Lindsay Bourne Movies
Susan Seidelman directed this made-for-cable comedy drama about a few days in the lives of a group of "working girls" in Reno, NV. "The Ranch" is a legally operated brothel that operates under the careful watch of state health inspectors (who insist on weekly medical checkups) and the semi-benevolent leadership of Mary (Amy Madigan), the manager. While the women on staff don't have to dodge the law like their comrades elsewhere, that doesn't mean they don't have their problems, as moms juggle parenthood with the world's oldest profession, some of the prostitutes struggle to keep their work a secret from their boyfriends, and others try to escape the mistakes of the past that brought them to Nevada. Originally created as a pilot for a possible cable series, The Ranch was released in R-rated and "uncut" editions; the supporting cast includes Samantha Ferris, Jessica Collins, Paige Moss, and Nicki Micheaux. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Madigan, Nicki Micheaux, (more)
- 2001
Two victims of political repression form a valuable friendship in a free but unfriendly land in this independent drama. Dimitri Ranevsky (Dimitri Boudrine) is an actor and playwright from the Soviet Union, who, tired of the political and cultural repression of his homeland, has come to Canada to start his life over again. However, dealing with the red tape of Canada's immigration and naturalization departments proves to be nearly as maddening as the bureaucracy he left behind; working off the books for a pawnbroker and facing possible deportation, Dimitri is nearing the end of his rope. One day, Ai Ling Huang (Benita Ha) comes into the pawn shop, hoping to get some money for a watch. Dimitri learns that Ai Ling is a fellow political exile; born in China, Ai Ling was jailed for daring to freely express her religious beliefs, and came to Canada under the agreement that attorney Steve Jeffries (J.R. Bourne) would marry her so she could stay in the country. However, Steve has changed his mind, and now Ai Ling is also fighting deportation. Dimitri and Ai Ling become friends, and after reading his plays, she encourages Steve to help Dimitri stay in Canada so he can continue to pursue his muse in a free land. Exiles in Paradise was the first feature from director and screenwriter Wesley Lowe. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dimitri Boudrine, Benita Ha, (more)
- 1997
Another fact-based entry in the hard-hitting NBC "Moment of Truth" TV-movie series, The Accident revolves around three teenage girls, all lifelong friends: Lizzie (Bonnie Root), Janie (Marisa Rudiak) and Kate (Deanna Milligan). All three enjoy sneaking about and defying their parents, especially when it comes to drinking liquor. But where Janie and Kate limit themselves to wine, the troubled Lizzie is a heavy tippler, guzzling down vodka as if it was going out of style. At their pre-graduation party, Lizzie manages to get both Janie and Kate thoroughly smashed on booze. . .and then she hops in her car to drive Janie home. A horrible accident is inevitable--and though Lizzie escapes with only a mild concussion, Janie is killed outright. Tortured with guilt, and with both a court trial and the merciless wrath of Janie's vengeful mother on the horizon, Lizzie "solves" her problems by hitting the bottle harder than ever! Not surprisingly, the film contains several sobering lessons for its viewers, young and old alike; and while Lizzie is not let off the hook, much is made of the negative influences brought to bear by the adults in her life in the years prior to her tragic "moment of truth." The Accident originally aired on September 15, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bonnie Root, Marisa Rudiak, (more)
- 1996
- R
In this suspenseful thriller, a female game warden (Madchen Amick) must draw upon all her wilderness experience to evade the poacher (Adrian Pasdar) who seeks to kill her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mädchen Amick, Adrian Pasdar, (more)
- 1993
This is one of the made-for-TV exploits based upon the Amy Fisher/Joey Buttafuoco teen-sex story which stirred up a U.S. media feeding frenzy in 1992. (Amy, having become Joey's young lover, tried to eliminate his real-life wife) Drew Barrymore stars as Amy in this accounting which contains some pretty sizzling sex scenes apparently shot with a Barrymore look-alike. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony John Denison, Laurie Paton, (more)
- 1991
Partially filmed in Hawaii and Tahiti, And the Sea Will Tell was a two-part TV movie based on a real murder case. A wealthy couple (James Brolin and Deidre Hall) are killed on their yacht off the coast of a secluded South American island called Palmyra. The suspects are a hippyish pair (Hart Bochner and Rachel Ward) whom the rich folks had befriended. It's fairly clear that the hippies were involved in the crime: The question is, did the man do it while the girl looked on helplessly, or was she a willing accomplice? Richard Crenna plays real-life defense attorney Vincent Bugliosi, upon whose book And the Sea Will Tell was based. The first part of this teledrama premiered on February 24, 1991; part two, in which the girl's testimony consumes most of the screen time, was shown on February 26. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In this crime drama, a sequel to "Deadly Intentions," the protagonist, Dr. Charles Raynor, who was convicted of attempted murder, has been paroled. He goes home to his second wife. He is determined to get revenge upon those who had him convicted for trying to kill his first wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1990
- R
Narrow Margin directed by Peter Hyams and loosely based on the classic film noir of the same title, tells the story of a resourceful District Attorney who must return a witness to San Francisco alive so she can testify in a trial. Carol (Anne Archer) is in the bathroom of the hotel room of her blind date when he is murdered by mobsters for stealing money. Knowing she is the only witness, Carol flees to an isolated Canadian mountain home to hide out. She is followed by Caulfield (Gene Hackman) who knows that she is a witness and wants to make her testify. When the mobsters track Caulfield to the cabin, Carol must join him in a run for her life on a Canadian train. This film, while it is somewhat uneven, is a tour de force for director/writer/cinematographer Peter Hyams, who delivers a fast-paced, action-packed chase through the Canadian mountains, stunningly photographed and well acted by both Hackman and Archer. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, (more)
- 1990
- Add The Death of the Incredible Hulk to QueueAdd The Death of the Incredible Hulk to top of Queue
Originally made for television, the story concerns David Banner (Bill Bixby), thought to be dead but actually working as a janitor at a laboratory. There, he hopes to cure himself of the monster lurking inside. However, a group of terrorists are interested in the awesome power of the Hulk. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Terry O'Quinn plays The Stepfather in this intelligent, unsettling chiller. We'd tell you O'Quinn's character name, but he has so many. You see, O'Quinn has been a stepfather many times over, romancing and marrying widowed women in several different states. After each wedding, everything is blissful -- at least, until O'Quinn's new wife and kids fail to measure up to his notions of perfection. Then he kills them en masse, and moves on to his next victims. Shelley Hack and Jill Schoelen co-star as O'Quinn's latest wife and stepdaughter, who prove to be yet another disappointment to him. An adroit witches' blend of Ozzie & Harriet and Psycho, The Stepfather was scripted by suspense veteran Donald E. Westlake. A lesser sequel, Stepfather 2, followed in 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terry O'Quinn, Jill Schoelen, (more)
- 1986
Dan Haggerty, TV's Grizzly Adams, has a more complex role than usual in Abducted. Haggerty plays the father of a mixed-up mountain boy (Lawrence King-Phillips) who has kidnapped a pretty college student (Roberta Weiss). Though Haggerty tries to explain why his sons behaves the way he does, the girl would just as soon dispense with the backstory and make her escape. But the son has no intention of freeing his captive, thereby setting the stage for a final showdown with his own father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Haggerty, Roberta Weiss, (more)
