Description

Academy Award(R)-winner Gwyneth Paltrow (Best Actress, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY) and Scott Speedman (TV's FELICITY) are part of the stellar ensemble cast in a hilariously offbeat comedy! The lives of six stranges become outrageously intertwined when a riotous road trip culminates at the site of the national Karaoke championships. As they compete for the $5,000 grand prize, this unlikely group will eventually learn all about each other ... while discovering answers to the questions about themselves! Also featuring great performances from Maria Bello (COYOTE UGLY), Andre Braugher (FREQUENCY), Paul Giamatti (BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE), and Huey Lewis (SHADOW OF DOUBT) -- you'll agree with audiences everywhere who fell in love with this uncommonly entertaining comedy! ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Not a very good Plot filled with Decent Performances
Why would anyone make a movie about Kareoke is beyond me, and that is what Duets is about. A bunch of [down and outs] who love Kareoke...it's even a dream for some of them. The terrific ensemble do what they can with the boring premise and make it semi interesting. Gywneth paltrow surprisingly is the standout as she portrays an 18 year old who meets her estranged father for and accompanies him to the Kareoke contest. Paul Giamatti and Andre Braugher are fantastic as a duo who hit the road together and have wonderful chemisitry on screen, and Scott Speedman from Felicity is very charming as a down on his luck taxi driver. However each scene drags the because of the bad direction and silly dialogue. Overly long and taken too seriously. I was hoping for more of a movie that was similiar to the kareoke scene in My Best Friends Wedding. This movie is nothing like that. For hardcore kareoke fans and Gwyneth fans only!

American Idol?
I saw this movie only after buying the sountrack. The song Cruisin' attracted me and I had to buy the whole CD to get the one song. When I eventually saw the film, I liked it more simply because I was already familiar with the music. If I didn't know the songs, I may not have liked to movie as much because Karaoke and stars-in-the-eyes wannabe crooners in the boondocks don't really inspire me. Overall, I enjoyed it - certainly more than watching American Idol, the only other show I can compare it to in terms of showcasing aspiring performers.

one outta three
Of the three stories this movie gives us about people brought together around the world of Karaoke (in pairs, thus "Duets") - one absolutely kills me (in a good way) - and for it I give the movie five stars. That is when Paul Giamatti's Todd Woods has a marvelous life-altering breakthrough/breakdown, realizing that his life, as situated in the so-called American dream (which he makes several interesting comments on after he has wigged out, like how America has turned into a land of strip malls) - is rather empty and meaningless. Such a mid-life existential crisis is not exactly uncommon, but it is his portrayal of this, the exhuberance of that performance, that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck even after watching it for the third time. And the ending of that story, although not completely satisfying and a little far-fetched, it quite something, too. As for the other two stories, one I would give maybe three stars (Gwenyth Paltrow and Huey Lewis doing their father/daughter thing - her beautiful voice in "Cruisin'" would merit all three of those stars but little else), and the final story leaves me so cold and works so poorly that I fast-forward right through those parts. I love the music in this movie. I'm not sure if all the actors sing, but if not it is expertly dubbed. Great choice of songs, great performances of those songs. Despite the inconsistency of the quality of the three stories, this is an unusual, fun, interesting movie with a lot of heart and a lot of spunk and great music, that should not be forgotten (rip Bruce Paltrow). And ultimately, for me, its all about Paul, Paul is my boy. See it to see that performance, people. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

laugh out loud
Ok...I think most of us out there hate Karaoke but this movie was a laugh out loud kind! It does contain some very good performances by Speedman and others! I really liked the school teacher....made me laugh so hard I almost wet my pants! It's a fun ride with a sappy ending that we all knew was going to happen and man Paltrow can sure sing. That's worth seeing the movie for in my book!

Good Movie!
I saw this movie on TV on Encore network, by far its one of my favorite films. After cranking it up on the Klipsch Heresys i liked it even better. Awesome music, Good actors, Great Film. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Doris Roberts & James Coco unforgettable as "Cora & Arnie"
Actually, this video tape includes two of the first four episodes from the first season of "St. Elsewhere," the award-winning 1980s television medical drama that looked at the lives of the beleaguered staff and their patients at Boston's St. Eligius Hospital. In "Bypass" (Episode #2, November 9, 1982), Dr. Morrison (David Morse) has to treat a terrorist. "Cora and Arnie" (Episode #4, November 23, 1982), tells the heart rending story of a homeless couple played by Doris Roberts and James Coco. Both actors earned Emmy Awards for their Supporting performances. It is no surprise that Roberts is so good, but the performance by Coco is stunning, although we all should have stopped being surprised years ago that comedians turn in such great tragic performances. Cora and Arnie live together on the streets; he is mildly retarded and if Cora does not have her feet amputated, she will die. However, she refuses to leave Arnie alone. The scene where he is huddled in the corner crying for her will stay with you forever. It has for me.

