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Deflating the Elephant (2009)
Character: Narrator
Sean Penn teams with author George Lakoff in this thought-provoking examination of how language frames the nature of political discourse in America. How phrases such as "pro life", "no child left behind" and "the war on terror" dominated the national dialogue with polarizing results.
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Cruise Control (1992)
Character: N/A
Cruise Control is a 1992 English language short film directed by Matt Palmieri, starring Ed Begley Jr., Sean Penn and Max Perlich. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.
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Summerspell (1983)
Character: Buddy
Family celebrations and tensions, Independence Day, Texas 1948
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The Beaver Kid 2 (1981)
Character: Groovin' Larry
The Beaver Kid 2 features Sean Penn as "Groovin' Larry" Huff in a dramatic interpretation of the original documentary. It incorporated some scenes from the original documentary. The Beaver Kid 2 was shot on a budget of $100.
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Americans (2012)
Character: Commie
"Americans" is a short 'public service' film starring Sean Penn and Kid Rock. The goal of the film is to tear down the one-dimensional political stereotypes portrayed by the media by confronting them head on. It reminds us that what really matters is that we're all Americans, with diverse thoughts, opinions and stances on issues. We are millions of unique, individual parts, the sum of which comprise a whole that is the shining beacon of freedom throughout the world. The film reminds us to be proud of our differences, and to never forget that we're all in this together as Americans.
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Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A Virtual Table Read (2020)
Character: Pizza Guy
A virtual table read of the classic 1982 hit Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The all-star cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Dane Cook, Morgan Freeman, Jimmy Kimmel, Shia LaBeouf, John Legend, Ray Liotta, CORE co-founder Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. This virtual special featured a series of memorable moments, including LaBeouf's hilariously accurate portrayal of Jeff Spicoli enjoyed by Penn himself, Morgan Freeman's dramatic narration, Julia Roberts (Stacy Hamilton) and Aniston's (Linda Barrett) adorable friendship, and a comical reenactment between Aniston (Linda) and Pitt (Brad Hamilton) as their characters shared a flirtatious scene in a daydream sequence. This event benefited CORE’s COVID-19 relief efforts to protect vulnerable communities as well as our friends at Reform Alliance.
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Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Division (2011)
Character: Self
Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Jack Black, Matt Damon, Sean Penn, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen & Kevin Spacey, who comprise the Clinton Foundation's Celebrity Division, sit down to brainstorm ideas for the Clinton Foundation's 10th Anniversary. Everything is going great until they get a call from President William J. Clinton himself.
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This So-Called Disaster (2003)
Character: Ray
Director Michael Almereyda's documentary on the weeks just prior to Sam Shepard's stage production of his play "The Late Henry Moss."
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The Human Experiment (2013)
Character: Narrator
A documentary that explores the potential dangers of toxic chemicals in consumer products and the recent spike in unexplained health phenomena.
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Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments (2004)
Character: Self
The inevitable fat cigar between his fingers, the American actor, director and fine artist Dennis Hopper (1936) self-mockingly looks back on his chequered life and career, at the request of Dutch director, photographer and fine artist Thom Hoffman. The latter sifted through the turbulent life story of Hopper, who is primarily known from the cult film Easy Rider (1969). Hopper went through as many high as low points. In conveniently arranged chapters, Hoffman shows the decisive moments in Hopper's life and asks colleagues like Wim Wenders, David Lynch, Sean Penn and Julian Schnabel to comment on them. The documentary is richly illustrated with film excerpts, photos, newspaper articles and anecdotes. The main reason for this film was the retrospective of Dennis Hopper's art work in the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum in 2001.
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Mad Hannans (2017)
Character: N/A
A documentary about brothers, musicians and bandmates Jerry and Sean Hannan, chronicling their rise, fall, and ultimate reconciliation. It is a true story of life's joys, trials, devastating losses, and the unbreakable bonds that hold them together.
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Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die) (2003)
Character: Self
We are taken though the principal milestones of Hopper's biography, including his debut start in Hollywood, the meeting with James Dean and the influence he played upon him, his insubordination on sets and conflicts with the Hollywood directors which led to his black-listing, the years in New, the making of 'Easy Rider' (with an interesting connection of the ultimate road movie with the French new wave directors), 'Apocalypse Now', 'Blue Velvet', 'Colors', his fight with dependency on drugs and alcohol. We come to know Hopper as a complex artist, a valuable photographer who had always a camera on him and whose portraits or American life shots figure among the best in the genre, but also a rebel painter (who may still be rediscovered and become famous in posterity) and exquisite art collector.
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Mystic River: From Page to Screen (2003)
Character: Self
Clint Eastwood's film 'Mystic River' (2003) is discussed by the director himself, screenwriter Brian Helgeland, the novel's author Dennis Lehane, and the ensemble cast (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laura Linney, Laurence Fishburne, and Marcia Gay Harden), who share their perspectives on the themes of the film and their collaboration with Eastwood.
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Madonna: The Name of the Game (1993)
Character: Self
Go where only Madonna has gone before. From interviews with brother Martin Ciccone and exes Sean Penn and Warren Beatty to a tour of her hometown haunts, this all-access documentary takes you inside the pop megastar's world. Go on the set of Body of Evidence, out on the town with frenzied paparazzi and into the make-believe world of Madonna impersonators -- including Queerdonna. Never-before-seen footage gives a rare look at the Material Girl.
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Hellinger's Law (1981)
Character: Bit Part (uncredited)
A flamboyant criminal lawyer named Nick Hellinger takes on the case of a syndicate's accountant (actually a Justice Department agent who has infiltrated the mob) accused of murdering a local TV newscaster.
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VH1 Rock Honors: The Who (2008)
Character: Self
The Who were honored at the 2008 ceremony from the Pauley Pavilion at UCLA instead of the usual Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Events Center. The concert consisted of an hour-long performance by the band as well as tributes by Incubus, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Flaming Lips, Adam Sandler and Tenacious D.
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Loved (1997)
Character: Man on the Hill (Michael)
After a man is accused of driving his third wife to suicide, his first wife Hedda, a troubled woman who can't hate or hurt others even if they had wronged her, is subpoenaed to testify on his abusive behavior during their marriage.
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Being John Malkovich (1999)
Character: Sean Penn (uncredited)
One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.
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Gonzo Girl (2023)
Character: N/A
A young college graduate toiling as an intern has dreams of making it big in publishing, and the chance comes when they accept an offer to become the latest assistant of a notoriously over the top writer.
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Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride (2006)
Character: Self
A personal, intimate look at journalist Hunter S. Thompson with a special emphasis on his Hollywood relationships. It captures the legacy and "gonzo" spirit of one of this century's most notorious figures - a man whose life and work regularly intersected with some of the biggest names in the world of film, politics, journalism and sports.
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Fair Game (2010)
Character: Joseph Wilson
A devoted wife and mother leads a secret life as a CIA agent until her husband’s article exposes a scandal, putting her identity and loved ones at risk. As her world crumbles, she must navigate the fallout of her double life.
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The Gunman (2015)
Character: Jim Terrier
Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie, a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman with dealings in Africa.
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Brando (2007)
Character: Self
The life and legacy of Marlon Brando and how he changed acting.
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Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey (2014)
Character: Self
Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain is an icon of American theater. Since first walking on stage in 1954, Holbrook has performed his one-man show Mark Twain Tonight! for millions on and off Broadway, in all fifty states, in twenty countries, before five U.S. presidents and behind the Iron Curtain. Countless actors and Twain scholars have been influenced by Holbrook's work and his Tony and Emmy Award-winning masterpiece.
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War Made Easy (2007)
Character: Self - Narrator (Voice)
War Made Easy reaches into the Orwellian memory hole to expose a 50-year pattern of government deception and media spin that has dragged the United States into one war after another from Vietnam to Iraq. revealing in stunning detail how the American news media have uncritically disseminated the pro-war messages of successive presidential administrations.
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Mystic River (2003)
Character: Jimmy Markum
The lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered when one of them suffers a family tragedy.
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Sound of Sun (2017)
Character: Man
The discovery of self-awareness in a twisting venture between dreams and reality. (The first piece of the director's Transformational Trilogy)
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21 Grams (2003)
Character: Paul Rivers
Paul Rivers, an ailing mathematician lovelessly married to an English émigré; Christina Peck, an upper-middle-class suburban housewife and mother of two girls; and Jack Jordan, a born-again ex-con, are brought together by a terrible accident that changes their lives.
