Amy Ryan

Movies

Win Win: It's a Winner

Win Win has all the necessary elements for a great indie film: a down-on-his-luck central character, a strong cast, and a quirky but heartwarming comeback story told with humor.

Win Win has all the necessary elements for a great indie film: a down-on-his-luck central character, a strong cast, and a quirky but heartwarming comeback story told with humor. Though it's a smaller film, Win Win appeals to a wider audience with its charm.

Paul Giamatti stars as small-town attorney/high school wrestling coach, Mike Flaherty. Stuck with a struggling legal practice (and a bad hot-water heater), Mike is cutting costs to keep his business afloat while still providing for his wife Jackie (Amy Ryan) and his young daughters. When one of Mike's elderly clients needs a guardian to provide for his care, Mike takes on the job to make some extra cash. But when the man's grandson Kyle (Alex Shaffer) unexpectedly shows up, Mike becomes way more involved in the family's life than he bargained for.

To find out why I enjoyed the film, read more

POPSUGAR Entertainment

Win Win's Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan on Jersey Accents, The Office Finale, and George Clooney's Humor

Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan play a married couple in Win Win, an endearing story about a stressed-out lawyer whose life changes thanks to a newfound friendship.

Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan play a married couple in Win Win, an endearing story about a stressed-out lawyer whose life changes thanks to a newfound friendship. The movie, which was a favorite at Sundance earlier this year, is out in wide release this Friday, and we caught up with the actors recently in NYC to chat about how they nailed their realistic portrayals of a committed husband and wife with authentic New Jersey accents. Amy also dished about her hopes for the season finale of The Office, while Paul said that, unlike Evan Rachel Wood, George Clooney has yet to anoint him with a nickname on the set of The Ides of March.

Movies

Paul Giamatti Tries to Take All in the Win Win Trailer

Win Win won over critics and audiences alike at the Sundance Film Festival, and it's easy to see why.

Win Win won over critics and audiences alike at the Sundance Film Festival, and it's easy to see why. The film stars Paul Giamatti as a stressed-out lawyer who's struggling financially and personally, as the coach of an unsuccessful wrestling team. But his luck begins to change when he meets Kyle (Alex Shaffer), a teenager who's new in town now that he's living with his grandfather while his mother is in rehab.

The trailer looks funny, heart-warming, and inspiring; Giamatti's character, Mike, seems to make an emotional connection with Kyle while simultaneously coaching his team to a possible victory. The cast is rounded out by Amy Ryan as Mike's wife and Melanie Lynskey as Kyle's mother, both top-notch (not to mention funny) actresses. The film is set for release March 18, but get a peek when you read more

Movies

Jack Goes Boating: Muted Melodrama

Relationships have long been fodder for the introspective indie film, and Philip Seymour Hoffman tackles the subject in his directorial debut, Jack Goes Boating.

Relationships have long been fodder for the introspective indie film, and Philip Seymour Hoffman tackles the subject in his directorial debut, Jack Goes Boating. The film centers on two couples: a long-married one enduring their own trials, and a tender new one. Hoffman stars as Jack, a dread-locked limo driver whose friends, Clyde and Lucy, try to set him up with Lucy's co-worker, Connie (Amy Ryan).

Though Jack Goes Boating can be so subtle at times that it gets tedious (and honestly, a bit boring), it's still a well-acted drama about striving to improve oneself and accepting imperfections in another person.

To read what else I thought of the movie, just read more

TV

Oh Happy Day: Amy Ryan Is Returning to The Office!

If you've ever rooted for Michael Scott's happiness on The Office (and who among us hasn't?) then chew on this: the love of his life, Holly, is returning to the show!

If you've ever rooted for Michael Scott's happiness on The Office (and who among us hasn't?) then chew on this: the love of his life, Holly, is returning to the show! EW's Ausiello reports that Amy Ryan will reprise her part for Steve Carell's final season and that she'll play a "sizable role." Here's hoping Michael gets that Hollywood ending.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Movies

Movie Preview: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Jack Goes Boating

We've seen this story before — awkward, 40-something schlub falls in love with an equally awkward (yet more attractive) woman — but there's something about this trailer for Jack Goes Boating that's still endearing.

We've seen this story before — awkward, 40-something schlub falls in love with an equally awkward (yet more attractive) woman — but there's something about this trailer for Jack Goes Boating that's still endearing. In his directorial debut, Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as Jack, a limo driver who gets set up on a blind date by his only two friends in the world, Clyde (John Ortiz) and Lucy (Daphne Rubin-Vega). The lucky lady: a funeral parlor worker named Connie (Amy Ryan). They begin their courtship, but Jack hits a speed bump when Connie suggests that they go boating together — and Jack can't swim.

The film is based on an off-Broadway play, which coincidentally enough, starred three of the actors. As such, the preview has an intimate, slice of life feel, an off-beat sense of humor, and a few emotionally charged scenes. Sounds good to me, but my only question is, what is up with Hoffman's dreadlocks?! The movie premiered at Sundance, where it was well-received, but take a look at the trailer when you read more

Movies

Green Zone: Heavy on Action (and Preaching)

Meet Matt Damon, war hero.

Meet Matt Damon, war hero. If the Bourne series is any indication, director Paul Greengrass knows how to get a pistol-whip out of the actor, and the two team up once again, bringing that same pumping adrenaline to Baghdad in Green Zone.

Heart-pounding blasts erupt as we open with Chief Miller (Damon) and his army comrades as they sniff out weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, circa 2003. A sniper is firing bullets from a tower and looters run through the streets kicking up dust, but Miller's unit discovers nothing. The government has been providing misinformation regarding the WMDs, and Miller takes it upon himself to figure out what's really going on.

To hear more about the film, read more

Pregnancy

Television's Hottest Expectant Ladies

It may be hard to top hot dog eating contests and faux pregnancies, but the networks are going to have to find a way to come up with more clever pregnancy fodder to inject into their story lines with the number of network ladies firing up buns in their ovens.
Photos of Pregnant Television Actresses

It may be hard to top hot dog eating contests and faux pregnancies, but the networks are going to have to find a way to come up with more clever pregnancy fodder to inject into their story lines with the number of network ladies firing up buns in their ovens. ABC has quite a few expectant mamas in its lineup while NBC, CBS, and Lifetime aren't too far behind in the baby bump race. Tiffani Thiessen plans to put parenthood on hold since she's signed on to a new show, but she may find inspiration in these fuller tummied leading ladies.

Ashton Kutcher

2009 Sundance Spotlight: The Missing Person, Paper Heart, Spread

While I won't be heading down to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival this year, I will be sorting through the humongous pile of festival entries to share with you some of the films I think look most promising.

While I won't be heading down to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival this year, I will be sorting through the humongous pile of festival entries to share with you some of the films I think look most promising. From quirky documentaries to talented young filmmaker debuts to a potential runaway hit, Sundance is filled with entertainment possibilities. Here are today's selections:


The Missing Person
Michael Shannon is getting all kinds of attention for the creepy role he plays in Revolutionary Road, which is one of the reasons this movie is already earning some early buzz out of the festival. Also starring Amy Ryan, The Missing Person looks like a slow-boiling noir that follows "a private detective prone to sardonic wit, gin, and the endless repercussions of what happens when you mix the two." Intrigued?

You can check out the trailer for this one and see some more of my picks (which include Ashton Kutcher and cutie Michael Cera) if you read more