Final Note: It has always been my belief that because of these performances, which deserved Emmys but were for characters who appeared only once on a show (Emmys are based on performances in a SINGLE episode which is submitted for consideration), the awards of best performances by "guest stars" were created. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Why St. Eligius Hospital is called "St. Elsewhere"
Before there was "E.R." there was "St. Elsewhere," which was originally considered to be "Hill Street Blues" in a hospital. Both shows were filmed in a gritty, realistic style. In the pilot episode we meet the beleaguered doctors of St. Eligius, a teaching ospital in Boston. The drama focuses on idealistic intern Jack Morrison (David Morse), who is fighting to prevent an operation that may kill a beautiful young woman (Dominique Dunne) under his care . Morrison, like Mark Green on "E.R.," became the compassionate young doctor who symbolized the dedication of these television doctors. Meanwhile, Dr. Annie Cavanero (Cynthia Sykes) is running all over the hospital trying to find a missing patient while down in the Emergency Room Dr. Ben Samuels (David Birney) and Dr. Wayne Fiscus (Howie Mandel) are trying to save the victims of a terrorist bomb attack. Trying to serve as the father figure for all this insanity is Dr. Donald Westphall (Ed Flanders), who has to put up with his bombastic heart surgeon, Dr. Mark Craig (William Daniels), who has gotten the hospital new clocks. One of the most critically acclaimed shows of its day, "St. Elsewhere" is now remembered mainly for the fact that young Denzel Washington played Dr. Phillip Chandler. "St. Elsewhere" was created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, who went on to create other critically acclaimed series including "I'll Fly Away" and "Northern Exposure." ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A little too much
The plot of this movie centers around one of the most ubiquitous of human traits: the male libido. Is it possible for a man in possession of an above-average sex drive to be devoted to one woman? Or will his loins always win out?

Certainly, this is not the 1st movie to address this question. However, typically the best venue to engage the topic is via the Romantic Comedy. Instead, this movie is a drama that takes itself way too seriously. In the end, it comes out being more sappy than anything else.

One of the aspects I liked the least about the film was its glorification of smoking. I realize that smoking is supposed to be sexy & erotic, but I have never got into it. In this movie it simply comes across as dirty & sleazy (much like the plot-line!). I swear that Tim Mattheson doesn't go a single scene w/out lighting up; it gets old really quick.

The one highpoint of the film is Kate Capshaw as the virtuous but betrayed wife. She is certainly very loveable in her role, and the film dates from the prime years of her film career.

If you're looking for a movie with a similar plot-line, but done much better, check out JUST A LITTLE HARMLESS SEX. The latter is also funny, while the present film is bereft of humor. If you pick this DVD up I can almost guarantee that you will be bored with the result.

Liked this movie as well
I was a young teen when I first saw this film on cable and I really enjoyed it. Sure it's fluff, but it'g good fluff. I loved Kate Capshaw, couldn't stand Tim Matheson (his character was a cheat, so how could I like him?) They had good chemistry and she looks fabulous. I was glad to see it available on tape and snapped it up. Am waiting for the dvd version with hopefully some interesting extras but this is an older film so...

Sorry, thought this move was darling!
Oh pooh-pooh on all you artheads. Yes, the movie's fluffy. Yes it's kind of a big-screen TV movie. But it's a WHOLE lot of fun and I've always just loved it. Who can resist all those wonderful scenes where they play-act meeting each other for the first time? I loved this move and am simply waiting for it to come out on DVD. *thhhhhhpt!*

A fun period piece
This is a fun movie. It really is nothing more than an R rated (and not all that R rated) tv movie. But it's fun, harmless, and amusing. There are definitely worse ways to spend an evening than watching this pleasant movie.