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Bruce Springsteen, le chanteur qui murmurait à l'oreille de l'Amérique (2024)
Character: Self : Actor, Director & Writer (Archive footage)
The life of Bruce Springsteen has been told many times, from the angle of the adored rock star, American icon.
After a career spanning fifty years, nearly 130 million albums sold, concerts lasting over three hours in sold-out stadiums, fans including Sean Penn, Bono, Sting, Prince and Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen is now, at 73, one of rock’n’roll’s major icons. The American weeklies Time Magazine and Newsweek made no mistake in featuring the singer on their front pages in 1975, prophesying his inevitable success.
A multimillionaire singer, the “Boss” has always sung about the little people, the workers who get up early in the morning, the people left behind by the American dream.
On stage and in song, he continues to embody the American working class from which he sprang, and for which he remains the unapologetic spokesman. As in a Frank Capra film, anyone can become a hero in a Bruce Springsteen song.
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The Last Party (1993)
Character: Self
A youthful perspective on the 1992 presidential campaign with a witty, cautionary message to young Americans to start participating in democracy or get the kind of government they deserve.
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The Weight of Water (2001)
Character: Thomas Janes
A newspaper photographer researches an 1873 double homicide and finds her own life paralleling that of a witness who survived the tragic ordeal.
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Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
Character: Emmet Ray
In the 1930s, jazz guitarist Emmet Ray idolizes Django Reinhardt, faces gangsters and falls in love with a mute woman.
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Cool Blue (1990)
Character: Phil the Plumber (uncredited)
Dustin, an aspiring painter meets this woman named Christiane. Dustin is on a search for love, sex, and inspiration. When Christiane dumps him and disapears as quickly as she dropped in, Dustin embarks on an obsessive search in Southern California to search for her.
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The Professor and the Madman (2019)
Character: Dr. William Chester Minor
Professor James Murray begins work compiling words for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in the mid 19th century, and receives over 10,000 entries from a patient at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr. William Minor.
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Milk (2008)
Character: Harvey Milk
The true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man ever elected to public office. In San Francisco in the late 1970s, Harvey Milk becomes an activist for gay rights and inspires others to join him in his fight for equal rights that should be available to all Americans.
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Hugo Pool (1997)
Character: Strange Hitchhiker
Hugo Pool is a quirky tale of a Los Angeles pool cleaner who falls in love with a young man dying of Lou Gerhig's Disease.
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The Interpreter (2005)
Character: Tobin Keller
After Silvia Broome, an interpreter at United Nations headquarters, overhears plans of an assassination, an American Secret Service agent is sent to investigate.
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Casualties of War (1989)
Character: Sgt. Tony Meserve
During the Vietnam War, a soldier finds himself the outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager.
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Colors (1988)
Character: Danny McGavin
A confident young cop is shown the ropes by a veteran partner in the dangerous gang-controlled barrios of Los Angeles, where the gang culture is enforced by the colors the members wear.
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Shanghai Surprise (1986)
Character: Glendon Wasey
Glendon Wasey is a fortune hunter looking for a fast track out of China. Gloria Tatlock is a missionary nurse seeking the curing powers of opium for her patients. Fate sets them on a hectic, exotic, and even romantic quest for stolen drugs. But they are up against every thug and smuggler in Shangai.
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Racing with the Moon (1984)
Character: Henry 'Hopper' Nash
In a small coastal California town, Henry and Nicky are pals from blue collar families with only a short time before they ship off to World War II. Henry begins romancing new-to-town Caddie Winger, believing her to be wealthy. Mischievous and irresponsible, Nicky gets into trouble which forces the other two to become involved, testing their relationship, as well as the friendship between the boys.
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Judgment in Berlin (1988)
Character: Guenther X
An American judge in Germany must decide if the hijacking of an East German plane into West Berlin was justified.
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Taps (1981)
Character: Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer
Military cadets take extreme measures to ensure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.
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Gangster Squad (2013)
Character: Mickey Cohen
Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and — if he has his way — every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop… except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara and Jerry Wooters who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart.
