John Hiatt Movies

This family musical enjoys the dubious distinction of being the first film ever based on a theme park attraction, the "Country Bears Jamboree" at Disneyworld. Beary Barrington (voice of Haley Joel Osment) is an adolescent bruin raised by a human family after he was found by a park ranger, abandoned in the forest. Curious about his biological roots, Beary travels to Tennessee to seek out his birth parents while attempting to locate the members of his favorite musical group -- a defunct country music act called the Country Bears -- along the way. Country Bear Hall, the famed venue where the band was launched, is facing imminent destruction at the hands of greedy banker Reed Thimple (Christopher Walken), but young Beary has a plan to save the hall by staging a reunion benefit concert. Beary's path takes him through a guitar duel, a vintage coffee house, and a car wash, as he's pursued by a pair of bumbling cops (Diedrich Bader and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell) trying to reunite him with his adoptive parents. Meanwhile, a panoply of musical legends including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Queen Latifah appear Behind the Music-style to comment on the Country Bears' alleged artistic influence on their work. The Country Bears, the first in a pair of planned Disney projects based on the company's theme park rides (the second is slated to be based on "Pirates of the Caribbean"), co-stars Stephen Tobolowsky, Brad Garrett, Alex Rocco, and Stephen Root. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

John Hiatt: Live From Austin, TX documents a performance the accomplished singer and songwriter gave for the television series Austin City Limits. The DVD features performances that did not appear on the original broadcast. The setlist of over a dozen songs includes "Perfectly Good Guitar," "Tennessee Plates," "Thing Called Love," "Memphis in the Meantime," and "Straight Outta Time." ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

This concert film presents the legendary Neville Brothers performing before a live audience a the Storyville Jazz Hall in their hometown of New Orleans, LA. Joined by such famous faces as Dennis Quaid, Bonnie Raitt, and Herbie Hancock, the group presents renditions of such songs as "Sixty Minute Man," "Closer to You," "Ya Ya," "Brother John/Iko Iko," "30 x 90," "Yellow Moon," "Midnight Rider," "Tell It Like It Is," "My Blood," and four others. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

This uninspiring drama was unfortunately the last feature film directed by Richard Marquard and was released posthumously. Bob Dylan plays the retired and reclusive rock star (there's a stretch) Billy Parker who falls for aspiring rocker Molly McGuire (Fiona) and takes her under his wing on his tour of England to benefit from his experience. When Molly is "discovered" by lecherous music promoter James Colt (Rupert Everett), Billy flies the coop back to his stateside chicken farm while Molly makes music magic. Billy and Molly are eventually reunited when she returns for a triumphant tour of the United States. Songs from Dylan, Neil Young, Shel Silverstein, Andy Goldmark, Tony Swan, Wang Chung, John Dexter, Cyril Neville, John Hiatt, and Steve Jolley help the thin script and uninspired thesping. The film opens up with the 1982 hit Tainted Love from Soft Cell. Musicians Ian Dury and Richie Havens are included in the acting cast. One can only wonder if the feature was just wrapped up too quickly after the untimely death of Marquand from a stroke at age 49 on September 4th, 1987. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

The Rockford Files' Meta Rosenberg and David Chase respectively produced and wrote this intensely adult made-for-TV movie. Mare Winningham stars as 15-year-old Micki, who runs away from her Minnesota home and heads for New York. Alone and without money or shelter, Micki is taken in by a "friendly" pimp, and soon joins other runaway girls turning tricks on the street. She is rescued from this dead-end life and returned to her parents (Hal Holbrook and Michael Learned), whom she disdainfully characterizes as "the original pod people." The rest of Off the Minnesota Strip records Micki's efforts to reassimilate herself to her middle-class lifestyle--a losing battle until her father makes a guilt-ridden curtain speech. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide