Category Archives: drama

Virginia Madsen in Holidazed

Holidazed

Holidazed. Another year, another Christmas effort from Hallmark. And, another Christmas project for Virginia Madsen following on from Better Watch Out and Operation Christmas Drop, kind of.

If you’ve read up on those efforts from me already then you’ll already know I’m not a massive fan of the Christmas theme. But, as always I’ll give it a go.

Holidazed gets off to a good start, the first shot is of Virginia Madsen driving a Pink Cadillac through town, I mean as the start of these things go, I’ve seen a lot worse. OK. So, it’s not Virginia as such but her character, Connie.Virginia Madsen as Connie Manetti-Hanahan in Holidazed. She is seated in the driver's seat of a vintage car, gripping the large steering wheel with gloved hands. She wears a quilted green jacket, and her blonde hair cascades in soft waves over her shoulders. She has a warm, contented smile as she looks ahead, with the car's classic interior and a blurred suburban winter landscape visible through the window.

We follow Virginia Madsen, well, Connie and her Pink Cadillac till she arrives home where we meet some of her family before which sees her married to Chuck (John C McGinley) with grown up kids all coming home for the holidays. From there, the story shifts focus, introducing other families in the neighborhood.

And that would be when we begin to understand the show a little. Each of the families introduced is a bit “quirky” and have their unique family dysfunctions. Gay couples that haven’t come out to their Grandma, divorced couples dealing with new partners and old friends with unresolved attractions meeting up again. All played out to little tunes prompting you to see the humor, or drama, in the situations, etc.

It’s Christmas, you know – Got to have these little adventures and put things under microscopes to see the error of peoples ways or they’d never get that redemption arc we’re all so desperate to see.

Yeah, I know. I sound a little jaded by these things—BUT—no, no buts—I’ve got nothing. I’m just not a fan of these kinds of comedy dramas at the best of times. Throw Christmas in, and I’ve still got nothing. Just not a fan of these kinds of comedy dramas at the best of times, throw Christmas in and I’ve still got nothing. Call me Scrooge, call me Grinch and it’d be nothing I’ve not heard before.
Virginia Madsen as Connie Manetti-Hanahan in Holidazed. She is wearing a festive black sweater adorned with red cherries and green leaves, along with a red headband decorated with pearls. Her blonde hair is loosely styled with soft curls framing her face. She has a thoughtful, slightly amused expression as she listens to someone off-camera. The background shows a modern kitchen with a countertop and some appliances, while a blurred male figure in a brown jacket is partially visible in the foreground

The drama for the Manetti-Hanahan family revolves around a long-running feud with a neighbor, one their daughter has just made worse by falling for the neighbour’s son. This upsets Chuck as head of the household, and the feud who then proceeds to throw jibes at her by calling her a traitor and referring back to his days in the armed forces.

There are 8 episodes in total of Holidazed, the first one introduces us to all the families in the neighbourhood, the next six episodes deal with each family as the main focus and the finale brings them all back together for the wrap up.

I’d hoped for some kind of crossover between the episodes, but there didn’t seem to be any. They are self-contained and all end on some kind of cliff hanger, normally involving some kind of shock to one of the members of the family as some kind secret or revelation is played out.

The Manetti-Hanahan family get their turn in the seventh episode, which gets introduced with Virginia introducing us to a previous Christmas Eve related event via a first person talk to the camera, which gives us more insight on why she’s trying so hard to make this one a success.

This episode picks up where the first one left off, following the usual formula—melodrama, escalating conflicts, and leading up to the inevitable Christmas Day reckoning.”

Although, to its credit Connie does have a line which hangs a hat on the whole thing within the first five minutes with “Is it too much to ask to have a Hallmark Christmas for a change?”, which I won’t lie – Did amuse me.

The rest of the episode delivers exactly what you’d expect. More drama is piled on as we learn that Connie is a bit more highly strung than normal as she’s waiting for a call from the Doctors about a test she had done a few days before. She missed the call from the Doctors with the results and she’s left hanging now till after the festive period.

Virginia Madsen is her usual excellent self here, falling back on her matriarch of the family role as she herds her wayward family into behaving themselves. In the first episode she even whips out a Behavioural Contract she wants her family to sign in an effort to enforce the Holiday spirit.

It’s not a bad thing to watch but nothing we’ve not seen her do before. And, she gets to flex her comedic side once again which is always nice to see. It’s an exercise in balancing exasperation and warmth in a way that makes Connie’s frustrations feel genuine rather than just sitcom-level antics. Just.
A festive family gathering scene from Holidazed. The group, including Virginia Madsen as Connie Manetti-Hanahan, is dressed in colorful Christmas sweaters featuring reindeer, snowflakes, and holiday-themed designs. They stand together in a warmly decorated living room with a beautifully lit Christmas tree and wrapped presents in the background. Some family members are smiling and posing, while young children sit on the floor in front, dressed in equally festive attire. The cozy holiday setting includes a large gray couch with throw pillows, Christmas decorations on the walls, and a warmly lit atmosphere.

The eighth and final episodes brings the whole thing full circle and the resolutions to the dramas that have happened previously are all played out. It’s obviously an episode full of spoilers, but I will say it holds very few, if any, surprises.

There isn’t even any reference to the factg that both Virginia Madsen and John C McGinley both starred in Highlander 2 back in the day, I guess it’s still too soon for either of them to joke about.

To be fair to Holidazed, it’s well done for what it is. It’s obvious they aren’t for me, but I can respect them for what they are and a lot of people do like them, especially around Christmas. It’s harmless enough, the actors put in good, if not predictable turns.

Availability:

Not great at the moment. Was streamed on the Hallmark Channel but, it’s too early for a physical release of it just yet. Guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens with this one.

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Virginia Madsen in Lola

Lola

Lola is the directorial debut from Nicola Peltz Beckham in which she’s also the writer and the main star, all of which is quite ambitious for a first outing. The story Lola tells isn’t new, it’s the one about a small town girl who lives with an abusive family who dreams of getting away from it all.

We’ve seen it before, many times.

Lola is trapped in a life she didn’t want and nobody deserves. She lives at home with her Mother, Mona (Virginia Madsen), Stepfather, Trick (Trevor Long) and younger brother Arlo (Luke David Blumm).
A close-up of Virginia Madsen as Mona in Lola. She has long blonde hair styled in soft waves and wears dramatic false eyelashes and dark eye makeup. Her expression is serious and contemplative, with slightly pursed lips and an intense gaze directed off-camera. She wears a delicate gold necklace and a light-colored cardigan over a pink top. The background features a softly lit, floral-patterned wallpaper, adding a warm yet slightly melancholic atmosphere to the sceneAll is not well within the household. Mona is white trash, pure white trash at that. The kind that puts on a God fearing front for the public but is an alcoholic, torn up bitter and twisted woman inside. Trick is the atypical hanger on stepfather on the scene who isn’t worth the space he occupies. It’s the kind of house where even the pet fish dies unnoticed in its bowl.

Unfortunately, Lola herself looks to be following pretty much the same path as her Mother, despite seemingly hating everything about her life. She works a dead end job during the day and in a strip club at night. She’s a borderline drug addict herself, begging and borrowing drugs off her ex boyfriend. She dreams of escaping the life she can see in front of her and making a clean break of it all.
Virginia Madsen as Mona in Lola. She wears a bold leopard-print blouse and a delicate gold necklace with a cross pendant. Her long blonde hair is styled voluminously, and she has dramatic eye makeup with a serious, contemplative expression. The background features stained glass windows, casting a soft glow, she is in a church. Her gaze is directed slightly downward, adding to the solemn mood of the scene.So, why does she stick around?

Her little brother, Arlo. He needs someone to stick up for him and protect him. Arlo is only 9 years old but he’s showing signs that he isn’t going to be the norm. He likes to dress like his sister, wearing the same kinds of clothes and putting on makeup. Something that doesn’t sit well with Mona.

If all this sounds a bit too much like an exercise in box checking, then you’d not be wrong.

Let’s see what else we have.

We can always watch Lola slide into prostitution when she starts to lose her friends because she won’t tell anyone about the burden she has to carry on her shoulders.

And, then. Of course. When Lola is at her lowest point things get worse, and worse.

I’d be venturing into spoiler territory if I went on so I’ll stop here, if you do want to watch the film then I don’t want to ruin it. But, by about an hour in, you won’t care anymore and you’ll probably guess where this is all heading.

Lola isn’t likable, which would be fine if the film gave us something to latch onto. Instead, she feels like a character going through the motions, repeating her mother’s mistakes with no real self-awareness. She knows Mona is toxic but seems incapable of recognizing where she herself is headed. It’s frustrating to watch, especially when the cycle feels so avoidable.
Virginia Madsen as Mona in Lola. She holds a beige corded telephone to her ear, her expression serious and intense. Her blonde hair cascades over her shoulders, and she wears a delicate gold necklace. The background reveals a softly lit kitchen with vintage elements, including an old-fashioned window and countertop items. The warm, muted tones of the scene enhance the emotional weight of the moment.Virginia Madsen takes her cues and runs with it. I mean, she’s properly engaged here and doing her damndest to make us not like her. And, deservedly so. Mona IS that Mother. She’s the one that has let herself slide into alcoholism and blamed everyone else for it. She is the piece of trash woman who left her Daughter to fend for herself and bring herself up. She is the very essence of everything that is wrong in an innocent girl’s life. Toxic and manipulative. All of it.

Honestly, it’s a little fascinating to see her flip the whole warm, nurturing mother persona she’s done in the past and just own this disaster of a character. It’s a bold move, and one she seems to have been working up to from roles in Anna Nicole and The Harry Quebert Affair,  and she absolutely nails it this time around.

As for the rest of it, it’s not actually a poorly made film, far from it. It looks good, I think, the acting is mostly good, and as mentioned, in the case of Virginia Madsen, great. The visuals are a little over the top in places, there are some shots where they look too polished when they’re meant to be depicting something destitute and or grungy. Well, in my opinion at least.

Shortly after this movie was released I saw a lot of negative comments about it, I tried not to read them as it came out as I was making this website and I wanted to watch it cold. One of the things that I did see mentioned a lot about it was that it was “poverty porn”.

Having watched it, I can see what the critics meant by that. I sincerely doubt that Nicola Peltz Beckham has ever had to worry about any of this kind of stuff in her real life. Or, known anyone that had. She’s just taken a look at the people who do live these kinds of lives and tried to understand it. And, she can’t, there is no real world experience for her to draw on, and it shows.
Virginia Madsen as Mona in Lola. She stands inside a small convenience store, wearing a brown coat with a fur collar and large hoop earrings. Her blonde hair is styled in loose waves, and her expression is serious yet contemplative. The store shelves in the softly blurred background are stocked with various items, and price signs hang from the ceiling, adding to the realism of the sceneOther than the performance put out there by Virginia Madsen, there is little to no reason to watch this film. She’s genuinely the best thing in the movie, and it’s an especially good addition to her showcase.

It’s just a shame it’s in this film.

Perhaps the greatest sin the film commits of all is, spelling Virginia Madsens name wrong…

In an unusual slip-up, the end credits of Lola list Virginia Madsen as “Virginia Madison” – I mean, it’s close…

Availability:

Only available on VoD formats at the moment unfortuantely, SKY and Amazon both have it at the time of writing but you might need to check your local providers, or use a VPN to watch it.

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Virginia Madsen in Spare Room

(A) Spare Room

Spare Room, (or “A Spare Room” as it’s listed on the opening card but not anywhere else), is an Independant movie from 2018, and despite it somewhat flying under the radar a little it’s been very much on my “Virginia Madsen films I want to watch” list since i started this whole thing. Not really sure why it’s on my “last of my Virginia Madsen films to watch” list as I bring this whole Filmography to a close, but… It is.

Spare Room is an intimate tale of two people struggling to get by in today’s world. It’s sort of two stories in one.

The first story is one of a mysterious veteran, David (Martin Sensmeier) who is suffering from flashbacks and a fair amount of guilt after his time in Afghanistan. He’s become a loner and a drifter, not really knowing what to do with life after the Iraq war.

The second story is one of Lillian (Skylar Samuels), she’s living in small town America and not having a great time of it all. Both her Mother and Husband have recently passed away and she’s been left to care for her brother, Arrow (Cole Sibus). Her Husband was also in the war but thanks to disobeying an order which ultimately ended his life Lillian is unable to claim any compensation which has left her struggling to pay the bills.

David ends up in Lillian’s town, they briefly meet at the diner she works at. She’s recently advertised her “Spare Room” out for rent, David needs a place to stay and so opportunity has its way and he moves in with her.

The story holds no real surprises, it’s pretty by the book – It seems silly to say “I won’t spoil it” when most of the movie is so predictable, but, I’ll refrain from going into the details all the same.
Virginia Madsen in Spare RoomVirginia Madsen plays Nat (don’t call her Natalie), the owner of a local bar where David gets work shortly after arriving in town. She gives him a job despite not advertising one, him being unshowered and having no place to live.

Because of this it’s obvious she’s got a soft spot for Military Men, but we never get anymore of her back story. From what she says and how she is I half expected some kind of monologue from her about losing her husband in a nonsense war and struggling to get by on her own, one day at a time.

But, that never came. I guess the film isn’t that predictable after all…

She does play a good character though, one that I don’t think I can recall seeing her play before. Nat reminded me of a Top Dog kind of character in a Women’s Prison. Think Orange is The New Black or Wentworth. It’s that kind of no nonsense, hard working weary soul she’s got. In Nat, we see Virginia Madsen bringing her hallmark authenticity to a small town figure, much as she’s done before but with a slightly harder edge. It’s a character that feels lived-in, even if her story isn’t fully explored – You just get to make your own up like I did.
Virginia Madsen in Spare RoomIt’s obviously a low budget film, but it’s actually exceptionally well made. There are some beautiful shots in it, but…

Spare Room is another film where Virginia Madsen, and the rest of the cast, shine – But are ultimately let down by the whole. It’s not a bad movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it could have been more. I don’t know what stops it being better, maybe it’s the pacing. Maybe it’s the fact we’ve seen this kind of movie before.

I’d say it’s worth a watch, overall – Don’t expect anything special and you’ll be OK – The performances here are spot on. If you enjoy watching talented people doing what they do best then you’ll get that out of it at least.

Also, a weird shout out to the soundtrack as well. It’s really, really good. More than once I loaded up Shazam to find out the name of a song so I could give it a listen later on and perhaps find more from the band, but it couldn’t help me. Which I thought was very odd, but after trawling through the end credits and looking it up on Google it seems as though a lot of it was done for the film.
Virginia Madsen in Spare RoomBilly Bob Thornton’s band, The Boxmasters, contribute to the soundtrack as does Vince Mira (who also plays “Vince the singer”) and also Natasha Bedingfield but if like me you end up wanting to hear more, then you’ll have to go down your own rabbit hole to find it.

It’s a hard film to recommend you go out and find for the story. You’ve seen it before, you’ll see it again. But, if you’re a fan of Virginia Madsen, or just want to show some kind of support to the people that made it, it’s worth tracking it down. It’s only real sin is that it doesn’t offer us anything new.

Availability:

Not that hard to find on Region 1 DVD, but it’s not exactly easy either. A little patience and you should find it eventually.

