Edward Burns Movies
One of a number of American independent filmmakers launched to prominence in the '90s by virtue of their success at the Sundance Film Festival, writer/director Edward Burns was born in Woodside, Queens, in 1968 and raised on Long Island. After attending Oneonta College and S.U.N.Y.-Albany, he transferred to Hunter College in New York City to study motion pictures; there he helmed a number of short films, including the 15-minute Hey, Sco! Upon graduating, Burns began working at a local news outlet and made Brandy, a 45-minute effort screened as a work in progress at the 1992 Independent Feature Film Market.During the spring of 1993, while working as a production assistant for the television newsmagazine Entertainment Tonight, Burns began conceiving The Brothers McMullen, a comedy focusing on the romantic troubles facing three Irish-Catholic siblings. Shot primarily in his parents' Long Island home, with a cast of unknowns including Burns himself and his then-girlfriend Maxine Bahns, the feature was filmed over eight months' time with a budget of about 25,000 dollars and with the aid of a technical crew comprised largely of fellow Entertainment Tonight staffers. Rejected by a series of distributors, The Brothers McMullen bowed at Sundance in 1995 and won the festival's Grand Jury Prize, becoming one of the most successful independent efforts of the year.
For his follow-up, She's the One, Burns retained much of the McMullen cast and crew, including Bahns and actor Mike McGlone; by virtue of his newfound fame, he was also able to cast up-and-coming stars Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz in pivotal roles, and he even solicited an original soundtrack from rocker Tom Petty. Filmed with a comparatively lavish budget of about three million dollars, the romantic comedy premiered during late August 1996. Burns soon began work on his third feature, No Looking Back, a romantic drama set in a coastal town's working-class community. The film co-starred Lauren Holly and was released in 1998; that same year, Burns co-starred in the Steven Spielberg World War II epic Saving Private Ryan. In 1999, he was back on the screen with an appearance in Oliver Stone's football drama Any Given Sunday. In the years that followed, Burns wrote and directed a series of additional comedy-dramas incluing Sidewalks of New York (2001), Ash Wednesday (2002), Looking for Kitty (2004) and The Fitzgerald Family Christmas. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- 2011
Created and produced by cable's History Channel, and intended as an unofficial companion piece to the earlier WWII in HD, this documentary saga deals with the thousands of Vietnam War draftees who came home from the United States seemingly in one piece. On a note of sad irony, the subjects at hand emerged "victorious" from an empty and meaningless conflict that never should have involved their home country in the first place. Using the same structural model as the WWII program and a comparable narrative approach, the saga draws from such elements as government archival footage, news clips, haunting period photographs and disturbing reflections - all used to re-evoke the era. As a word of warning, the documentary contains extremely graphic content, making it unsuitable for young viewers. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael C. Hall
- 2007
When Yom Kippur rolls around and Ari chances into "Medellin" producer Nick Rubenstein at temple, the announcement that the long-in-gestation biopic is back in production prompts the dedicated agent to try and clinch Vince for the lead before sundown. As Amanda wrestles with the prospect of working so closely with Ari, Vince and the crew head out for some fun at the racetracks. Feeling bad that his horse will likely be put down after finishing as an also-ran, Drama purchases the steed without realizing just how expensive it is to board and care for a proper racehorse. Meanwhile, as the "Medellin" deadline draws near, Eric bypasses Amanda in order to close the deal and inadvertently sends the whole situation spiraling into chaos. By the end of the evening Vince is off the project and officially dumped by Amanda both personally and professionally. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
An unhappy woman finds new love with her old boyfriend in this romantic comedy-drama from writer and director Edward Burns. Patti Selma Blair) is a woman in her early thirties living in New York City. For years, Patti chased after her dream of becoming a successful novelist, but recently she's had to put writing on hold and is unhappily working in real estate. Patti's ennui isn't helped by the fact her marriage has fallen into a rut and neither she nor her husband are interested in one another anymore. When she was in college, Patti was in love with Brian (Patrick Wilson), and while Brian is fortunate enough to support himself writing crime fiction, he's smarting from the uncharitable reviews given to his latest and most personal work. One night, Patti is having dinner with her best friend Kate (Debra Messing) when she bumps into Brian, who is out with his friend Murph (Edward Burns), who in turn used to be involved with Kate. As the former lovers talk about their past and where life has taken them, Patti finds herself falling for Brian all over again, but both she and Brian are still dealing with the differences and insecurities that drove them apart years before. Purple Violets received its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Selma Blair, Patrick Wilson, (more)
- 2006
The documentary Edge of Outside works as an introductory primer to the careers of some great filmmakers, but offers little else. From the beginning of the filmmaking business there have been directors who have refused to follow the orders of the money men. Edge of Outside argues that this independent spirit began with D.W. Griffith, and continued through a variety of figures including King Vidor, Nicholas Ray, Stanley Kubrick, Sam Peckinpah, and many others. The filmmakers have assembled a solid collection of clips from films as varied as The Birth of a Nation, In a Lonely Place, and Eraserhead in order to explain the various ways directors have fought to bring their uncompromised vision to the screen. Highlights include critic David Thompson explaining why he thinks young male filmmakers are drawn to the work of Stanley Kubrick, and cinematographer Frederick Elmes explaining his working relationship with David Lynch. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 2006
The pitching of The Ramones project creates a rift between Ari and Bob Ryan; Vince helps Turtle in his quest for new footwear; Drama prepares to get back in front of the camera. ~ Joe Friedrich, Rovi
- 2006
News of Queens Boulevard's wide release comes as a pleasant surprise; Drama's attitude about an audition gets on everyone's nerves; Ari's desperation prompts negotiations with an old rival. ~ Joe Friedrich, Rovi
- 2003
Ziggy's (James Ransone) skills as a drug dealer come into question again as he screws up, bringing down the wrath of Cheese (rapper Method Man), who supplied him. Cheese takes Ziggy's prized Camaro, and threatens to kill him if he doesn't pay what he's owed, plus interest. Ziggy goes to Nick (Pablo Schreiber) for help. Nick asks Cheese for the car back so Ziggy can sell it and pay him, but Cheese has other plans. Freamon (Clarke Peters) finds out he's been added to Daniels' (Lance Reddick) detail, leaving Bunk (Wendell Pierce) to deal with the 14 murders. Daniels also adds Carver (Seth Gilliam) to the team, reasoning that Carver wouldn't dare betray him again. Carver and Greggs (Sonja Sohn) take photos as Herc (Dominick Lombardozzi) goes undercover to buy drugs from the white boys who sell to the dock workers. Bunk and Russell (Amy Ryan) go back to the docks with grand jury summonses, but Sobotka (Chris Bauer) angrily denies being involved in the girls' deaths, and lets them know that none of his guys will talk. Russell finds an informant, a stevedore who tells her where to look for evidence of the missing container -- the computers. McNulty (Dominic West) takes time out from trying to identify "his" dead girl to bring in Omar (Michael K. Williams), so he can prepare to testify in the Gant murder case. Sobotka tells Vondas (Paul Ben-Victor) that he doesn't want to do business with them anymore, but The Greek (Bill Raymond) won't take no for an answer. Stringer (Idris Elba) gets advice from a professor on how to turn his business around, and gives advice to Avon (Wood Harris) about how to deal with D'Angelo (Larry Gilliard, Jr.) ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 2002
In time-honored American tradition, two tough bureaucracies clashed head-on in the weekly cable-TV police drama The Wire. The difference here was that the bureaucracies in question were on diametrically opposite sides of the law. Filmed in Baltimore, the series was set in motion when a local judge, disgusted with the lack of progress in the war on drugs, ordered the city's Narcotics and Homicide divisions to join forces in their efforts to solve a string of murders which might have been drug-related. The "good guys" included homicide detectives Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) and Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce) and narcotics detectives Shakima Greggs (Sonja Sohn), Cedric Daniels (Lance Reddick), Ellis Carver (Seth Gilliam), and Herc Hauk (Dominick Lombardozzi). To say that these law officers did not always see eye to eye would be an understatement, but their jealous squabbles were minor compared to the ego-driven flare-ups within the bad guys' camp -- specifically the members of the Franklin Towers drug dealing operation, led by Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris) and his contentious relatives. Created by David Simon (The Corner), the 13-episode The Wire debuted June 2, 2002, on the HBO cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, 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