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At Close Range (1986)
Character: Bradford "Brad" Whitewood Jr.
Brad Whitewood Jr. lives in rural Pennsylvania and has few prospects. Against his mother's wishes, he seeks out his estranged father, the head of a gang of thieves in a nearby town. Though his new girlfriend supports his criminal ambitions, Brad Jr. soon learns that his father is a dangerous man. Inspired by the real events that led to the end of the Johnston Gang, who operated in the northeastern United States in the 1970s.
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Sweet Micky for President (2015)
Character: Self
Music and politics collide when international music star, Pras Michel of the Fugees, returns to his homeland of Haiti following the devastating earthquake of 2010 to mobilize a presidential campaign for Haiti's most controversial musician: Michel Martelly aka Sweet Micky. The politically inexperienced pair set out against a corrupted government, civil unrest, and a fixed election. When Pras's former bandmate, superstar Wyclef Jean, also enters the presidential race, their chances seem further doomed. But with the help of a few friends, including Ben Stiller and former president Bill Clinton, they never give up on their honest dream of changing the course of Haiti's future forever
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What Just Happened (2008)
Character: Self
During the course of an ordinary week in Hollywood, movie producer Ben must navigate his way through shark-infested waters as he struggles to complete his latest projects. A demanding studio boss demands extensive changes to a movie starring Sean Penn, while another chief won't greenlight a project unless star Bruce Willis shaves his beard. Meanwhile, Ben tries to reconcile with his wife and maintain a relationship with his young daughter.
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Crackers (1984)
Character: Dillard
Down-and-out Weslake is reduced to minding the counter at a San Francisco pawn shop when he stumbles onto a scheme by some of the boss's disgruntled misfit clients to rob the place. Rather than blow the whistle, however, he insinuates himself as the heist's mastermind.
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Daddio (2024)
Character: Clark
A woman taking a cab ride from JFK airport engages in a conversation with the driver about the important relationships in their lives.
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Before Night Falls (2000)
Character: Cuco Sanchez
Spanning several decades, this powerful biopic offers a glimpse into the life of famed Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, an artist who was vilified for his homosexuality in Fidel Castro's Cuba.
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Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002)
Character: Narrator
This award-winning, thrilling story is about a group of discarded kids who revolutionized skateboarding and shaped the attitude and culture of modern day extreme sports. Featuring old skool skating footage, exclusive interviews and a blistering rock soundtrack, DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS captures the rise of the Zephyr skateboarding team from Venice's Dogtown, a tough "locals only" beach with a legacy of outlaw surfing.
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Hurlyburly (1998)
Character: Eddie
A group of actors and their casting agents try to find a direction in their lives whilst coming to terms with their personal problems and relationship conflicts.
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Beaver Trilogy Part IV (2015)
Character: Himself (archive footage)
A chance meeting in a parking lot in 1979 between filmmaker Trent Harris and a young man from Beaver, Utah inspired the creation of an underground film that is now known as Beaver Trilogy. But the film itself is only part of the story.
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Bukowski: Born Into This (2003)
Character: Self
Director John Dullaghan’s biographical documentary about infamous poet Charles Bukowski, Bukowski: Born Into This, is as much a touching portrait of the author as it is an exposé of his sordid lifestyle. Interspersed between ample vintage footage of Bukowski’s poetry readings are interviews with the poet’s fans including such legendary figures such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joyce Fante (wife of John), Bono, and Harry Dean Stanton. Filmed in grainy black and white by Bukowski’s friend, Taylor Hackford, due to lack of funding, the old films edited into this movie paint Bukowski’s life of boozing and brawling romantically, securing Bukowski’s legendary status.
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Dead Man Walking (1995)
Character: Matthew Poncelet
A death row inmate turns for spiritual guidance to a local nun in the days leading up to his scheduled execution for the murders of a young couple.
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Licorice Pizza (2021)
Character: Jack Holden
The story of Gary Valentine and Alana Kane growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.
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Citizen Penn (2020)
Character: Himself
After a devastating 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in 2010 aid workers from around the world went to help, including actor and filmmaker Sean Penn.
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Searching for Debra Winger (2002)
Character: Self (uncredited)
Rosanna Arquette talks to various actresses about the pressures they face as women working in the entertainment industry.