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Virginia Madsen in All The Wilderness

All The Wilderness

All the Wilderness, or The Wilderness of James as it was originally titled, is a 2014 film written and directed by Michael Johnson. This is one of the Virginia Madsen films I watched as “new” for this whole thing, but also one I’d wanted to watch for a while. Not really sure how I ended up not getting around to it for this long though.

You know how it goes, it sits in your “must-watch” pile, and suddenly, it’s been ten years and you’re in the middle of a website dedicated to Virginia Madsen…

… That might just be meVirginia Madsen as Abigail Charm in All the Wilderness. She is wearing a red and white plaid jacket over a light blue shirt, with her blonde hair loosely tied back. She has a gentle expression, with a slight smile, in a warmly lit home setting.The film starts and we’re slowly introduced to the main character of James Charm (Kodi Smit-McPhee), it couldn’t be more obvious that this kid is lonely and not quite fitting in with the world in which he finds himself. He’s drawing pictures of a dead bird for starters, which pretty much screams “weird kid” in the world of cinema. This label is reinforced over the rest of the opening of the film as we listen to him narrate his interpretation of the wisdom passed on to him from his Father before seeing him have a run in with the “popular kids”.

We learn that James has relatively recently lost his Father, he died. Since then he’s had a fascination with death. He’s taken to believe that he can predict when people, and animals, are going to die.
Virginia Madsen as Abigail Charm in All the Wilderness. She is sitting in a car, gazing out the window with a contemplative expression. Raindrops streak the glass, and the dim, moody lighting suggests a reflective or emotional moment.This of course doesn’t sit well with his Mother, Abigail (enter Virginia Madsen), who not only is coping with the death of her husband, but the effect that it’s all had on her only son. She’s trying to understand and help him, but it’s beyond her and so has employed professional help in the form of a Psychiatrist, Dr Pembry (Danny DeVito).

It’s during a visit to Dr Pembry that James meets Val (Isabelle Fuhrman), well, I say visit but she catches James as he’s just escaped his session with the Dr through a bathroom window. She’s obviously way more cool than he is and it makes for kind of an awkward interaction. James obviously doesn’t know how to talk to her, but did any of us really know at that age?

The film properly kicks in when Abigail finds the family Hamster dead in its cage. The death of the Hamster was of course predicted by James and so she feels like he’s purposefully harmed the pet to prove his point. James vehemently denies this of course and takes off into the night to escape his Mother.
Virginia Madsen as Abigail Charm in All the Wilderness. She stands in a kitchen, wearing a plaid shirt, her curly blonde hair framing her face. Her expression is serious and emotional as she looks at someone in the foreground, it's a tense and heartfelt conversation.It’s during this little solo adventure he meets Harmon (Evan Ross) and a somewhat unlikely friendship is struck up between the two. Harmon is used to life on the streets, he’s older and more hardened than James but he takes him under his wing after hearing James had seen him busking at a mall and enjoyed it.

And, any more at this point and we’d be veering off into spoiler territory.

Or, would we?

Honestly – This movie isn’t going to hold any surprises for anyone I don’t think. It’s a pretty generic story that’s been told a hundred times or more before, especially on the indie scene.

That doesn’t mean to say it’s not worth your time, just that there isn’t anything new or ground breaking here. What is fresh is the cinematography, well, maybe not fresh but it is a very good looking film. It’s obviously all done on a budget, but it’s been all used and looked after. The camera work, the vistas and even the colour palette used all stand out as someone looking after it with an eye for detail. Maybe even a little too much as I don’t often notice things like that… Or, maybe it was that well done I did notice.

The acting also stands out as being a cut above the rest as well. It’s not unusual for actors to use these kinds of films to show their true talent, but not one of them misses the target here. Kodi Smit-McPhee holds the film well, sometimes he comes across as naive but I put that down to his interpretation of the character. Isabelle Furhman and Evan Ross fill in the background nicely.

The film’s two biggest stars, Danny DeVito and Virginia Madsen don’t actually command that much screen time between them but they both leave their mark. Virginia’s performance is one of her more subtle ones. We’ve seen her do this thing before but it’s always a masterclass in how these things should be done. There’s an obvious emotional weight of a heartbroken woman refusing to give up despite the cards she’s been dealt. Virginia Madsen as Abigail Charm in All the Wilderness. She is sitting on a dimly lit couch, wrapped in a striped blanket, wearing a plaid shirt. With one hand resting against her head, she appears deep in thought or exhaustion.It’s impressive to think that around the time the movie came out she’d done the “Mother” thing a few times, but in very different ways. Anna Nicole and Crazy Kind of Love are both variations on the same theme of the Mother figure, but she was also pulling a different kind of Mother out of her bag of tricks for The Last Keepers and Grace Stirs up Success all around the same time.

All told, All the Wilderness is a worthy experience. It falls short of being a truly great must see film. But not by much.

The film’s back cover calls it “a coming of age” film, but for me it was a “coming to terms” film. The story isn’t without heart and the final 15 minutes of the film do give you the pay off you were probably expecting, but it’s still kind of satisfying.

Pick this one up, or don’t turn it over if you ever see it on the TV – It’s worth a watch.

Availability:
It’s not the most easily found film. But it shouldn’t take you long to find on DVD if you look properly, and if you don’t mind digital then it’s on some of the streaming channels as well if you don’t mind forking out a little for it.

