Deliberate Intent (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Deliberate Intent" is a fascinating film based on the book by First Amendment scholar and law professor Ron Smolla, detailing the 1997 Paladin Enterprises, Inc. vs. Rice case. It concerns "Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors," a book that gave step by step instructions on how to murder, and the killing of 3 people in 1993 by someone who followed those instructions. It is one of the most intellectually challenging films I have seen in a long time, and is brilliantly constructed and acted to present both sides of the argument.
There was an unusual agreement between the author and the publisher. The author, who usually assumes liability for their work, was not only free of liability but also had their identity protected. This stemmed from the publisher wanting "Hit Man," which was originally conceived as a novel, to be written as a "users manual". The two sides of this case, whether this went beyond the rights of free speech, or was protected by the First Amendment, and how Smolla's mind was changed from one view to another, is the central focus of the film. It also details the murder of the 3 people, and how "Hit Man" played a part in it. Some people think the case "murdered the First Amendment" along with the victims, others think it went way beyond its boundaries.
The performances are low-key and superb. Timothy Hutton gives another solid performance as Smolla. Hutton is a vastly underrated actor that excels in portraying characters that are more mental than flamboyant, and the part of Smolla fits him like a velvet glove. Ron Rifkin is marvelous as Howard Siegel, the attorney who pesters Smolla into taking the case. Clark Johnson, who was Dt. Meldrick Lewis, my favorite actor/character on "Homicide: Life on the Street," is perfect as the hit man, James Perry, as is James McDaniel, as Lawrence Horn, the man who hires Perry to kill his family. On the defense side of the case, there is Bill McDonald as Peder Lund, publisher of Paladin Enterprises, and Cliff De Young as his defense attorney.
There are no weak links in this way above average TV film, making all of its 85 minutes riveting. This is a film I wished had been longer, as I was enjoying the thought-provoking premise of it so much. Written and directed by Andy Wolk, it also has a marvelous, atmospheric score by Harald Kloser. After you watch this film, you will never see a single shoe in the road (one of the "Hit Man" instructions) without remembering "Deliberate Intent."


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Nero Wolfe - The Complete Second Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Producers Michael Jaffe and Timothy Hutton continue with their superb adaptations of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe stories in the second season of "Nero Wolfe." With outstanding performances by Maury Chaykin as Nero Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin, some of Stout's best stories such as "The Silent Speaker" and "Death of a Doxy" are brought to the screen

The Season Two DVDs are every bit as fine as the Season One set in audio and video quality. Season Two has the added fillip of bonus material which was sadly lacking in the Season One set. This set includes "The Golden Spiders," the 2000 TV movie which led to the series, and "The Making of Nero Wolfe," a short documentary which offers interviews with Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, and others involved in the production of this marvelous series. Also included as a "bonus" is a widescreen version of "The Silent Speaker." (It is unfortunate that A&E did not see fit to offer all of the episodes in widescreen.)

After enjoying Nero Wolfe Season Two you'll want more adaptations of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe done by Jaffe, Hutton et al. You'll also wonder what fit of nincompoopery came over A&E and made them cancel this exemplary series.