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This Must Be the Place (2011)
Character: Cheyenne
A bored, retired rock star sets out to find his father's tormentor, an ex-Nazi war criminal who is a refugee in the U.S.
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The Thin Red Line (1998)
Character: 1st Sgt. Edward Welsh
The story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer, and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. It follows their journey, from the surprise of an unopposed landing, through the bloody and exhausting battles that follow, to the ultimate departure of those who survived.
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BRATS (2024)
Character: Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
In the 1980s, Andrew McCarthy was part of a young generation of actors who were set to take over Hollywood after a string of successful teen movies. However, when the New York magazine cover story in 1985 dubs them the Brat Pack, stars in the making suddenly find themselves losing control over the trajectory of their careers. Now, almost forty years later, McCarthy looks to reconnect with peers and co-stars so that together they can reflect on their respective legacies.
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The Game (1997)
Character: Conrad Van Orton
In honor of his birthday, San Francisco banker Nicholas Van Orton, a financial genius and a cold-hearted loner, receives an unusual present from his younger brother, Conrad: a gift certificate to play a unique kind of game. In nary a nanosecond, Nicholas finds himself consumed by a dangerous set of ever-changing rules, unable to distinguish where the charade ends and reality begins.
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Up at the Villa (2000)
Character: Rowley Flint
Superficial people are revealed and drastically changed by circumstance or luck in this a tale of death, seduction, blackmail and theft among British and Americans in Florence in the turbulent days just before World War II.
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The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles (2014)
Character: Self
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, this magnificent star-studded tribute salutes the Fab Four. Appearing with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were guest musicians Joe Walsh, Gary Clark, Jr., Stevie Wonder, The Eurythmics, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Dave Grohl, Katy Perry, Peter Frampton, and more.
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In Thanks We Trust (2025)
Character: Self
A unique journey by Ukrainian military artists who embarked on an extensive tour of the United States. In 102 days, they covered over 30,000 kilometers, performed in 69 cities, and held 260 concerts — from intimate street performances to prestigious stages at Congress, Carnegie Hall, and TEDx.
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I Am Sam (2001)
Character: Sam Dawson
Sam, a neurodivergent man, has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving Sam to raise Lucy on his own. But as Lucy grows up, Sam's limitations as a parent start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. Sam convinces high-priced lawyer Rita to take his case pro bono and in turn teaches her the value of love and family.
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The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
Character: Samuel Bicke
It’s 1974 and Sam Bicke has lost everything. His wife leaves him with his three kids, his boss fires him, his brother turns away from him, and the bank won’t give him any money to start anew. He tries to find someone to blame for his misfortunes and comes up with the President of the United States who he plans to murder.
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A Constant Forge (2000)
Character: Self
One of the great mavericks of cinema, John Cassavetes has earned a reputation as the godfather of American independent movies. The actor-turned-filmmaker invented a realist style of unadorned narrative films heavily influenced by documentaries. This in-depth analysis of Cassavetes' life and work features interviews with key collaborators and ensemble regulars, and explores the making of classics like "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie," "Opening Night" and "A Woman Under the Influence."
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The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
Character: Terence (voice)
An island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red, a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck, and the volatile Bomb have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.
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Beaver Trilogy (2000)
Character: "Groovin' Larry" Huff
Our story begins in 1979, with a chance meeting in a Salt Lake City parking lot where filmmaker Trent Harris is approached by an earnest small-town dreamer from Beaver, Utah. Harris jumps at the chance when the young man invites him to come to the small town to film a talent show. At the show, the man dons a blond wig and performs in drag as Olivia Newton John. Harris captures it all on tape: A portrait of a true outsider. Harris shot a dramatic piece, "Beaver Kid 2" based on the documentary; This interpretation of the story, made in 1981 on a home video camera with a budget of $100, features a young Sean Penn as "the Beaver Kid". Still possessed, Harris then rewrote the script, cast up-and-comer Crispin Glover in the lead, and created the final segment, "The Orkly Kid", with funding from the American Film Institute. The trilogy unveils the inner world of a fantastic character in three incarnations.
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Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild (2004)
Character: Self(archive footage) (uncredited)
The life and times of famous Jack Nicholson include his 30-years relationship with Anjelica Houston and find out his sister is his real mother.
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The Killing of Randy Webster (1981)
Character: Don Fremont
When his teenage son is shot by the Houston police following a stolen van chase, his father undertakes a tireless investigation into the truth and uncovers the fact that the gun found with the boy's body was a "throwdown," a weapon planted by the cops.
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Character: Sean O'Connell
A timid magazine photo manager who lives life vicariously through daydreams embarks on a true-life adventure when a negative goes missing.
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Війна очима тварин (2025)
Character: N/A
Animals in War is a poignant anthology film inspired by true stories of animals impacted by the war in Ukraine. A collaboration between Ukrainian and international artists — including actor and activist Sean Penn — the film is a haunting yet captivating call for global awareness and empathy.
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The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)
Character: Daulton Lee
The true story of a disillusioned military contractor employee and his drug pusher childhood friend who became walk-in spies for the Soviet Union.
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Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987)
Character: (voice)
Real-life letters written by American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines during the Vietnam War to their families and friends back home. Archive footage of the war and news coverage thereof augment the first-person "narrative" by men and women who were in the war, some of whom did not survive it.
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State of Grace (1990)
Character: Terry
Hell's Kitchen, New York. Terry Noonan returns home after a ten-year absence. He soon reconnects with Jackie, a childhood friend and member of the Irish mob, and rekindles his love affair with Jackie's sister Kathleen.
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Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Film on Terrence Malick (2002)
Character: Self
Rosy-Fingered Dawn is a film on Terrence Malick. It is about the making of BADLANDS, DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE THIN RED LINE and the personal involvement of some of the most representative figures of the American culture itself. This medley of voices has given origin to a journey throughout the whole United States, from California to Colorado, from Virginia to Minnesota, passing by New York and Los Angeles. Every stop represents an ideal set in which all the characters of the films come to life once again giving place to a growing flow of memories. The narrative dimension of Malick's cinema resounds and opens a new horizon on the visible contradictions of the American culture; no easy judgement but a critical consciousness is what emerges from this coral speech, together with a definite need: the necessity of art. A need that Terrence Malick was able to satisfy.
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U Turn (1997)
Character: Bobby Cooper
When a desperate man’s car breaks down in a bizarre desert town while evading vengeful bookies, he becomes entangled in a dangerous love triangle. Caught between a married couple, he’s faced with deadly contracts to kill them both.
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Superpower (2023)
Character: Self
Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufman’s documentary, shot just before and after Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, and featuring several interviews with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Inside Björk (2003)
Character: Self
Following the career of Björk, this documentary looks at her early musical career with local icelandic bands, her acclaimed stint in The Sugarcubes, and her massive success as a free-spirited solo artist.
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We're No Angels (1989)
Character: Jim
Two escaped cons' only prayer to escape is to pass themselves off as priests and pass by the police blockade at the border into the safety of Canada.
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Carlito's Way (1993)
Character: David Kleinfeld
Free after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld. Reconnecting with his dancer girlfriend, Carlito gets entangled in the shady dealings of his friend Dave Kleinfeld, who also serves as his lawyer. An encounter with shifty gangster Benny Blanco sets the duo on a dangerous path.
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Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003)
Character: Sean Penn
Hollywood comedian/actor Pauly Shore loses everything: his house, nobody in Hollywood wants to represent him, he moves back home with his mom and is now parking cars at the Comedy Store. Then one night when he's up in his mom's loft, a dead famous comedian appears who tells Pauly to kill himself cause he'll go down as a comedic genius who died before his time. Pauly then fakes his own death, and the media goes crazy.
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She's So Lovely (1997)
Character: Eddie Quinn
After being released from a psychiatric institution, a man tries to redeem himself in the eyes of his now-ex wife from the events that led up to his incarceration.
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Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Character: Jeff Spicoli
Based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe, Fast Times follows a group of high school students growing up in Southern California. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for love, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone. Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer faces-off with the resolute teacher, Mr. Hand. Hilarity and heartbreak ensue.
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The People Speak (2009)
Character: Self
A look at America's struggles with war, class, race and women's rights. based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States."