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Virginia Madsen in Jake Squared

Jake Squared

I’ve seen my fair share of surreal films over the years, but… Jake Squared has to be up there amongst the most surreal of them all. It’s bordering on chaos at points.

Jake Squared is an indie film from 2013, as well as being surreal and chaotic it’s got a quirky streak a mile wide. The movie’s about Jake Klein (Elias Koteas) who is a middle aged film maker, who in the full throws of a mid life crisis decides to make a film about his own life to figure out what went wrong.

Which would be fine, but pretty soon he’s directing younger versions of himself all the while dealing with people from his past who are all of a sudden back in his life again.Virginia Madsen in Jake SquaredIt’s a weird one for sure – There are times when there are liberal past, present and future versions of Jake all on screen at the same time. Other times it’s kind of hard to work out which version of Jake it is we’re watching, more than once I got confused. It’s not super clear, and I don’t even know if it’s supposed to be – OR – trying to be clever.

And, honestly because of this I’ve taken a pass on it. I did watch it, but it got into a confusing mess pretty early on, I lost interest and I’m not really sure I ever really knew what was going on. I would have watched it again, but frankly I didn’t enjoy it enough to care by the end of it. I perhaps should have called it a day earlier than I did and, then I might have felt like another go. But I didn’t. And now, I don’t want to.

That’s about as honest as it gets.

Virginia Madsen plays Beth, Jake’s ex-wife. And as far as I can tell, she’s had enough of Jake’s mess as much as I did. Which, honestly, just added another layer of surreal into it for me.
Virginia Madsen in Jake SquaredShe’s actually that good in it, that when I was thinking about it afterwards I wasn’t unsure if this was some kind of “message” from the film that Beth’s exasperation with Jake wasn’t some kind of metaphor for what we were having to deal with as viewers watching it.

I don’t really have a lot to say on this one – It’s worth a watch for Virginia Madsen’s performance, she does keep the film grounded, sort of. I actually dread to think where it’d go without her character.

Maybe I’ll give it another go one day, maybe it’s another that I’m not old enough, or young enough anymore, to understand. A film that you need to be in the right place and right time for.

It would of course reunite Elias Koreas with Virginia Madsen after nearly 20 years, they last worked together in the 1995 film, The Prophecy.

Availability:

Good, ish. I don’t think it’s in print anymore but I see copies of it pop up all the time on eBay for Reigon 1 and 4.

Trailer:

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Virginia Madsen in Walter

Walter

Walter. For the longest time, as I’ve been working through all these Virginia Madsen films, I don’t think I’ve come across one that has left me quite as stumped on what to say as this one. It’s so offbeat and unusual, but in the best possible way. I found myself laughing out loud more than once, which, honestly, doesn’t happen to me often these days.

And yeah, it’s good, man. Really good.

Released in 2015, Walter is a quirky little film that stars Andrew J. West in the lead role, with a supporting cast that includes Neve Campbell, Milo Ventimiglia, William H. Macy, and, of course, Virginia Madsen. It’s directed by Anna Mastro and written by Paul Shoulberg, who adapted it from his own 2010 short film of the same name.

I went into this movie completely blind, and I’m convinced that’s the best way to experience it. It’s the kind of film that reveals itself slowly, piece by piece, and you should really discover it that way, without knowing too much in advance.Virginia Madsen as Karen Benjamin in Walter, dressed in black with dark sunglasses, standing solemnly at a gravesite during a funeral. She places a flower on the casket, surrounded by white floral arrangements. A young boy in a suit, holding a single white rose, stands behind her, while uniformed officers attend the service in the background beneath lush green trees.Here’s what I will tell you, which is basically the kind of stuff you’d find on the DVD case or in the trailer. The story centres around Walter, a seemingly ordinary guy with an extraordinary belief: that he is the son of God, but he’s not “Jesus”, as he clarifies early on, that was some other Dude.

According to Walter, his divine purpose is to decide the eternal fate of everyone he meets. That’s his true calling. His day job? Taking tickets at a local movie cinema.

And that’s pretty much all you need to know before diving in.

Virginia Madsen plays Karen Benjamin, Walter’s long-suffering mother. And as you’d expect, she brings layers to the role that only she could. There’s a deep sadness to Karen that gradually becomes clear as the movie unfolds. Life has dealt her a rough hand, but she’s carried on with grace and resilience. What I love about her performance here is the way she mixes that quiet melancholy with moments of humour.
Virginia Madsen as Karen Benjamin in Walter, sitting at a kitchen table during a meal. She wears a casual blue and white patterned blouse, her blonde hair pulled back. A glass of milk, a jar of orange juice, and a plate of food are on the table. Behind her, white wooden cabinets filled with books and household items create a warm, homey atmosphere.She manages to flex her comedy chops, and there are a couple of scenes, especially involving eggs, that had me genuinely laughing out loud. Her chemistry with Andrew J. West is just right, especially in those small, slice-of-life moments that make their relationship feel all too real.

(I’m half snorting just remembering a scene around the table with the two of them as I write this.)