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As legendary as Sherlock Holmes and Watson, the brilliant, curmudgeonly Nero Wolfe and his dapper sidekick Archie Goodwin use their wit, inventiveness, and flair to solve the most perplexing crimes. His imperious "seventh of a ton" lodged firmly behind his desk, Nero Wolfe rarely leaves his Manhattan brownstone, preferring instead to spend a few hours a day attending to his beloved orchid collection or feasting on the sumptuous meals prepared by his Swiss chef. Archie Goodwin is his stalwart legman, a stylish, street-smart sleuth who uncovers the clues--as well as the bodies--that let Wolfe unravel the most confounding mysteries. Sex, lies, blackmail, and murder are just part of the job when our heroes take on a case. Faithfully adapted from the best-selling novels by Rex Stout and available on DVD for the first time, the complete second season of A&E's critically acclaimed series, NERO WOLFE, stars Maury Chaykin (The Sweet Hereafter) and Oscar® winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People). DVD Features: Bonus Movie: THE GOLDEN SPIDERS; 16:9 Letterbox version of "The Silent Speaker 1&2"; Bonus Behind-the-Scenes Featurette The Making of Nero Wolfe; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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Leverage: The Complete Second Season (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)After the success of their freshman season, the gang from Leverage: The First Season are back and have relocated to Beantown to right the wrongs committed against regular people who have nowhere else to turn. They have all found that after doing good deeds, crime just isn't what it used to be. Whether it's tangling with the Irish mob, dealing with a shady boxing promoter, returning a corrupt investment banker's ill gotten gains, or ensuring that an inheritance goes to the rightful heir, all exhibit the savvy wit and quirkiness that has become the Leverage signature.
Thank goodness for TNT - which produces some of the best dramas on television. With plenty of nail biting action, humor, great music soundtrack, and ripped from the headline stories, the momentum just keeps building. And the chemistry among the cast is first rate, seamlessly adding Jeri Ryan to the cast late in the season when Gina Bellman (Sophie) took a hiatus due to her pregnancy. One of my favorite scenes is in the first episode when hacker Hardison introduces himself and Parker as detectives Costigan and Costello - an homage to the outstanding film The Departed (Widescreen Edition). My only gripe? The seasons are much too short.


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Leverage is a slick and crafty drama following a team of thieves, hackers and con artists who act as modern-day Robin Hoods, standing up for the little guy who has been victimized by the rich and powerful. In this riveting and timely second season, the team takes on corrupt bankers, high fashion, the tabloid media and, most shockingly, an old nemesis from their past!

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Leverage: The First Season (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This series features a modern day Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men -- or in this case, men and women -- pulling off cons, capers, and heists that redress wrongs, return ill-gotten gains to their rightful owners, and also pad the pockets of our heroes.
Though it's tempting to focus on the excellent cast, who do a uniformly stellar job with the scripts, the greatest strength of this show is in the writing. The stories are focused as much on revelation and development of the characters and their histories and interactions as on the clever and intriguing plots. The characters are given depth and dimension -- not to mention humor -- and the viewer finds as much to care about in each of them as in how the caper of the week will play out.
An outstanding opening season for this new series. Not to be missed.

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Leverage is a slick and crafty drama following a team of expert thieves that take down corrupt corporations in elaborate high-tech schemes. Insurance investigator Nate Ford (Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton) exposed scams and recovered stolen items worth millions. But his life hit the skids when his insurance company allowed his ailing 8-year-old son to die. Years later, Nate gets even as the leader of a specialized team of thieves, computer experts and con artists that right corporate and governmental injustices against honest citizens. To expose corruption, Nate will do wrong for all the right reasons –– he will provide Leverage.

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Nero Wolfe - The Complete First Season (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been a fan of Rex Stout for a long, long time. One reason I often dislike seeing books made into movies, or at least feel the movie pales when compared to the books, because often people see things differently. So when a beloved set of characters such as Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin is brought to film, I automatically cringe, because I am rarely pleased with the results. They tried in the late 70's with Thayer David playing Wolfe and Tom Mason as Archie. Excellent casting, but was a little late. Thayer David, a Sydney Greenstreet type actor, was perfect casting for Wolfe - the 1/7 of a ton genius detective that detects while never leaving him home. Only David was already ill, dying of cancer, so the weight loss and lacking of strength sadly hurt his performance. Later it was redone with William Conrad as Wolfe and too sexy Lee Horsely as Archie. Sorry, the series had Wolfe pacing when expounding to suspects and sitting on the corner of his desk. It made you wonder if the writers ever read Stout's books. So, when
Timothy Hutton stepped into Archie's shoes I had mixed reservations. I love Hutton, son of the brilliant Jim Hutton. While you see a lot of his daddy in him, he is definitely his own man, and cuts a smart style when fleshing out his roles.
So I thought, okay, he would make a good Archie. Then I wondered what about Wolfe? They cast Maury Chaykin. Brilliant! Wow, someone actually loved the books enough to follow them.
A&E is to be commended in letting Hutton run with the series for two seasons. They are to be CONDEMNED for canceling it because they deemed it too expensive to make. Shame on them! The series was a class act all the way. A delightful ensemble cast who changed roles episode to episode gave it a theatre feel.
The costuming is great, the acting divine and the stories - well, I actually KNEW what book they were based on! It was HEAVEN.
So A&E I thank you for putting out these wonderful episodes so we Archie Addicts can enjoy them again. And go take a flying leap for canceling what is nirvana in detective land.