Actionless and emotionless exploration of sex and marriage.
Despite game attempts by Tim Matheson and Kate Capshaw to generate heat, "A Little Sex" fails to ignite a single spark. With a script entirely devoid of situational tension or even tittilation, the viewer is left wondering why this film was made. When I first saw this movie, in a theater in the year of its release, I would've walked out had I been the one to drive. (I later had the misfortune of producing a cut-down trailer for TV.) I hadn't walked out on a movie since "Juggernaut" in 1974 or 1975. The only recommendable thing about this movie is the fact that you'll be watching it on video and will have something (the tape itself) upon which to vent your rage. You will be in a rage when you've wasted time on what could possible be the most boring movie of all time. Don't believe me? Give it a try, but when you start feeling the life-force being sucked right out of your skull, don't say that ralph@loop.com didn't warn you! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The second episode from the season of "St. Elsewhere"
"Bypass" is the second episode from the first season of "St. Elsewhere," the critically acclaimed series that changed forever the medical shows on television. "E.R." made it to the top of the Nielsen ratings, but "St. Elsewhere" was the show that opened to door to doctors being seen more realistically than what we were used to with "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "Medical Center." I remember driving this home in a television class when we too the multi-episode plot line on "St. Elsewhere" involving the heart transplant and turned it into a "Medical Center" episode during a class discussion. I was sort of hoping that "Bypass" was the unforgettable episode from that run where the heart transplant was performed, but it is not.

Of course there are multiple plot lines going on in "Bypass," but the main one has Dr. Jack Morrison (David Morse) having to treat the bank bomber, Andrew Reinhardt (a young Tim Robbins). Meanwhile Stephen MacAllister (Jack Bannon), the husband of one of the bomber's victims, shows up at St. Eligus to find his wife in a coma. Unfortunately the rather memorable resolution of this particular plotline is not found on this tape (it comes in episode 4, "Cora and Arnie," and if you go for the "Best of" video series you can get both episodes on one tape). The other plot lines find Dr. Mark Craig (William Daniels) badgering a patient into agreeing to surgery in another effort to get publicity for the hospital, Dr. Ben Samuels (David Birney) trying to teach Dr. Beale (G. W. Bailey) to swim, and Laraine Newman of "Saturday Night Live" as a patient called "Tweety."

This episode, co-written by series creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey, originally aired on November 9, 1982. Hard to believe that it has been over two decades since "St. Elsewhere" went on the air and as "'Hill Street Blues' set in a hospital.'" On the basis of the pilot episode and this second effort Dr. Morrison is clearly the focal character (the Anthony Edwards of his generation) but you also have clear evidence of the quirky humor of the series. For those who reduce this series, one of the best television dramas ever, to being the first place where future Oscar winner Denzel Washington made a name for himself, there is the added bonus on another future Oscar winner with Tim Robbins guest-starring in this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The edgy, intense Homicide: Life on the Street earned its reputation as the best show on TV from the very beginning. In the pilot episode, "Gone for Goode," rookie detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) walks into the squad room of Baltimore's elite and smack into his first case, the murder of 11-year-old girl Adina Watson, a crime that will haunt Bayliss throughout the series. Oscar-winning director and series executive producer Barry Levinson helms this episode himself, establishing the nervous, energetic camera work, the bickering camaraderie of the homicide squad, and the meticulous attention to police detail that defined the series. He won an Emmy for his efforts. The third season episode "Every Mother's Son" guest stars Sean Nelson (Fresh) as a cold juvenile killer who couldn't care less that he murdered an innocent boy, while the mothers of victim and killer unknowingly meet in the station waiting room. The final episode in the set, "A Doll's Eye" from the fourth season, is a quiet, introspective look at the parents of a boy left brain-dead by a stray bullet who are dealing with their grief while under pressure to make a decision that could save another child through the organ donor program. Mandy Patinkin make an uncredited cameo as his Chicago Hope doctor. This set lacks the coherent thread that pulled the episodes together on a weekly basis, but it displays the series' range like a candy sampler, and the uniformly excellent episodes are worth seeing under any circumstance. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (16)

DVD?
Simply put, Homicide was a flawless series. The cast, scripts, cinematography...it all just came together. I think it was cancelled because of poor scheduling choices, and because it was so intense. That said, there is a huge number of diehard fans out there...so when is somebody going to wake up and start releasing the episodes (all of them!) on dvd as is done for The Twilight Zone? Court TV is a start, but I want the whole series at my fingertips...I think the series, and we, the fans, deserve it.

The crash-course on Homicide: Life on the Street
Typically if I want to get a friend's reaction to my favorite drama ever, I'll have them sit down and watch these three episodes with me. They represent some of the finest acting and cinematography I've seen in quite some time.

1) The Pilot: "Gone for Goode" - It's Tim Bayliss' (Kyle Secor) first day on the Homicide Unit commanded by Al Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and the introduction to the cast of characters begins: John Munch (Richard Belzer), the cynical jaded but dedicated cop partnered with the "close to retirement" Stan Bolander (Ned Beatty), Meldrick Lewis (Clark Johnson) is partnered with Steve Crosetti (Jon Polito) and Kay Howard (Melissa Leo) is partnered with Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin). The wildcard in the unit is Frank Pembleton, the unit's best detective who likes to work alone. Lewis and Crosetti investigate a shooting that might lead to solving 5 more murders (and making them look like heros), Munch is coerced into opening up an accidental death that Bolander thinks was a murder. And Bayliss gets paired up with Pembleton during a murder of an older guy in a hotel and learns firsthand that what he's taught in the classroom doesn't hold up in the real world.

Some famous lines:
Bolander: "She was murdered John, you have to speak for her"
--
Howard: "Homicide? We work for God"
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Munch: "I've been murder police for ten years. If you're going to lie to me, you lie to me with respect."
--
Crosetti: "That's the problem with this job. It's got nothin' to do with life."

2) "Every Mother's Son" - Bayliss and Pembleton investigate the murder of a 14 year old boy at a bowling alley to find out another 14 year old boy shot him. The shooter thinks he should go because he killed the wrong guy. The mother's killer and the mother of the victim unknowingly meet up and talk for a long period of time in the squad room. Pembleton gets disillusioned about ever having children if they grow up in a world like this.

3) "A Doll's Eye" - Bayliss and Pembleton get involved in a shooting of a boy at a mall. The boy ends up brain dead and the parents struggle with taking the boy off of life support and placing his organs in the organ donor registry to save other children's lives. Marcia Gay Hayden's portrayal of the little boy's mom will have you in tears. It's a quiet episode that focuses on the victims and the struggles that they have to face.

Nothing Else Like It On TV Or The Big Screen!
Anyone that has ever seen this top quality crime drama would agree that there has never been anything else like HOMICIDE on television or the big screen!

This show, in reruns, is as powerful, moving, thought provoking, and at times humorous, as it was during its first run on NBC during the 90's.

EVERY...and I do mean EVERY character leaps off the page with realism and charisma, thanks in part to those who put pen to paper and wrote the lines, and also to the amazing actor who breathed life into the well written scripts.

The early shows are by far the best! And that you will see on this video. Pembelton and Balis, Andre Braugher and Kyle Secor, were televisions definitive dynamic duo. I believe that they, and the other cast members, set a standard for ensemble casts that will never be beat. (A few of the cast members that joined the show towards the end of its run were not as powerful as the original actors, but that didn't stop the show from delivering quality episodes.)

Others have suggested NBC release all of the episodes on DVD and I agree! This was truly MUST SEE TV and for what ever reason the network couldn't see it. (This show is timeless and I would love to see it resurrected, perhaps on cable TV! Are you listening HBO?)

HOMICIDE - Life On The Street is without a doubt is the best television show to date! Kudos to all responsible for bridging it to life, to Court TV for airing it in reruns, and to Amazon.com for bring the series to its fan via VHS and DVD!

Great TV, Great Location
I moved to Baltimore by about Homicide's 3rd season. I had seen a few episodes and was annoyed by the jittery camera work. After living in Baltimore for a few months, and after being forced to watch a few episodes, I was entranced by both the show and the city. Homicide transcends the typical "place-less" show (TV or cinema--is Frasier really a Seattle show? I think not) because it weaves people, events, and emotions in a solid geography. I believe people were--and are still--hooked on this show because it has so much personality and charisma. Baltimore is a town with history, charm, quirks, character, meloncholy, cynicism, evil, joy, and warmth. Homicide captured that and slowly spoon fed it to viewers episode by episode. I don't think most viewers were aware of it, but it happened and it was addictive. To me, the drama, joy, and pain of Homicide is the drama, joy, and pain of the City of Baltimore and its citizens. Only one question remains: where are the Homicide DVDs??

The Best of the Best
After HILL STREET BLUES and ST ELSEWARE I thought network TV had lost it, the came HOMICIDE:LIFE ON THE STREET. It is the best of the best, my only regret is that ther aren't more of the episodes available. Someone tell NBC that they are missing out on a gold mine. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Subway" became the most celebrated episode of the sixth season of Homicide: Life on the Street. A showcase for Andre Braugher's Frank Pembleton, the squad's tetchy, intense, brilliant detective, it takes place almost entirely in the subway and focuses on the relationship between Pembleton and the dying victim of a gruesome subway platform accident (guest star Vincent D'Onofrio), who's not expected to live out the hour. It garnered lavish praise from TV critics across the U.S., earned two Emmy nominations (including one for D'Onofrio), and won the prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. Little did documentary director Theodore Bogosian know what was in store when he began his made-for-public TV special Anatomy of a Homicide, a detailed look at the creation of the episode from idea through script and production to broadcast. You get it all: script conferences, location scouting, special-effects challenges (how do you portray a man convincingly trapped by a tram and twisted like taffy?), the clip from the HBO series Taxicab Confessions that inspired the story, and a privileged look at network politics. It's an inspired pairing for the video debut of the series, a fine introduction for new viewers, and the equivalent of a coffee-table video album for the faithful. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Television drama at its very best!
If you're reading this, chances are you're already a fan of Homicide to some degree. Some early fans of the show became disenchanted with the program as its run on NBC progressed, feeling that it became more conventional. While it's true that the show's later seasons used less of the stirring camera-work which was the show's visual trademark in the early episode, the stories told were no less compelling.