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Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011)
Character: Self
An intense portrait of the iconic filmmaker, writer, actor, comedian and musician Woody Allen: his life, family and friends; his writing and directing habits, and his relationship with performers.
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Sean Penn, l'enfant terrible de l'Amérique (2024)
Character: Self
Sean Penn is almost a living legend. His filmography paints a picture of an 'other America': the lower class, the oppressed and the outsiders. Whether as an actor or director, he turns all the great myths upside down.
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Return to the Wild: The Chris McCandless Story (2014)
Character: Himself
Twenty years ago, a young American hiker named Chris McCandless, the accomplished son of successful middle class parents, was found dead in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness and became the subject of the best-selling book and movie “Into the Wild.” Now, PBS retraces Chris McCandless’ steps to try to piece together why he severed all ties with his past, burnt or gave away all his money, changed his name and headed into the Denali Wilderness. McCandless' own letters, released for the first time, as well as new and surprising interviews, probe the mystery that still lies at the heart of a story that has become part of the American literary canon and compels so many to this day.
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Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune (2011)
Character: Self
From civil rights to the anti-war movement to the struggles of workers, folksinger Phil Ochs wrote topical songs that engaged his audiences in the issues of the 1960s and 70s. In this biographical documentary, veteran director Kenneth Bowser shows how Phil's music and his fascinating life story and eventual decline into depression and suicide were intertwined with the history-making events that defined a generation. Even as his contemporaries moved into folk-rock and pop music, Phil followed his own vision, challenging himself and his listeners. Not one to pull punches, Ochs never achieved the commercial success he desperately desired. But his music remains relevant, reaching new audiences in a generation that finds his themes all too familiar.
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Risky Business (1983)
Character: Passenger in Car (uncredited)
Meet Joel Goodson, an industrious, college-bound 17-year-old and a responsible, trustworthy son. However, when his parents go away and leave him home alone in the wealthy Chicago suburbs with the Porsche at his disposal he quickly decides he has been good for too long and it is time to enjoy himself. After an unfortunate incident with the Porsche Joel must raise some cash, in a risky way.
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It's All About Love (2003)
Character: Marciello
The story of two lovers and their attempts to save their relationship in a near-future world on the brink of cosmic collapse. John, and world-famous ice skating star, Elena, are about to sign divorce papers when they realise that, in spite of everything happening around them, their love is worth fighting for. It's All About Love is a fresh take on modern love and future life as two lovers struggle in a conspiracy of epic proportions.
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Witch Hunt (2008)
Character: Himself (Narrator)
Executive Producer Sean Penn presents "Witch Hunt," a gripping indictment of the American justice system told through the lens of one small town. Voters in Bakersfield, California elected a tough on crime district attorney into office for more than 25 years. During his tenure he convicted dozens of innocent working class moms and dads. They went to prison, some for decades, before being exonerated. He remains in office today. This story on a micro level mirrors what the US has experienced over the last eight years. When power is allowed to exist without oversight civil rights are in jeopardy.
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The Tree of Life (2011)
Character: Jack
The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.
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All the King's Men (2006)
Character: Willie Stark
The story of an idealist's rise to power in the world of Louisiana politics and the corruption that leads to his ultimate downfall. Based on the 1946 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Robert Penn Warren, loosely based on the story of real-life politician Huey Long.
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Bad Boys (1983)
Character: Mick O'Brien
Mick O'Brien is a young Chicago street thug torn between a life of petty crime and the love of his girlfriend. But when the heist of a local drug dealer goes tragically wrong Mick is sentenced to a brutal juvenile prison where violence is a rite of passage and respect is measured in vengeance.
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Asphalt City (2024)
Character: Gene Rutkovsky
A young paramedic is paired with a seasoned partner on the night shift in New York revealing a city in crisis. Discovering the chaos firsthand, he is tested with the ethical ambiguity that can be the difference between life and death.
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I'm Still Here (2010)
Character: Sean Penn (uncredited)
I'm Still Here is a portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, the film follows the Oscar-nominee as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician. The film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads and explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.
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Flag Day (2021)
Character: John Vogel
A father lives a double life as a counterfeiter, bank robber and con man in order to provide for his daughter.
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One Battle After Another (2025)
Character: Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
Washed-up revolutionary Bob exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.
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