Virginia Madsen was one of the first “big” actors to commit to the film, something Paul Shoulberg was grateful for, speaking to Indianapolis Monthly he commented;

“The first person to sign on after that was Virginia Madsen, which is really important for a film. Once you have an established person sign on, people start taking it more seriously. ”

She’s also been spoken fondly of the film and her time working on it as well. In an interview with Melissa Parker for smashinginterviews.com she’d gush about it a little;

“I love to work in an ensemble cast. It’s my favourite way to work. Even though my scenes were only with Walter (Andrew J. West), I’m still in the midst of this wonderful group of people. I wanted to meet the director, and she was very interesting. I would say that it’s a comedy. It does have its dramatic elements, but it is a delight to watch, and it’s more fun than it is sad. Of course, the entire story hinges on how people are dealing with grief. ”

The film as a whole is quirky and clever, filled with dry humour and subtle insights into the human condition. It’s not trying to be flashy or loud, but instead draws you in with its oddball charm. There’s a unique tone here, a mix of the absurd and the profound.
Virginia Madsen as Karen Benjamin in Walter, standing in a dimly lit kitchen wearing a light pink nightgown. She appears startled or concerned, looking toward a man in a red vest who is partially visible in the foreground. Behind her, a kitchen sink, white cabinets, and a window with dotted curtains.It’s got its own flavour all its own. It’s light on its feet but also hits you with moments of surprising depth. One minute you’re laughing, the next you’re “huh”ing.

Walter might not have been on everyone’s radar, but it’s definitely a hidden gem. And Virginia Madsen, as always, brings something special to her role, helping elevate the film beyond just its quirky premise. It’s a cast piece again, you can’t fault any of them, really.
Virginia Madsen as Karen Benjamin in Walter, standing in a warmly lit home, wearing a bright blue dress with a black cardigan. She has a radiant smile, her blonde hair styled in soft waves. Behind her, a partially open door leads to another room, adding a sense of warmth and familiarity to the scene.And again, I’m smirking to myself thinking of some of the lines William H. Macy comes out with.

Virginia Madsen has of course worked with William H. Macy before, the first time would be in A Murderous Affair, and they were both in Ghosts of Mississippi as well.

So yeah, if you’re up for something different, something that’ll have you laughing one moment and thinking the next, this is one to check out.

But believe me, the less you know going in, the better. I think so at least.

Availability:

Good, good – Region 1 DVD’s are easy to find. Just be careful when searching as it isn’t the only film out there called “Walter”.

Gallery:

Trailer:

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Virginia Madsen in The Last Keepers

The Last Keepers

So, The Last Keepers. Another that wasn’t exactly high on my list of films to watch when doing this Virginia Madsen watch / rewatch thing. And, I’m not sure if it’d even be on my list if it wasn’t for Mrs Madsen. No, I am sure. It wouldn’t be.

It’s not the kind of film that is trying to grab your attention either, it’s got quite a subdued presence all round. And, without meaning to sound like a broken record – I don’t know if I’d have even heard of it without Virginia Madsen.

Despite all its quietness and nonedescriptness, it’s a film you’ve seen before. Probably many years ago, and many times. It’s a “quirky girl finds out she’s actually quite special” kind of film.

See. Told you, you’d seen it.

Now. You’ve seen it before, but have you watched it recently?Virginia Madsen in The Last KeepersThe Last Keepers is charming. It wins you over. It doesn’t offer you anything new and doesn’t challenge you in any way. But there is something about it that all gels together and brings you that exact same fuzzy feeling you didn’t know was missing till it gives you that hug.

The quirky teenager of The Last Keepers is Rhea Carver (Zosia Mamet). She’s an artist who has always felt out of her place in her small town high school. She lives with her reclusive (“strange”) parents, Abigail (Virginia) and John (Aidan Quinn) alongside her wise old Grandmother, Rosemarie (Olympia Dukakis).

It’s an odd life to live, but a peaceful one. Rhea is happy enough with her lot, she might not have the life of a normal teenager, but she’s happy enough. But, all that changes when she finds out she’s actually the latest in a long line of female mystics who possess ancient magical powers. Normally these powers manifest as Telekinesis, Visions or Healing, but Rhea seems to have command over all three – This insinuates that she might be “The Chosen One” of prophecy.
Virginia Madsen in The Last KeepersAnd that, of course, explains everything.

Rhea’s powers begin to get stronger, the family begin to realise that even within their own world that she’s displaying powers stronger and more powerful than is normal. Abigail has visions which lead her to be more protective over Rhea than she should be. There’s problems at school when her classmates realise there is something going on with Rhea which leads to accusations of her being a witch, not helped because she actually is a witch.

Rhea soon begins to feel the pressure and overwhelmed by it all, but with her family’s help and support she makes all the right choices, eventually, and embraces her destiny.

OK – So, that’s the broad strokes. There is a lot more to it than that but it’s all noise and melodrama, and you’ve seen it all before.Virginia Madsen in The Last KeepersVirginia Madsen is superb form here. I’ve said before that she does this kind of role so well. But I sometimes take for granted how well she does it. In The Last Keepers it’s on display more than most other times just how layered she can make these roles. There is a warmth and a depth to Abigail that simply shines. The internal conflict she has over wanting the best for her daughter but at the same trying to protect her family’s legacy.

The whole cast is great to be fair, and I think that is one of the things that makes this film so charming. It’s really well done, for what it is.

(Also worth a little nod to the fact she’d work with Aidan Quinn a few years later in Elementary)

Is it groundbreaking? No.

Is it as cheesy as it gets? Yes.

Can you find a reason to hate on it? Doubtful.

Is it going to give you warm fuzzy feelings? Probably.

Am I writing this with a little too much light in my soul after watching it? Definitely.

This isn’t my cup of tea, and I probably won’t watch it ever again without reason. But I won’t ever knock it.

This is no doubt a film that has flown under too many people’s radars. It deserved better.Virginia Madsen in The Last KeepersIt’s hard to recommend the film as an  adult, for an adult audience (as I assume most people reading this are) – BUT – If you have kids of a certain age who need to see a bit of good in the world then you can do far worse than watch this with them.

Availabilty:

Good. No problems at all finding this one on DVD. Blu-Ray is harder to find, seems like it was only relased in some countries this way and it’s also available on Amazon Prime, depending on your location and or access to a VPN.

Trailer:

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Virginia Madsen in Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect is a Virgina Madsen film I hadn’t seen before but very much looking forward to. It might as well have driven up my street, parked outside and given me a friendly wave while holding a box of popcorn.

It’s a  film that deals with the consequences of our actions. Those events that shape our lives in ways we can’t possibly understand or comprehend at the time.A warmly lit outdoor scene shows Virginia Madsen smiling tenderly as she cups the face of a bearded man wearing a gray fedora. They are seated close together, surrounded by tall grass and background figures, suggesting an intimate gathering.Phillippe Caland wears many hats in Ripple Effect. He writes, directs, produces, and stars as the lead character, Amer Atrash. He’s a once successful fashion designer who despite doing well for himself is haunted by his demons. Amer is looking down the barrel of a mid-life crisis as the guilt from a hit and run accident in his past weighs heavier and heavier on his soul. He once hit a man with his car while in the country illegally, he did his best to ensure that the man did survive the accident but didn’t come forward and admit his actions for fear of running his own life.

We meet Amer as he’s just lost funding for his latest projects, despite his best efforts he can’t seem to raise the money he needs. He eventually implodes and begins to realise he can’t move forward with his life until he reconciles his past. No matter what that might look like.

No longer able to help himself, he confesses all to his wife, Sherry (Virginia Madsen) who agrees that he must put his mind to rest before he can begin to work out what to do with the rest of his life. She loves him and the daughter they have together dearly but she can see something isn’t right.A softly lit bedroom scene shows Virginia Madsen lying on her side atop a plush, golden bedspread. Her bare shoulder is exposed, and she gazes downward with a serene yet contemplative expression. Her wavy blonde hair frames her face, illuminated by the warm glow of ambient lighting.Amer reveals that he has kept tabs on his victim and knows where he is. He’s watched as the man recovered from the accident but has been left disabled and in a wheelchair due to the accident.

He makes arrangements to be at the same place at the same time at the place he knows he’ll be and “bumps into” the man and his wife. His name is Phillip (Forest Whittaker), he’s there with his wife Kitty (Minnie Driver). Phillip, left disabled after the accident, has adapted in his own way. He and his wife Kitty have an unconventional arrangement with his consent, since Phillip is physically unable to fulfil her needs, Kitty seeks lovers outside their marriage, and so it’s easy for Amer to meet the couple and get an invite to their home.

The night doesn’t go as planned for Kitty, but Amer has an in with Phillip and pretty soon he’s confessing all to the man he paralysed all those years ago. But, he doesn’t quite find what he’s looking for with Phillip. In some ways Amer wants to be punished by Phillip for what he’s done to this life, but what he finds is a spiritual man who long since come to terms with his lot in life and sees things completely different to Amer.Virginia Madsen from Ripple Effect. She sits on a red-striped outdoor lounge chair, wearing a vibrant red blouse. Her curly blonde hair frames her face as she gazes off to the side with a pensive expression, her lips slightly parted. In her hand, she holds a white cup, illuminated by soft ambient lighting against a dark, lush garden background.I’ll leave that there and let you discover the rest of the story for yourself if you’ve not already. It’s worth a watch if you’re not necessarily in the mood for an introspective kind of film.

Virginia Madsen’s Sherry character is a good one for her. She’s much more than the supporting character she could easily have been. There’s a very real world weariness to her and it helps carry the film immeasurably. No melodrama, just a realistic portrayal of a woman who has loved a man for a long time but has grown somewhat apart from him through no real fault of her own.

I think it’s safe to say that without the inclusion of both Virginia Madsen and Forest Whitaker in this film, it would have been far worse. They both carry it further than it perhaps should have gone.

I didn’t enjoy the film as much as I wanted to do. I like the concept, and for the most part the execution. But I think it suffers somewhere that I can’t quite get my head around. I certainly don’t think Phillppe Caland Caland’s ambition to take on so many roles in the film was such a good idea, as the lead, he’s overshadowed by the actors of Virginia Madsen and Forest Whittakers calibre. That said, and as I said before. It is worth a watch for a bit of introspection. It’s not a bad film, it’s just a bit all over the place with some things better than others that don’t quite manage to bring it all together.

It’s a shame, Ripple Effect could have been something special.