A case in point is season six's "The Accident" or as it's commonly known "the subway episode." When a commuter becomes pinned between a subway train and the platform, detectives Tim Bayliss and Frank Pembleton are called in, because the accident victim is alsmost certainly going to die. As Bayliss tries to determine what caused the accident, Pembleton (as played by Emmy-winner Andre Braugher) forms an uneasy bond with the victim (played by Vincent D'Onofrio). With Homicide, the focus was always less on what the detectives revealed about their cases and more on what the detectives revealed about themselves as human beings.

Of all Homicide's detectives none showed us more of what was good and bad about human beings than Frank Pembleton. In the context of the show, Pembleton was not only the best investigator in the squad, he was also the moral center, a good man whose sense of right and wrong never fails, soemone who will always remain on the right side of that line even if it means offending those who care about him. As he tries to comfort the victim whom he knows is about to die, Pembleton confronts his own beliefs and notions of faith and goodness. The interplay between the two characters is as insightful, gripping and well-written as anything committed to film in years, and more than anything this is probably the episode which earned Andre Braugher his Emmy award.

This episode also went on to win the Peabody award and was the subject of a fascinating documentary called "Anatomy of a Homicide." In addition to focusing on the specifics of writing and producing "the subway episode," it is also an intriguing window into the politics of television network programming. That documentary is available on this tape along with the full episode. Homicide never quite got its due during its network run, but the availability of these two productions may help redress that balance.

A phenomenal study in human behavour
This episode alone is the best HOMICIDE I've ever seen. Barring the undeniably brilliant perfomances by Vincent D'Onofrio and Andre Braugher, the story is captivating and the tensions sweet torture! The difficulty of knowing a man is going to die and the struggle to do his job as a cop and so much more... What an episode! That aside, as I said, the documentary is a real view of the politics of network television and the complete bliss of getting what you want. They had a great guest star, a script that worked, and a producer/writer determined to get what he wanted! Just great, a MUST for HOMICIDE or D'Onofrio fans!

Stunning Work!
This is extraordinary acting - vincent D'Onofrio, Andre Braugher (always fabulous in this series) and the other great "Homicide" cast - but this story is amazing. Seemed almost more like a stage production than film/television. I saw the story as a metaphor - life, death, the meaning, the randomness versus design of it all, responsibility/lack thereof, the train....all of it. Extremely powerful in every way. Original, powerful, brilliant work.

An episode worthy of inclusion in anyone's video library!
"Homicide: Life on the Streets" was always a favorite of the critics, but it never garnered the ratings success that it so fittingly deserved. Featuring one of the most gifted ensemble casts ever put together (especially the brilliant Andre Braugher with exemplary support from Yaphet Kotto, Kyle Secor and Clark Johnson), "Homicide" should still be on NBC's schedule, right there with the respective "Law & Order's" and "ER".

If one episode clearly exemplifies the intensity and the quality of the series' writing, as well as the skills of the actors, it is "Subway". Braugher gets to run the gamut of his emotions as he deals with the hopeless situation of guest star Vincent D'onofrio, also giving an award winning turn as the trapped commuter.

The episode is a nail-biter and a prime example of what television should be.

Most compelling dramatic anything I've ever seen
I have never had such a visceral reaction to any piece of drama, live or on big screen or small.

I'd long been a Homicide fan, so I was well aware of Andre Braugher's skill, but Vincent D'Onofrio's performance was a revelation. His character is Everyschmuck, the Bud Lite-swilling blowhard found in any bar on any Saturday night, under-tipping the bartender and copping a feel from the cocktail waitress.

But as he slowly discovers his fate, he strips away his schmuckness in layers, like an onion, with Braugher's Pembleton as Father Confessor and keeper of the knowledge that he is doomed. Together they reveal the character's essential humanity and vulnerability.

Pembleton is our surrogate, I think, because he doesn't like this guy much either, but goes in to do his job, and is eventually touched by him, as we are.

My words are feeble. Just see it. ... Read more