Philip Jackson Movies

The sole survivor of a plane crash that killed his family, Paul Kane (Alec Baldwin) has trouble piecing together memories of his life before the tragedy. Gradually, he comes to accept the fact that he is a professional assassin, working out of London on behalf of the American government. Much to the displeasure of his superior, Kelton Reed (Powers Boothe), Kane finds that he is unable to perform to the best of his abilities until he can uncover the whole truth about his past life -- and to solve the mystery of the "Chilly Willy" tattoo on his inner lip. Before long, Kane the hunter becomes Kane the hunted, unable to determine his friends or his enemies -- or even if the people around him truly exist. An uncertain blend of The Bourne Identity and A Beautiful Mind, Second Nature was filmed in Europe and released there on video several months before its "official" June 22, 2003, debut over the TNT cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The great British obsession with football (soccer to Americans) receives a thorough skewering in this mock documentary look at perhaps the most hapless coach in the history of professional sport. The manager of England's national football unexpectedly succumbs to a heart attack, and suddenly the search is on for a replacement. Most people who seem qualified for the position have the good sense to turn it down, and so the responsibility falls to Mike Bassett (Ricky Tomlinson), a scruffy and loud-mouthed lout whose claim to football fame is leading a previously undistinguished team to a league championship. Bassett insists that England will win the World Cup under his leadership, but that's before he replaces his star player with a once-gifted footballer (Dean Lennox Kelly) who has since developed a drinking problem, and hired a one-time car salesman (Philip Jackson) as his assistant. After several stunning losses to Poland, Bassett goes from a favorite of both fans and the press to one of the most hated men in England; hoping to whip his team into shape, he subjects them to the high-tech training methods of eccentric Dr. Shoegaarten (Ulrich Thomsen), which injures more players than it helps. Despite Bassett's ineptitude, England manages to qualify for the World Cup tournament thanks to a loophole in the rules, and he flies to Rio with his team in hopes of somehow turning their bad luck around. British television journalist Martin Bashir, musician and comic Keith Allen, and international football sensation Pele all appear as themselves to lend Mike Bassett: England Manager an air of authenticity. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In the British North Country, in-laws Jackie (Julie Walters) and Dawn (Brenda Blethyn) work together on an assembly line at an electronics firm. Dawn is married to Jackie's brother Steve (George Costigan). Jackie's marriage is collapsing, and she has a secret affair with a bingo club run by Paul (James Gaddas). TGIF, the girls' night out, and while Jackie and Paul are engaged in a back-office tryst, Dawn wins the pot of $100,000. She shares the loot with Jackie, who uses it as an opportunity to ditch both the husband and the job. Dawn has a seizure, diagnosed as a brain tumor, but she keeps it secret. When Jackie buys two tickets to Vegas, Dawn joins her at the airport, not bothering to let her husband or children know about the trip. In Vegas, the two dress as rhinestone cowgals, ogle an Elvis impersonator, and meet Cody (Kris Kristofferson), heading home just before things turn grim. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

The events leading up to Great Britain's take-over of Hong Kong provide the basis of this epic Chinese historical drama that distinguishes itself from similarly themed films by presenting a relatively balanced view of each side's position during the war, though China ends up looking a little better in the end. The conflict began in 1838 during the Qing Dynasty when British traders were selling mass quantities of opium to the population, thereby rendering them weak and malleable. The royal court assigns viceroy Lin Zexu the task of negotiating with the East India, Co. traders. Denton is the primary offender and the undiplomatic Lin promptly imprisons him. To help Denton, Charles Elliot, a foreign trade representative, is dispatched. Elliot solves the problem by having tons of opium poured into the sea while guaranteeing the British government will refund the trader's money. When the political leaders back in London learn of his rash action, they angrily send troops to attack China. In this way the complex struggle begins. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This two-part British miniseries chronicled the misfortunes of meek solicitor Henry Farr (Robert Lindsay), trapped in dead-end suburban domesticity and saddled with a feminist virago of a wife named Elinor (Alison Steadman). Finally able to stand no more, Henry plotted to do away with Elinor by means of poison. Alas, his scheme had a few glitches, and before long virtually everyone in the town of Wimbledon had dropped dead except for Elinor. Meanwhile, the local constabulary, led by Detective John Rush (Philip Jackson), tried to figure out what was causing the unusually high mortality rate. Played as much for laughs as for thrills, The Wimbledon Poisoner originally aired in 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

David Suchet stars as the fastidious Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this made-for-TV adaptation of the classic mystery by Agatha Christie. A killer is on the loose who is toying with the great sleuth by sending him a series of letters in which he announces when and where his next crime will occur. Can Poirot discover who is the criminal and determine his motive before he kills again? Poirot: The ABC Murders was originally aired in the U.S. on the PBS series Mystery! The supporting cast includes Philip Jackson as Inspector Japp and Hugh Frasier as Capt. Hastings. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Agatha Christie's popular sleuth Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) goes after the murderer of a dentist in the full-length feature One, Two, Buckle My Shoe. Poirot and Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) investigate a murder and find the connection to a high-profile political figure. After finding the first clue -- a buckle from a women's shoe -- the detectives are off in search of the killer. This series of Poirot mysteries is well-known for its high production values and art direction. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

At a garden party he is attending with Hastings and Japp, Poirot (David Suchet) meets a young writer who happens to be the son of an old friend. The young man introduces Poirot to his fiancée. While jokingly reading the tea leaves in the young woman's cup, the sleuth sees something disturbing. Central to the trouble he foresees is a large wasps' nest in the young writer's garden. Together with Hastings and Japp, Poirot works to unravel the mystery before him. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Poirot (David Suchet) is called in to investigate a bank manager's close call with a hit-and-run driver. The manager, it turns out, has been chosen by the bank to carry a $1 million in Liberty bonds to New York on the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary. Someone is obviously out to stop him, and it's up to Poirot to brave his own sea sickness and find out who. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

When an arrogant FBI agent who has come to London to investigate the case of a nightclub singer-turned-spy dismisses Poirot (David Suchet) as a "gumshoe," Poirot is rather unimpressed. He finds himself getting involved in the case after meeting a couple who seem to have gotten a too-good-to-be-true deal on a primo apartment, and soon finds himself dodging the bullets of Mafia assassins who are also after the spy. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

In this whodunit based on a novel by Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) is delighted to be entertaining a lovely Belgian film star one evening, while Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) is hot on the trail of a master jewel thief. When the actress confesses she's been receiving threatening letters since she came into possession of a valuable diamond called "The Western Star," Poirot and Japp join forces to find the offending party, though they also have to keep a close eye on the actress, who intends to wear her prize diamond for a major social event. oirot: The Adventure Of The Western Star was produced by the British network Granada Television, and later aired in the United States as part of the PBS series Mystery!. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

After Inspector Japp is called upon to investigate the strange disappearance of a wealthy banker, Poirot (David Suchet) makes a five-quid wager with Japp that he can solve the mystery without even leaving his flat. After Hastings is dispatched on a number of bizarre errands, Poirot figures out the solution to the case. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi