12 Movies Starring Melissa Leo

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A political thriller that charts the exploits of disillusioned ex-hacker Terell Lessor. A return to New York, coupled with a humiliating attempt at getting a new job, serves as the catalyst for him to take action against those who slighted him in the past. Employing strategically placed spy-cams, and operating in tandem with backer, strategist and lover Olivia, he captures compromising footage and broadcasts the edited clips via a newly-minted website. Recognizing the power of their model, the two begin to target CEOs, politicians, those who represent the worst of the establishment. Soon Terell's every move is front-page news, law enforcement is after him, and copy-catters are taking his abduction-and-confession model to extremes he never imagined. With these forces colliding, Terell has to decide whether his actions are sustainable - a decision that will compromise his agenda, his first taste of romance, and his physical wellbeing.

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Michael Adler has run away from his suburban home with his little brother Dylan. Hiding out in a quiet, rural town, Michael's convinced he can make a better life for both of them. While Dylan stays holed up in a cheap motel all day, Michael works at a convenience store where everything starts to come together for him. But as Michael falls in love with his beautiful co-worker, Carly, his past begins to catch up with him, threatening everything he has and wants.

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The Fighter is a drama about boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer on the verge of being KO'd by drugs and crime.

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Takes place in the days before Christmas near a little-known border crossing on the Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec. Here, the lure of fast money from smuggling presents a daily challenge to single moms who would otherwise be earning minimum wage. Two women - one white, one Mohawk, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances - are drawn into the world of border smuggling across the frozen water of the St. Lawrence River. Ray and Lila - and a New York State Trooper as opponent in an evolving cat-and-mouse game.

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Craig Johnson's poised and poignant first feature follows Sam (Mark Duplass), an, unbeknownst to him, washed-up rocker in the early stages of haggard. Jobless and apartment-less, he crashes with his aunt (a compassionate Melissa Leo) as a last resort and becomes reluctant camping-trip chaperone to her teenage son and a pal. That the three males are on par, maturity-wise, makes for engaging ensemble juvenilia. But in the stirring Pacific Northwest wilderness a surprising discovery turns dire -- and the distance from boy to man must be covered overnight. Duplass's ballsy and at times balls-out performance is a winner, particularly when Sam at long last takes stock of himself: it ain't pretty.

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Something's wrong at the Rileys. Married nearly 30 years, Doug and Lois rarely talk. She doesn't leave their Indianapolis home, and she's ordered a gravestone with their names and birth years on it. He has a long-time Thursday night mistress whom he invites to go with him to a plumbing supply conference in New Orleans. Once there, Doug calls Lois to say he's staying for a while. What's he leaving behind and what's he looking for in New Orleans? And Lois, can she break out?

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Vanessa gets a dose of reality when Philip, her one true love, ends their relationship, again. The quirky teen enrolls in his school to win him back, but ends up making matters worse. Downgraded to social outcast, Vanessa struggles to reclaim Phillip's affection. Luckily, when Vanessa is declared a captain for the school's Snowstorm Survivor competition, she assembles a team of likeminded misfits to prove they deserve to compete and hopefully win her love's heart again.

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A thesis picture. James arrives home to West Texas from Iraq. He doesn't remember much about the war, and it's soon clear he has post traumatic stress. He takes a job at an abattoir. After an alcohol-fueled fights with co-workers and his wife, he seeks help at the VA. He returns to find she's leaving him until he can regain control. He leaves his dog with his ailing mother and drives northeast to visit an Army buddy and find out what it is he can't remember. His friend won't say much, so James drives on to Walter Reed Hospital where another friend convalesces. Will James find out what he's repressed, and if he does, will it make anything better? What options does he have?

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Glendale, California, 1931: Mildred Pierce, a young mother with a talent for baking, is left a "grass widow" after throwing her husband, Bert, out of the house. Forced to hunt for work to support herself and her two young daughters, 11-year-old Veda and seven-year-old Ray, Mildred visits an employment agency, only to encounter job opportunities she feels are beneath her. Amidst her job search, she receives dating advice from her friend and neighbor, Lucy Gessler, and begins an unexpected affair with an ex-business partner of her husband's, Wally Burgan. When Mildred receives a call from the agency regarding an opening as a housekeeper to a wealthy socialite, she reluctantly agrees to meet with her. After cutting the acerbic interview short, Mildred seeks refuge at a local diner, Cristofor's Cafè, where fate, and a waitress named Ida, will play a role in shaping her future.

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Luke is a young up-and-coming golfer. His father has pushed him to succeed on the green his entire life. After finally hitting rock bottom, he runs from his circumstances and his past and meets a man who took the time to care, Johnny Crawford. Johnny continues to surprise Luke at every turn, as he tries to help him bury his past and uncover the key to his future.

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The story of Eli Smith (Jesse Eisenberg), a piano prodigy, dealing with his troubled mother, Penny (Melissa Leo), and enlisting help from a hapless drug dealer, Sprinkles (Tracy Morgan), on the day he has an audition for a prestigious music program. Events spiral comically out of control as this gang of misfits faces the mistakes of the past, the challenges of the future, and the possibilities of love.

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Like its first breast cancer-themed installment, Call Me Crazy aka Five 2/Five More will feature five short films featuring A-list talent both in front and behind the camera. The sequel will address mental illness. Directors include Laura Dern, Bonnie Hunt, Ashley Judd and Bryce Dallas Howard.