If you do decide to watch it, make sure you don’t switch it off as soon as the credits roll for a final “Huh” moment…

Availability:

It has a release on DVD, but it’s availabilty is relugated to who ever is selling it on eBay or a simialr site. It’s not hard to get hold of but it’s prices seem to vary quite a lot.

Trailer:

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Virginia Madsen in Voltron: Legendary Defender

Voltron: Legendary Defender

In 2016 Netflix collaborated with Dreamworks to bring us Volton: Legendary Defender, a reboot of the Voltron series which first debuted back in 1984.

It’s true what they say, classics never die, especially in the day and age of reboots, and Netflix.

The history of the whole show is too much to go into here, especially as we’re all only really here to talk about Virginia Madsen, and the part she plays in the Voltrons history is only about 10 minutes of actual screen time. And, honestly I’m not the best person to talk to about Voltron at the best of times.

Technically, not even screen time, it’s voice time….

Virginia’s sultry tones can be heard in the third season of Voltron: Legendary Defender episode “Hole in the Sky”. She voices Commander Hira.Virginia Madsen in Voltron: Legendary DefenderCommander Hira comes from an alternate reality in which the roles of the heroes and villains of the regular Voltron universe have been reversed. It takes the regular heroes a few minutes to catch up with what exactly is going on, but when they do they aren’t at all impressed.

Virginia Madsen does her cartoon villain thing here, she seems to have a thing for doing these kinds of roles on cartoons looking back at her work in the DC Universe with Justice League (and Unlimited) and Stuart Little 3. I get a very real sense she revels in this kind of thing. It’s a very calm, collected and even calculated presence she gives Hira, quite unnerving when the truth about what they are doing is revealed with the mind control stuff.
Virginia Madsen in Voltron: Legendary DefenderIt’s a subtle, and chilling performance for sure. It’s all effortless, like she’s taking a Sunday stroll through the park with her dog.

Availability:

Well, it’s on Netflix for sure – How long is anyone’s guess, it was supposed to be retiring this year in 2024, but as of the time of writing (October) it’s still on no warnings that it’s leaving anytime soon.

Unlike other Netflix shows you can purchase the DVDs for the series, although I could only find them on Reigon 1 DVDs which means you’ll have to be in the US or have a multi-region DVD player to watch them.

Trailer:

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Virginia Madsen in Give Me an A

Give Me an A

Give Me an A is a film born out of necessity. It’s not a film that has been years in the making or a script that’s been bouncing around Hollywood for a decade.

[ahem] Before I go any further, let me make it clear: this isn’t a space to debate the political implications of what I say next. This film is a direct response to one of the most heated legal and media debates of the last few years. I fully support the film-makers’ right to express their outrage and defend their stance, but I’m not interested in engaging in conversation about it here. [/ahem]

With that said, let me give you some background on the film:

Roe vs. Wade was a landmark Supreme Court decision made in 1973, recognising a woman’s constitutional right to have an abortion without excessive government interference. It established that women had the right to make personal decisions about their reproductive health, particularly during the first trimester, and it set a legal precedent that protected those rights for nearly 50 years.

The problem?

Roe vs. Wade was overturned in June 2022. For millions of American women, it felt like a slap in the face. A basic human right, to be crystal clear –  a freedom over one’s own body – was taken away. To say that this left people in shock is an understatement.

Reactions were varied, but one woman, Natasha Halevi, knew how she wanted to respond. Using her creativity and art, she set out to make a film that tackled the enormity of the decision.

And thus, Give Me an A was born. Conceived and completed in just three months, the film had its first release at the end of September 2022. Quite the impressive feat.

Give Me an A is an anthology film, made up of 16 short films woven into a single narrative. Each short uses a different genre, but the theme remains the same: women’s rights and what it means to have their reproductive rights stripped away. These stories explore where we’ve been, where we are, and where a decision like this could lead.

Breaking up these shorts is a group of cheerleaders. But these aren’t the stereotypical, bubbly cheerleaders you might expect. At the start, they seem happy-go-lucky, but as the films play out, you can see their demeanour shift. They go from passive, excited spectators to determined young women, warriors, even. By the end of the film, there’s no doubt that these girls aren’t here to play.

Virginia Madsen plays their coach, guiding them through this emotional transformation. She’s barely on screen, but her presence still matters. Normally, I might call this a waste of her talent, but in this project, nothing goes to waste. Every contribution feels deliberate and meaningful.
Virginia Madsen as Coach Judy in Give Me an A, standing confidently in front of a group of cheerleaders wearing white and red uniforms with the letter It’s an odd film, but a necessary one. The messaging is clear for all. I would hope at least. But here’s where I have my doubts; the people who need to see this most probably won’t watch it. They’re often complicit in their own ignorance, and that’s a real shame. Each short is designed to make people think about what’s right and wrong, but the people that support this film will likely already be on the side of women’s rights.

That said, I believe the film absolutely needs to exist. It’s a beacon of solidarity for the countless women out there who need to know they aren’t alone in their frustrations.

In many ways, this is a film that shouldn’t need to exist. But here we are. I could rant about why that is, but I won’t. And, trust me, I’ve already moderated myself quite a bit while writing this.

Would I recommend this film? All day long to those who should, or need, to see it.

Availability:

Not as great as it should be. It’s available on some VOD channels and as a Blu Ray release courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome.

Trailer:

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