Archives for May 2011

The Practice starring Dylan McDermott, Lara Flynn Boyle, Kelli Williams & Steve Harris

Posted on May 10, 2011 Written by ripitup

The Practice starring Dylan McDermott, Lara Flynn Boyle, Kelli Williams & Steve Harris — The Practice Cast from left: Camryn Manheim, Steve Harris, Kelli Williams, Michael Williams, Lisa Gay Hamilton & Michael Badalucco. Image via kritikongkiko.files.wordpress.com

Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) is a very sharp and passionate criminal defense lawyer who runs a small firm with other dedicated lawyers, and his old friend/assistant Rebecca (Lisa Gay Hamilton). The lawyers are Ellenor (Camryn Manheim), Eugene (Steve Harris) and Lindsay (Kelli Williams), with Lindsay being the youngest and newest member.
The firm struggles to survive as the gang takes on more and more criminal clients who can hardly pay the fees. But as Bobby puts out, they occasionally get to defend the innocent, or people who don’t deserve to be in jail. Bobby doesn’t always play by the rules, and his tactics aren’t always welcomed by his colleagues, but Bobby almost always wins his cases.
A couple of episodes later, Bobby’s friend Jimmy (Michael Badalucco) gets fired for loaning money he wasn’t supposed to, and he comes to work with the gang, although at first Bobby makes sure he stays in the trenches and help out with the research.
**

The Practice was created by David E. Kelly, the creator of Ally McBeal and Boston Legal. But unlike these two lighter and funnier lawyer shows, The Practice is darker, more intense and intentionally, not very funny. It’s not to say The Practice doesn’t have its highly entertaining moments or one-liners, but the main goal is never to make the audience laugh. It is meant to drive you in, care for the characters and their cases, wonder about how each trial will result and go over the mental dilemmas the characters currently face.

After all The Practice lawyers aren’t that happy about defending murderers, drug-dealers, hookers or other criminals, but it is how they pay the bills. But after a while, more high-profiled cases start coming in, and things get even more complicated.

The Practice is not perfect, but it is pretty solid. But of course you should know that I am big on courtroom dramas/thrillers. I love John Grisham books, and not only I watched the Practice, I also watched almost all the episodes of Ally McBeal and Boston Legal.

If you are big on the romantic aspects, don’t worry- even though Bobby Donnell isn’t a player who sleeps with a different girl every night, he gets his share of his complicated relationships. Especially since both the beautiful D.A. Helen (played by Lara Flynn Boyle, who joins the cast in the second season), and Bobby’s associate Lindsay have a thing for Bobby. To make matters worse, Helen and Lindsey are friends from law school and Lindsay isn’t that open about her feelings.

The Practice went on for 8 (1997-2004) seasons and is currently rated at 7.7 on IMDB.com. The show won 3 Golden Globes in 1999: Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Drama for Dylan McDermott, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture for Camryn Manheim & for Best TV Series (Drama).

Fun notes:

– Ally McBeal’s Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart) makes a guest appearance in this sister show of David E. Kelley’s, and Dylan McDermott’s Bobby makes a guest appearance on Ally McBeal.
– Boston Legal’s main character Alan Shore (James Spader) appears on this show Alan Shore, and his character leads to having a show called Boston Legal.

– Dylan McDermott’s then wife Shiva Rose guest-stars in an episode as the plaintiff on one of Jimmy’s cases.

Also on Dylan McDermott

Dark Blue TV Series

Dylan McDermott Trivia

Grounded for Life starring Donal Logue, Megyn Price, Kevin Corrigan & Lynsey Bartilson

Posted on May 5, 2011 Written by ripitup

Grounded for Life starring Donal Logue, Megyn Price, Kevin Corrigan & Bret Harrison. Image via divxm.com

Sean (Donal Logue) and Claudia (Megyn Price) Finnerty have been happily married for 14 years and they have 3 kids. The problem? They both need to deal with their not 2 young kids Jimmy (Griffin Frazen) and Henry (Jake Burbage), and their 14-year-old daughter Lilly (Lynsey Bartilson) who doesn’t always get along with them. They also have to handle Sean’s old-fashioned dad Walt (Richard Riehle) who thinks he knows best about everything, and Sean’s aimless brother Eddie (Kevin Corrigan) who hangs out at their place all the time.