Jennifer Westfeldt wrote, directed, and stars in the romantic comedy Friends With Kids. She plays Julie, a Manhattanite whose biological clock is about to run out, so she convinces her longtime platonic best friend, Jason (Adam Scott) to father a child with her. They seem to have a much easier time juggling the responsibilities of new parenthood without the complication of being in a relationship with each other, which is in contrast to the two couples they are closest to. As their friends' marriages implode, Julie and Jason's happy equilibrium topples over as well when he falls for a hot young artist (Megan Fox) and she begins dating a successful businessman (Edward Burns). Friends with Kids played at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt, (more)
Five longtime friends enjoy a few days of celebratory carousing as they try to forget their adult responsibilities in this slice-of-life comedy drama from director/writer/actor Edward Burns. Paulie (Burns) is a working-class guy from Long Island who has learned that his longtime girlfriend (Brittany Murphy) is pregnant, and he decides he should do the right thing and marry her. Paulie has asked several of his best friends to stand with him at the wedding, and shortly before the big day, they get together at a local watering hole to give Paulie a proper send-off. Over the course of a weekend, the guys knock back a lot of beer, play a little softball, swat some golf balls, head out fishing and share their thoughts, with each man having some unresolved baggage to deal with. While Paulie is excited about his upcoming marriage, he's scared of how parenthood will change his life. His older brother, Jimbo (Donal Logue), has been arguing with his wife and spending his time in topless bars, but inside he's worried about the fact his wife hasn't been able to get pregnant, and he's convinced it's his fault. Des (Matthew Lillard) is a seemingly happy husband and father, but he seems to be more interested in getting his old rock band back together than spending time with his family. Mike (Jay Mohr) wants to settle down and have kids, but he can't imagine doing so with any woman other than the girl who dumped him some time ago. And while T.C. (John Leguizamo) goes out of his way to like one of the guys, he doesn't have the nerve to tell his best friends that he's gay. The Groomsmen received its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Burns, Brittany Murphy, (more)
The body of a prep school student has been discovered in a nearby river, and though the death was originally listed as a suicide one detective believes that it may have actually been the result of a fraternity hazing gone awry in director Nick Willing's snowbound mystery. Detective Abel Grey (Edward Burns) isn't willing to write off the case as a suicide just yet, and with a little help from sympathetic teacher Betsy Chase (Jennifer Ehle) he hopes to uncover the truth behind the mysterious and untimely death. As a series of elusive clues lead Detective Grey ever closer to the truth, he is forced to confront not only the increasingly complex facts in the case of the student death, but his own repressed emotions related to the suicide of his older brother years earlier as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Burns, Jennifer Ehle, (more)
Two guys with different sets of problems find themselves bonding through unexpected circumstances in this independent comedy drama from writer and director Edward Burns. Jack Stanton (Edward Burns) is a former New York City cop who has been trying to establish a new career as a private detective, though his level of success is best indicated by the fact his landlord is about to evict him for not paying the rent. Jack finally lands a paying client when he's referred to Abe Fiannico (David Krumholtz), a high-school baseball coach whose wife, Kitty, has disappeared. The only clue Abe has to her whereabouts is a recent newspaper photo that shows a washed-up rock star hanging out with several women, one of whom is a dead ringer for Kitty. Jack sets out to scour the Big Apple in search of Kitty, and Abe tags along; a friendship grows between the two men, and Jack begins to wonder why regular-guy Abe ever got mixed up with a woman who doesn't seem to have much use for him. Also featuring Rachel Dratch and Chris Parnell, Looking for Kitty premiered at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Burns, David Krumholtz, (more)
James Foley directs the slick crime caper Confidence, written by first-time screenwriter Doug Jung. Told in flashback, smooth-talking con man Jake Vig (Edward Burns) relates an elaborate scheme orchestrated by his gang :Gordo (Paul Giamatti), Miles (Brian Van Holt), and Big Al (Louis Lombardi). The crew pulls off a swindling job stealing money from a guy named Lionel (Leland Orser), who turns out to be a mob accountant for the crazy crime boss known as the King (Dustin Hoffman). After the damage has been done, Jake and his crew attempt to pull off an even bigger scam to make up for their mistake. This time the con involves the King's enemy, the mob-connected banker Morgan Price (Robert Forster). Two corrupt cops (Donal Logue and Luis Guzman) join Jake's team while the King appoints his henchman, Lupus (Frankie G.) to oversee the operation. Rachel Weisz plays Lily, Jake's love interest who is also in on the scam. Eventually, Andy Garcia shows up as FBI Agent Gunther Butan, who has been perpetually chasing after Jake. Confidence premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Burns, Rachel Weisz, (more)