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Studio: A&e Home VideoRelease Date: 07/27/2004Run time: 600 minutesRating: Nr

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Nero Wolfe: The Complete Classic Whodunit Series (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)The "Nero Wolfe" TV series (2001-2002) is brilliant - casting, colors, sound and scripts. Producers Michael Jaffe, Timothy Hutton, and Howard Braunstein did a superb job bringing Rex Stout's stories to the screen. Maury Chaykin, as Nero Wolfe, and Timothy Hutton, as Archie Goodwin, along with an excellent supporting cast - Colin Fox, Bill Smitrovich, Conrad Dunn, Kari Matchett, Saul Rubinek, R.D. Reid, Fulvio Cesere, Trent McMullen, and Francie Swift to name a few - do an exceptional job portraying Stout's cherished characters.
The "Nero Wolfe" DVDs have some extras (though fans of the series would be happier with more). Included with the set are: "The Golden Spiders," the 2000 TV movie which led to the series, "The Making of Nero Wolfe," a short documentary which offers interviews with Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, and others involved in the production of this marvelous series, and a "bonus" widescreen version of "The Silent Speaker." To include the widescreen "bonus" of "The Silent Speaker" as an extra is ironic since all of the the episodes were shot in widescreen and should have been reproduced as such on the DVDs. And to make the set truly "mega" it would have been most gratifying if the European versions of the episodes were included in the set.
The producers choose some of Rex Stout's favorite Nero Wolfe stories for adaptation to the screen. "The Doorbell Rang," directed by Timothy Hutton, is the premier episode of the series. Nero Wolfe takes on "the big fish" J. Edgar Hoover to earn the biggest fee of his career. With the able assistance of Archie Goodwin, his intrepid legman, Wolfe triumphs over the F.B.I., earns his client's admiration (Mrs. Bruner, played by Debra Monk: "Is there anything you can't do?"), and solves a murder for the cops along the way. "Death of a Doxy," "Champagne for One," and "The Mother Hunt" are a few more of the well know Nero Wolfe stories included in the series. It's a great sorrow to fans of both this magnificent series and Rex Stout's wonderful books that the show was abruptly canceled before some of the other favorites, such as "In The Best Families" could be adapted for television audiences.
Five Stars plus Five Stars to Mr. Jaffe and Mr. Hutton for giving Nero Wolfe fans a series worthy of Stout's tales.


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Like Sherlock Holmes and Watson before them, the brilliant but curmudgeonly Nero Wolfe and his streetwise sidekick Archie Goodwin are crime's greatest nemeses. With Nero preferring to solve crimes at home amid his orchid collection, it is Archie who does the legwork about town to allow Wolfe to unravel the most confounding crimes. Together the duo cracks cases of murder, deception, blackmail, and more, resulting in an unforgettable confection of mystery, suspense, and style. Faithfully adapted from the best-selling stories by Rex Stout, THE COMPLETE NERO WOLFE MEGASET stars Maury Chaykin (The Sweet Hereafter) and Oscar(r) winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People) and features all 20 episodes of the critically acclaimed A&E series, including the feature-length series pilot, The Golden Spiders.

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