The beauty of Grounded for Life is that Sean and Claudia are a really fun-loving, middle-class couple who are still pretty much in love. But because Claudia got pregnant at 18, they pretty much need to raise themselves as they raise their children, and they try to be as responsible as their rock n roll spirit lets them.

Examples of what makes Grounded for Life worth watching:

– When Lilly asks to go on a $500 school trip, they have to say no because they just don’t have the money. But when they suddenly inherit $1800, Sean spends it all on a great guitar, with Claudia’s full blessing.

– Uncle Eddie has to persuade Lilly that men don’t like sluts. Eddie loves sluts.

– Sean is OK with Claudia throwing a bachelorette party for her friend at their house- and he is even OK with them having invited a male stripper over.

– Claudia is abandoned by Lilly at a motel room broke, and Claudia needs to drive home in the hotel robe, and has to flash to “pay” for the tolls. Sean finds this hilarious.

– Going to a hundredth Ramones farewell concert is more important than Jimmy’s school projects…

The beauty of this show is that Sean and Claudia are very easy to identify with. They love their kids, but they hate growing up. They need to make sure Lilly doesn’t follow in Claudia’s footsteps, but it is really hard to convince her daughter that being a virgin is not bad.

Sean loves that his wife is still great looking, but Lilly hates that her mother is sexier than she is…Oh, then there are the little boys who love playing around in the house with their dad. And let’s not forget the nightmare nun/headmaster at the school the kids go to, as Sean hates the woman and he just wants to tell her to shove it…

Give it a try. They are the most fun, loving family around.

Fun notes:

– Both Donal Logue and Richard Riehle, who plays Donal’s father Walt, have appeared in the legal series The Practice starring Dylan McDermott.

Donal plays an annoying DA who doesn’t always play by the rules, and Richard Riehle guest-stars in one episode as a newspaper owner who likes to fire people because of their appearances.

Donal Logue’s The Practice appearances:

Season 2, Episode 2

Season 2, Episode 7

Season 2, Episode 25

Season 2, Episode 27

Season 3, Episode 16

Richard Riehle’s The Practice appearance: Season 2, Episode 6

– Bret Harrison, who plays the geeky boy next door neighbor Brad, plays in a couple of the sci-fi series V (2009).

– Kevin Corrigan, the whacky uncle, plays the wise Sam Weiss on the popular sci-fi/thriller/drama series Fringe in 7 episodes.

London Boulevard starring Colin Farrell & Keira Knightley

Posted on May 1, 2011 Written by ripitup

London Boulevard starring Colin Farrell & Keira Knightley. Image via spinetinglermag.com

Plot Summary – No Spoilers

Mitchel (Colin Farrell) has just been released prison and would rather not have any more violence in his life. Unfortunately, he is stupid enough to hang around his friend Billy (Ben Chaplin), who gets Mitchel more into trouble than any favor he might to for him. It is also because of Billy that Mitchel gets involved with the ruthless psycho gangster Gant (Ray Winstone). Gant tries to grant Mitchel’s loyalty, but Mitchel isn’t exactly tamable.

An ex-con trying to stay an ex-con is always difficult, if not impossible, but Mitchel’s bad choices, as well as his thirst to avenge his mate Joe get him deeper and deeper. He could have been free to run away or waste anyone he wanted, but unfortunately he has two weaknesses: his wacky sister (Anna Friel), and the movie star Charlotte (Keira Knightley) he is trying to protect and is falling in love with. What has a guy got to do?

The Movie

Now, London Boulevard is an interesting film. It’s deeply flawed in many areas, but it is weirdly fun to watch. Let’s break it down:

Keira Knightley:

Did you notice how I let Keira Knightley just be in the sidelines (of the plot summary)? It is because she really is just another tool for us to see where Mitchel’s choices are going to take him. It is probably intentionally ironic (intended by the writer/director) William Monahan –since Keira Knightley plays an actress who is just sick of being simply the bed buddy to the male star, only to help the audience find out more about him.