A relationship between two brothers literally becomes a matter of life and death in this drama from writer, director and actor Edward Burns. Francis Sullivan (Burns) was a street-wise thug with ties to the Irish mob until his younger brother Sean (Elijah Wood) was killed on Ash Wednesday in 1980 while trying to protect Francis from gangsters who were out to kill him. Three years later, Francis is a law-abiding man who is trying to stay on the straight and narrow and keep his eye on Grace (Rosario Dawson), Sean's widow. However, rumors have begun to circulate that Sean's death was just a ruse fabricated by Francis and a sympathetic priest, Father Mahoney (James Handy), to get mobster Moran (Oliver Platt) off Sean's back. Some people have spotted someone who looks a lot like Sean wandering around the neighborhood, and Moran, who doesn't forget a grudge, begins scouring the neighborhood in search of Sean, while Francis has worries of his own about Sean, since his relationship with Grace has started to move beyond simple family friendship. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Burns, Elijah Wood, (more)
An action drama centering on the media circus, 15 Minutes focuses on a New York homicide detective named Eddie Flemming (Robert De Niro), a famous figure known for his heroic on-the-job manner. A tabloid news anchor (Kelsey Grammer) attempts to get the scoop on Flemming's latest beat when a pair of Eastern European criminals (Karel Roden and Oleg Taktarov) find a way to manipulate the media by filming their exploits, which they believe they can sell to bloodthirsty journalists and make themselves rich. In the wake of a double murder, Flemming teams up with Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns), an arson investigator assigned to help locate the murderous pair. Meanwhile, Flemming must contend with his news reporter girlfriend Nicolette (Melina Kanakaredes) as he and Jordy find themselves enveloped in a lurid series of events that threatens to jeopardize their safety. Kim Cattrall, Avery Brooks, and Vera Farmiga are also featured in the cast. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, (more)
A documentary film crew follows the lives of six New Yorkers as their lives unexpectedly intersect -- or at least that's what writer, director, and actor Edward Burns would like you to believe in this comedy-drama that looks at the rocky road of relationships in the Big Apple. After sharing the stories of their earliest sexual experiences with an interviewer, six people are trailed by a cameraman through the course of an average day. Tommy (Edward Burns) is a successful television producer (and unsuccessful novelist) who becomes quickly infatuated when he meets Maria (Rosario Dawson) in a video store. Maria is a teacher at an upscale private school who has just gotten out of a bad marriage with Ben (David Krumholtz), a struggling musician with a day job as a doorman. Ben, on the other hand, finds himself attracted to Ashley (Brittany Murphy) when she waits on his table at a coffee shop. Ashley, as it happens, is involved in an affair with Griffin (Stanley Tucci), a dentist who is chronically unfaithful to his wife Annie (Heather Graham). Annie, a real estate agent, also happens to be friends with Tommy, one of her customers, bringing the circle to a close. Shot in only 16 days, Sidewalks of New York marked a return to (relatively) low-budget filmmaking for Edward Burns, who directed two less-than-successful major studio projects following his breakthrough with the independent feature The Brothers McMullen. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Burns, Rosario Dawson, (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)
Steven Spielberg directed this powerful, realistic re-creation of WWII's D-day invasion and the immediate aftermath. The story opens with a prologue in which a veteran brings his family to the American cemetery at Normandy, and a flashback then joins Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks) and GIs in a landing craft making the June 6, 1944, approach to Omaha Beach to face devastating German artillery fire. This mass slaughter of American soldiers is depicted in a compelling, unforgettable 24-minute sequence. Miller's men slowly move forward to finally take a concrete pillbox. On the beach littered with bodies is one with the name "Ryan" stenciled on his backpack. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall (Harve Presnell), learning that three Ryan brothers from the same family have all been killed in a single week, requests that the surviving brother, Pvt. James Ryan (Matt Damon), be located and brought back to the United States. Capt. Miller gets the assignment, and he chooses a translator, Cpl. Upham (Jeremy Davis), skilled in language but not in combat, to join his squad of right-hand man Sgt. Horvath (Tom Sizemore), plus privates Mellish (Adam Goldberg), Medic Wade (Giovanni Ribisi), cynical Reiben (Edward Burns) from Brooklyn, Italian-American Caparzo (Vin Diesel), and religious Southerner Jackson (Barry Pepper), an ace sharpshooter who calls on the Lord while taking aim. Having previously experienced action in Italy and North Africa, the close-knit squad sets out through areas still thick with Nazis. After they lose one man in a skirmish at a bombed village, some in the group begin to question the logic of losing more lives to save a single soldier. The film's historical consultant is Stephen E. Ambrose, and the incident is based on a true occurance in Ambrose's 1994 bestseller D-Day: June 6, 1944. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, (more)
This is the second film by actor/director Ed Burns, his first being The Brothers McMullen. The two Fitzpatrick brothers, Mickey (Ed Burns) and Francis (Mike McGlone), would appear to have little in common, as the older is a rather volatile cab driver, the younger is a very settled stockbroker. Just prior to the time of the film, Mickey, after a whirlwind romance, married Hope (Maxine Bahns), one of his passengers. Francis has been married to his lifelong sweetheart (Jennifer Aniston) for some time. However, they are both very competitive about Heather (Cameron Diaz), an old flame of Mickey's. Mickey, who was once her fiance, left her when he found out she was sleeping with someone else. At the time of the story, Heather just happens to become a passenger in Mickey's cab, and they decide to finish exchanging belongings left over from their break-up. When Heather gives Francis (her current lover) the watch Mickey just returned to her, complications multiply. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jennifer Aniston, Maxine Bahns, (more)
Shot on weekends over an eight-month period with practically no budget, writer/director/producer/actor Edward Burns' first feature is a family drama centering on the tumultuous love lives of three small-town, Irish-American brothers. Burns stars as Barry, the middle child who finds himself needing a place to stay and moves in with big brother Jack (Jack Mulcahy). Despite being seemingly happily married to Molly (Connie Britton), Jack gives in to temptation and begins having a sexual affair. All the while, devout-Catholic baby brother Patrick (Mike McGlone) faces an ongoing struggle to deal with the religious leanings of the women in his life. The Brothers McMullen premiered at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival, where it was at the center of a fierce bidding war. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jack Mulcahy, Mike McGlone, (more)
An NYPD hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) attempts to talk cop-turned-fugitive Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) down from a high ledge, but she learns that he may have a hidden motive for threatening to take his own life. A priceless diamond has been stolen, and the thieves responsible are using Nick as their scapegoat. An escaped convict with nowhere to run, Nick realizes that no one will believe he is innocent, and he decides to take extreme measures in order to expose the men who set him up. Stepping out on a ledge 25 stories above the bustling concrete streets of New York City, the notorious fugitive quickly becomes a media sensation as the entire world watches, awaiting his next move. Meanwhile, Nick's loyal brother races to help clear his sibling's name and ensure that the guilty pay for their crimes before the situation ends in tragedy. Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, and Ed Harris co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, (more)
A young American engineer comes into possession of a cell phone that bestows unlimited wealth upon him, never realizing the danger posed to him by the device until security agents close in and start shooting to kill. Now, as a frantic chase across the continents gets under way, the stability of the entire world hangs in the balance. Shane West stars in a globe-trotting action thriller featuring Ving Rhames, Jonathan Pryce, and Martin Sheen. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shane West, Edward Burns, (more)
Shannyn Sossamon and Ed Burns star in director Eric Valette's remake of Takashi Miike's frightful tale about a cell-phone call from the future that foreshadows one's own death. Beth Raymond (Sossamon) is a college student whose friends have all been dying in droves, and the one connecting factor between all of the incidents is that just before their deaths, each of the victims received a message in which they heard themselves being murdered. Upon receiving her own frightening phone call, Beth has only three days to solve the mystery and cheat death. Burns co-stars as a detective who is deeply troubled by the recent spate of deaths. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns, (more)
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