Mädchen Amick Movies

Heaviliy promoted by CBS before its "preview" unveiling on October 18, 2007--and its subsequent "official" debut on October 21--Viva Laughlin was based on the British series Viva Blackpool. The nominal hero was Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen), a minor-league casino owner who hoped to hit it big with a lavish new gambling emporium in Laughlin, Nevada, the celebrated "mini-Las Vegas" located some 20 miles south of Sin City along the Colorado river. Alas, no sooner had Ripley arrived at his still-under-construction hotel-casino than he learned that his biggest investor had pulled out all his money. Shortly afterward, the investor turned up dead, placing Ripley under the close scrutiny of two somewhat shady characters: casino mogul Nick Fontana (Hugh Jackman, also one of the series' executive producers), who dearly coveted our hero's property; and detective Peter Carlyle (Eric Winter), who suspected Ripley of murder. Peter in fact was so determined to get the goods on Mr. Holden that he pretended to fall in love with Ripley's vacillating wife Natalie (Madchen Amick). Ever lurking in the background was Bunny (Melanie Griffith), the sexy widow of the dead investor, who dropped subtle hints that she knew more than anyone else of what was really going on. Perhaps because the CBS ad campaign misleadingly suggested that Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith were the stars of the show instead of secondary characters, or perhaps because viewers were confused by the series' heady blend of mystery, comedy, sexual intrigue, fantasy and out-of-left-field musical numbers, Viva Laughlin failed to win its timeslot. Truth to tell, it didn't even place or show, and was the first big casualty of the 2007-2008 season, cancelled after a scant three episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Five years ago, the husband of Jean Brooks (Mädchen Amick) purportedly committed suicide. Thus, Jean is startled when ex-cop-turned-private eye Eddie Fate (Andrew Walker) shows up with the news that her husband has been alive all these years -- and has only recently been murdered. A trip to Chicago opens Jean's eyes to her husband's motives for his deception (which didn't start out as sinister, but sure ended up that way) -- and places her own life in peril, courtesy of an insane sister-in-law and some slimy-looking drug dealers. Filmed in 2004 under the title Jean's Fate, Lies and Deception was first seen on Canadian TV a few weeks before its April 25, 2005, American cable debut on the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An eco-terrorist (Joel West) and his band of trigger-happy hoodlums kidnap scientist Sara Levitt (Mädchen Amick) to secure her assistance in deploying a devastating virus that could kill everyone on Earth should it fall into the wrong hands. Whoops, it just did. But soldier-for-hire Marcus Poynt (Daniel Bernhardt) and his gun-toting mercenaries are on the way to the jungle to save Dr. Levitt and the world, if they can only get past the violent diamond smugglers who are in their way. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide

Much against her better judgment, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) accompanies Rory (Alexis Bledel) to the baby shower being held in Boston for Christopher's insufferable "ex" Sherry (Mädchen Amick). Meanwhile, back in Stars Hollow, everyone is abuzz over Miss Patty's (Liz Torres) new boyfriend, whom she met at a funeral. The Town Loner demands the right to hold a protest demonstration downtown, even though no one knows exactly what he's protesting. And Luke's (Scott Patterson) suspicions are aroused when Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) suddenly comes up with enough money to buy a car. (By the way, the episode's title refers to a highly cathartic experience for both Lorelai and Rory). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Three guys from New Jersey decide they need some male bonding with their fathers -- whether their fathers like it or not -- in this independent comedy. When his grandfather dies, Richie Gallo (Scott Baio) finds himself thinking about his relationship with his family, and realizes that he barely knows his aging father Jimmy (Dean Stockwell). Richie discusses his emotionally distant relationship with his dad with his pals Al (Carlo Imperato) and Philly (Thomas Calabro), and they confess they aren't much closer to their own fathers -- and their fractured family lives have had an impact on their less-than-stable relationships with women. Richie decides they should get closer to their dads before it's too late, so Richie, Al, and Philly fast-talk their fathers Jimmy, Charlie (Joe Viterelli), and Phil (Alex Rocco) into joining them for a long weekend getaway of family bonding, though the older men are hardly enthusiastic about the idea. Star Scott Baio co-wrote the screenplay for Face to Face, which was based on a story he wrote with Adam Ferrara and fellow cast member Carlo Imperato. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this thriller, Judge Richard Miller (Ryan O'Neal) is put in a highly precarious position when he is assigned to preside over the trial of Gabrielle Mitchell (Madchen Amick), a high-priced call girl with an exclusive clientele. Gabrielle, who has arranged her own arrest in order to blackmail her better-known customers, presents Miller a list of her regular clients -- as well as an incriminating videotape. Miller is put in the difficult position of either making the information public and destroying the careers of trusted colleagues, or risking his own prosecution by keeping it a secret. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this suspenseful outdoor thriller, a killer flees into the Canadian wilds hotly pursued by a determined insurance claims adjuster. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Timid Annie O'Keefe (Mädchen Amick) undergoes a successful heart transplant operation. While recovering, Annie undergoes a curious change in personality. The reason? It seems that the heart donor, outgoing socialite Suzanne Hawks (Monique Parent), had been murdered, and her killer is still at large. Gradually taking over Annie's brain and body, the down-but-not-out Suzanne is determined to bring her murderer to justice. Essentially a tour de force for the versatile Mädchen Amick, the made-for-cable Heartless was initially telecast by the USA network on November 5, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A man discovers that what he doesn't know can hurt him, especially when it comes to his wife, in this suspense drama. Ray Reardon (James Spader) is an architect who has just gone through a messy divorce; while his friends sing the praises of the single life, Ray would prefer to settle into a life of middle-class domesticity with a home, wife, and family. Ray meets a beautiful but mysterious woman named Lena (Madchen Amick) at a party, and for him it's love at first sight; while she remains elusive, Ray pursues her avidly, and before long he proposes, even though he doesn't know her especially well. A few years later, they're seemingly happily married with children. But Lena's behavior starts to become erratic and depressive, and she is no longer willing to account for where she's been or what she's been doing. Ray is convinced that Lena has been having an affair and begins doing some research into her past; he soon discovers her previous life bears little resemblance to what she told him and that she's been lying to him about nearly every part of her history and their relationship. Lena contends that she's just "a regular screwed-up person," but in time, Ray realizes that there's a purpose behind her duplicity: she's trying to convince people that he is insane. Dream Lover was the directorial debut of screenwriter Nicholas Kazan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A woman's greed wreaks havoc on those in her life in this made-for-cable movie. Madchen Amick stars as Lauren Harrington, the seemingly perfect and beautiful wife of Paul (John Lithgow). What Paul doesn't know is that Lauren set up a former boyfriend (Eric Roberts) and sent him to jail as part of a million-dollar scheme -- and he's ready for some payback. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Stephen King wrote his first original screenplay for this horror gore fest that features cameos by directors Clive Barker, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, John Landis, and King himself (playing a cemetery attendant). The story concerns a twilight people named "sleepwalkers" --creatures similar to vampires and werewolves whose faces turn animalistic whenever they are frightened or angry and who require the lifeforce of a virgin to survive. A single-parent sleepwalker family, consisting of Mary Brady (Alice Krige) and her son Charles (Brian Krause), have taken up residence in a small Indiana town. Charles has expressed a romantic interest in the attractive Tanya Robertson (Madchen Amick), a girl in his high school literature class. Mary wants Charles to lure Tanya home so that she can suck out her life force, but it appears that Charles has fallen in love with her --that is, until their first date, at a picnic at the cemetery. There Charles changes from a shy romantic suitor into a brutal and violent force, slapping Tanya around and attempting to rape her. But Tanya wards off his advances by plunging a corkscrew into his torso. Charles staggers back home to mother, where she nurses him back to health. Then Charles and his mother seek vengeance upon the Robertson family. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide