several filmmakers contribute short films on New York, including Woody Allen and Kevin Smith. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
A young boy stumbles upon a simple way to change the world in this drama. Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) is a bright 11-year-old boy who comes from a troubled home; his mother Arlene (Helen Hunt) is an alcoholic trying to hold down two jobs to support her son, while Trevor's father Jon Bon Jovi) left his family behind some time ago. At school, Trevor's class is introduced to their new social studies teacher, Mr. Simonet (Kevin Spacey), a guarded man with severe facial scars. Simonet gives his class an unusual assignment -- think up a practical way to make the world a better place, and put it into action. Trevor comes up with the notion of Pay It Forward" -- do a needed favor for three different people without being asked, and then ask them to do the same for three others. Trevor starts by letting Jerry (James Caviezal), a junkie living on the streets, stay in his home. Next, he tries to fix Arlene up with Mr. Simonet, since both seem to be lonely and the clean and sober teacher might help Arlene stay away from alcohol. Finally, he tries to rescue one of his schoolmates, who is constantly tormented by bullies. Meanwhile, journalist Chris Chandler (Jay Mohr) finds himself stuck on the road without a car late one night when a man stops and give him the keys to a new car, asking him only to pay the favor forward to someone else; astonished, Chris wants to find out where this philosophy came from. Based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hide, Pay It Forward also stars Angie Dickinson and Liev Schreiber. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, (more)
- 2000
- PG13
- Add U-571 to Queue Add U-571 to top of Queue
In this World War II action thriller, American reconnaissance agents learn that a German submarine is sinking. The doomed ship carries an Enigma Machine, a special coding device that allows high-level Axis forces to send messages that can't be read without a similar encryption mechanism. Obtaining a working Enigma device would be invaluable for the Allied war effort, so a U.S. sub is sent out to rescue the machine. However, German forces have already picked up the sub's distress signal and are en route to rescue their comrades. U-571 features a distinguished cast, including Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, and Jon Bon Jovi. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, (more)
- 2000
Jon Bon Jovi and Bai Ling star in this culture-clash romance about a down-and-out ex-con and a lonely Chinese immigrant. Just out of Riker's Island for taking the fall for his thuggish brother Gil (William Forsythe), Jamey (Bon Jovi) lands low-paying work as a door to door census taker. On the job, he happens upon Chun Hua (Ling) who lives with her baby, her grumpy middle-aged husband, and her meddlesome mother-in-law. Taking advantage of her poor English, Jamey asks a series of increasingly personal questions under the guise of official necessity, learning that Chun Hua is desperately lonely in her unhappy arranged marriage. A slow, hesitant relationship develops between the two. Later, Gil stumbles back into Jamey's life, up to his neck in debt with a blood-thirsty Chinese gangster. As a result, Jamey finds himself and especially Chun Hua in danger. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Bon Jovi, William Forsythe, (more)
In this comedy thriller, set in northern California, inept but lovable pot farmers Jack Madsen (Billy Bob Thornton) and Carter (Hank Azaria) work for San Francisco entrepreneur Malcolm Stockman (John Lithgow), who arrives for a visit via copter. As soon as Malcolm steps out, the copter pilot shoots him and takes off, leaving the two aghast along with apprentice Harlan (Ryan Phillippe). Minus a boss, the naive trio deduces no paychecks are forthcoming, so they collect cannabis for a big payoff and head to the nearby town where they meet up with go-between Lucy (Kelly Lynch). However, their explanations of Malcolm's whereabouts and their sudden need to sell some of the crop arouse suspicions, while their lazy days on the dope farm have left them unprepared as businessmen seeking buyers for millions in contraband. They soon find themselves in a shadowy new world of greed, paranoia, and duplicity. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Lithgow, Billy Bob Thornton, (more)
- 1998
- R
Writer-director-actor Edward Burns (The Brothers McMullen, She's the One) looks at small-town ex-lovers in this low-key, blue-collar drama with atmospheric, muted-color cinematography by Emmy-winner Frank Prinzi (Northern Exposure). To the tune of Sheryl Crow's "Home", Charlie (Burns) returns to his quiet seaboard hometown to win back his ex-girlfriend Claudia (Lauren Holly), whom he abandoned three years earlier. He quickly learns that she's now engaged to Michael (Jon Bon Jovi), his best buddy since elementary school. Claudia has a dull job as a waitress at a slow-paced diner, while Michael repairs autos at a local garage. Michael loves her, but Charlie's return forces her to re-examine her life. Burns commented, "I wanted to do a drama about a working-class community, about the kind of people I grew up with, and take a look at what their lives are like as they hit their 30s and start to put their adolescent dreams aside. Their old hopes and dreams get rekindled, so they try and go for it one more time. And in the end they discover that you can't relive your past." Songs relate literally to the onscreen action, with tunes by Lynryd Skynryd, Glen Campbell, Pete Yorn, Georges Gasguy & Saveur Mallia, Macy Gray, Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen, Local H, Sponge, and the Allman Brothers. Filmed on location during the off-season at Rockaway Beach, Queens, not far from New York's JFK Airport. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lauren Holly, Edward Burns, (more)
- 1997
Ally McBeal, despite low expectations from the network, proved to be a highly successful endeavor from writer/producer David E. Kelley. The notoriously tiny Calista Flockhart's neurotic portrayal of Ally fueled the show for five seasons, though it could not have lasted nearly as long without the insights of its eccentric supporting cast. Unique for its forays into the surreal, Ally McBeal as a show is as conflicted as its starring character. Half feministic endeavor, half a frustratingly traditional portrayal of lovelorn women, Ally McBeal danced precariously between law dramas of a more serious nature and Bridget Jones-esque "chick-shows." The series centered around the life of Ally McBeal, the quintessential "little girl lost," who, after graduating with a law degree from Harvard University, found herself in a law firm populated by an extraordinarily unconventional staff, including but not limited to Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows), her high school sweetheart. The show's premise allowed for quite a bit of creative freedom, and most episodes switched seamlessly from the thought-provoking (modern gender issues and sexual boundaries) to the absurd (remote control toilet flushers and pet frogs). Ally's quest for love and emotional fulfillment made for the heart of the series, along with the dark undertone of her often-questionable sanity. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
This film captures the essence of Jon Bon Jovi, the lead singer of one of the prime players in the legion of pop-metal bands that took '80s radio by storm. Most of the film is a short narrative loosely based on the songs from his 1997solo album Destination Anywhere, and features Jon Bon Jovi and Demi Moore as a young couple struggling with alcoholism and the death of their young child. Also included are three Jon Bon Jovi music videos: "Midnight in Chelsea", "Queen of New Orleans", and "Destination Anywhere". ~ Rob Ferrier, Rovi
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