The flaws: (Spoilers!)

– Why does everyone think it is much more authentic if gangsters are saying the c-word, all the time? I mean really- do novelists (London Boulevard was based on the novel by Ken Bruen) and screenwriters (adapted by director William Monahan)?

Do they hang out with gangsters, count how many times they say the c-word in a minute and reflect it in the screenplay? I don’t think so. There is some f-word thrown in for good measure too. OK, so if there is going to be this much swearing, can we get some more variety? The dialogue gets very boring, very often.

– Why make Keira Knightley an ornament? Yes, she is the leading actress, but there is not much for her to do except to hang around, smoke and get depressed. There are barely a couple of conversations before they are in love. Yes, Colin Farrell is pretty charismatic and good-looking here. And Keira Knightley is the perfect damsel in distress. But we need more than just two of them chatting twice to see the connection/attraction/whatever.

– Why the hell is he not taking the job as her protector/bodyguard? He liked the girl. He liked the wacky friend Jordan (David Thewlis). Why not freaking take the job and never ever see Billy?

– He says he is never getting back in, but he is out for blood for his homeless friend. And he is out for blood, yet he grows a conscience at the last minute which will obviously bite him in the last minute. If a teenager is cold-blooded enough to kill an old homeless guy, he doesn’t deserve your mercy. Period. And if you are going to hunt him down, don’t let him know. And if you will let the whole town know you are after someone, finish the job when you have the chance.

– Could Ben Chaplin’s character be more of a loser? Yes, I get it we are not supposed to like him and he is supposed to be a scumbag, an excuse for a lowlife criminal but even so…it seems like a miracle his dumb character survived to see his 30s/40s.

– Are all paparazzi that disgusting, disturbing and idiotic? And it is a wonder how Mithcel kept his temper and cool for so long. I was expecting a beating at his first encounter.

The fun:

– The soundtrack is just awesome. It suits the mood perfectly and I want to own every single song used in the film.

– Colin Farrell is really good. A truly grey character couldn’t have been more likable. He seems pretty mild at first (for a criminal), but he gets more aggressive as his buttons are pushed and we get to see his dark side. And his dark side is truly cool.

– David Thewlis is a riot. His hippie/weed-smoking and apparently ready-for-anything-exciting character makes for a refreshing buddy/partner-in-crime for Mitchel.

And actually, this trio does win over all the flaws I listed.

The verdict:

A crime/drama of an ex-con – with some cool moments and a touch of romance thrown in. Fun and watchable, but could have been so much better. And it does need work on the dialogue and the IQ on its major character. But no, I don’t regret the 90+ minutes I spent watching it.

Currently 6.4 on IMDB. I was about to rate it a 6.5- too intriguing to be a 6, and missing too much to be a 7.

Favorite Mitchell Line/Scene:

Mitchel (to Gant): See what you have to understand, Rob, if I was a gangster you’d be the first to fucking die. I’d not work for you. I’d kill you and take everything you’ve got.

Gant: Oh.

Mitchel: If I were a gangster. That’s why you don’t want me to be a gangster. That’s why nobody wants me to be a gangster. ‘Cause I could not stop if I started. Do you get it? Don’t ask again.

Fun note: Ophelia Lovibond-from No Strings Attached (the girl who slept with Ashton Kutcher, and later his dad Kevin Kline) has a small part. As it turns out, she is British and her NSA accent is real. Oh, and she is playing a bitch again.

MORE ON THE STARS OF THE MOVIE:

Colin Farrell:

Colin Farrell Trivia

Pride and Glory starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell

The Recruit starring Colin Farrell, Al Pacino and Bridget Moynahan

5 Movies to Watch on Fast Forward feat. The New World starring Colin Farrell

Ricky Gervais on Farrell- 2010 Golden Globes

Keira Knightley:

Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen

Ray Winstone:

Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence: Fun romcom with Monica Potter, Rufus Sewell and Joseph Fiennes feat. Ray Winstone

Edge of Darkness starring Mel Gibson feat. Ray Winstone