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Clive Owen
Clive Owen (born 3 October 1964) is an Academy Award -nominated, and Golden Globe- and BAFTA-award winning British actor.
Early life
The fourth of five brothers, Owen was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, UK, the son of Pamela and Jess Owen. His father, a country and western singer, left the family when Owen was three years old, and despite a brief reconciliation when Owen was nineteen, the two have remained estranged. Raised by his mother and stepfather, a railway ticket clerk, he has described his childhood as "rough." While initially opposed to drama school, he changed his mind in 1984, after a long and fruitless period of searching for work. Owen graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1987 with a class that included Ralph Fiennes and Jane Horrocks. After graduation, he won a position at the Young Vic, performing in several William Shakespeare plays. In an incident he later described as "very schmaltzy", he met his future wife when the two performed the leads in Romeo and Juliet.
Career
Initially, Owen carved out a career in television: in 1988 Owen starred as Gideon Sarn in a BBC production of Precious Bane and the Channel 4 film Vroom before the 1990s saw him become a regular on stage and television in the UK, notably his lead role in the ITV series Chancer, followed by an appearance in the Thames Television production of Lorna Doone.
He won critical acclaim for his performances in the 1991 Stephen Poliakoff film Close My Eyes, in which he has a full frontal nude scene, about a brother and sister who embark on an incestuous love affair; he subsequently appeared in The Magician, Class of '61, Century, Nobody's Children, An Evening with Gary Lineker, Doomsday Gun, Return of the Native, The Turnaround and then a Carlton production called Sharman, about a private detective. In 1996 he appeared in his first major Hollywood film The Rich Man's Wife alongside Halle Berry before finding international acclaim in a Channel 4 film directed by Mike Hodges called Croupier in 1998. He played the title role of a struggling writer who takes a job in a London casino as inspiration for his work, only to get caught up in a robbery scheme. In 1999 he appeared as an accident-prone driver in Split Second, his first BBC production for a decade.
He then starred in The Echo, a BBC1 drama. He starred in a film called Greenfingers about a criminal who goes to work in a garden, before appearing in the BBC1 mystery series Second Sight. In 2001 he provided the voice-over for a BBC2 documentary about popular music through the years called Walk On By, as well as starring in a highly-acclaimed theatre production called The Day in the Death of Joe Egg, about a couple with a severely handicapped daughter.
He became well known to North American audiences in the summer of 2001 after starring as The Driver in the The Hire, a series of short films sponsored by BMW and made by prominent directors. He then appeared in Robert Altman's Gosford Park, alongside an all-star cast including Helen Mirren and Ryan Phillippe. He has appeared in The Bourne Identity with Matt Damon. In 2003, he teamed up with Hodges again to make I'll Sleep When I'm Dead. He starred in Beyond Borders and took on the title role in King Arthur, for which he took horse-riding lessons.
Owen appeared in the West End and Broadway hit play Closer, by Patrick Marber, which was produced as a film, and was released in 2005. He played "Dan" in the play, but was "Larry" the dermatologist in the film version. His portrayal of Larry in the film version earned him a lot of recognition as well as the Golden Globe and BAFTA award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He noted that the expectations of him since the Oscar nomination have not changed the way he approaches film-making, stating that, "I try, every film I do, to be as good as I can and that's all I can do".
Personal life
Owen lives in Highgate, London and Wrabness, north Essex, with his wife Sarah-Jane Fenton and their two daughters, Hannah and Eve.
In November 2006, he became patron of the Electric Palace Cinema in Harwich, UK, and launched an appeal for funds to repair deteriorating elements of the fabric.
He enjoys the music of indie rock band Hard-Fi and has been seen at two of their concerts, Brixton Academy, 15 May 2006 and Wembley Arena, 18 December 2007.
Owen has been a fan of Liverpool FC since he was a boy - despite hailing from Coventry.
Photos |
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What members say |
Filmography
Clive Owen - photos
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Sir Walter Raleigh
Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh in Elizabeth - The Golden Age
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Clive Owen in Inside Man
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Clive Owen
Clive Owen - news / articles
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Owen upset with 'R' rating for new film -
23 March 2011
-Actor Clive Owen is upset his hard-hitting new movie drama Trust has been given a restrictive 'R' rating - because he feels teenagers should see the film. -
-The Brit plays a doting dad whose daughter meets up with an Internet penpal only to find he's a sick 40-som
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Watts and Owen lead AFI Awards nominations -
28 October 2010
-Naomi Watts, Sam Worthington and Clive Owen are leading this year's (10) nominations list for the Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards.-
-Watts' role in Mother and Child has landed her a place on the shortlist for the International Award For Best Actress along wi
Clive Owen - what members say
review by from Saddleworth, England
Somewhat predictable! 9 August 2004
review by A customer from Oxfordshire, England
Chancer - 6 episodes 19 April 2005
review by from Nottingham, England
Retro thriller 11 August 2004
Clive Owen - filmography
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Shadow Dancer
(2012)
Starring: Clive Owen, Aidan Gillen, Gillian Anderson
Director: James Marsh
Certificate: 
During an aborted bomb attempt in London, Collette falls into the hands of an MI5 officer, Mac, who offers her a deal: turn informant or go to prison. Fearing for her son's welfare, she returns to Belfast where betraying family and beliefs she becomes a reluctant mole for British intelligence. As ..read more »
 
No ratings yet. Be the first.
Currently unavailable
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Intruders - Blu-ray
(2011)
Starring: Clive Owen, Carice van Houten, Daniel Brühl
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Certificate:
Intruders tells parallel stories of two families whose lives are disrupted by menacing apparitions: in Spain, a mother tries to protect her son from a faceless stranger, while in Britain, a young girl has terrifying dreams of a demon who becomes a real danger to her and her family.
100%
from 2 members
Not available for rental
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Killer Elite
on DVD
(2011)
Starring: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro
Director: Gary McKendry
Certificate:
When his mentor (Robert De Niro) is taken captive, a retired member of Britain's Elite Special Air Service (Jason Statham) is forced into action. His mission: kill three assassins dispatched by their cunning leader (Clive Owen).
67%
from 3,178 members
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Killer Elite - Blu-ray
(2011)
Starring: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro
Director: Gary McKendry
Certificate:
When his mentor (Robert De Niro) is taken captive, a retired member of Britain's Elite Special Air Service (Jason Statham) is forced into action. His mission: kill three assassins dispatched by their cunning leader (Clive Owen).
66%
from 1,208 member
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Intruders
(2011)
Starring: Clive Owen, Carice van Houten, Daniel Brühl
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Certificate: 
Intruders tells parallel stories of two families whose lives are disrupted by menacing apparitions: in Spain, a mother tries to protect her son from a faceless stranger, while in Britain, a young girl has terrifying dreams of a demon who becomes a real danger to her and her family.
61%
from 9 members
Not available for rental
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Trust - Blu-ray
(2010)
Starring: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Viola Davis
Director: David Schwimmer
Certificate:
Watch now: £3.49
Safe and sound in their suburban home, Will and Lynn Cameron (Clive Owen and Catherine Keener) used to sleep well at night. When their 14-year-old daughter, Annie, made a new friend on-line – a 16-year-old boy named Charlie – Will and Lynn didnÂ’t think much of it. But when Annie and Charlie make a ..read more »
66%
from 1,740 member
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The Boys Are Back
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Clive Owen, Laura Fraser, George MacKay
Director: Scott Hicks
Certificate: 
Inspired by a true story, "The Boys Are Back" is a deeply moving, wryly confessional tale of fatherhood, that intimately evokes both the fragility and wonders of family life. It follows a witty, wisecracking, action-oriented sportswriter (Clive Owen) who, in the wake of his wife's tragic death, ..read more »
63%
from 5,693 members
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Trust
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Viola Davis
Director: David Schwimmer
Certificate:
Watch now: £3.49
Safe and sound in their suburban home, Will and Lynn Cameron (Clive Owen and Catherine Keener) used to sleep well at night. When their 14-year-old daughter, Annie, made a new friend on-line – a 16-year-old boy named Charlie – Will and Lynn didn't think much of it. But when Annie and Charlie make a ..read more »
67%
from 6,137 members
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Duplicity
on DVD
(2009)
Starring: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson
Director: Tony Gilroy
Certificate:
From the writer/director of Michael Clayton, Duplicity is a smart, slick and cool espionage movie. Academy Award® winner Julia Roberts and Clive Owen star as two sexy spies turned-corporate operatives who attempt to pull off one of the biggest heists ever. As the stakes rise in the ultimate game of ..read more »
56%
from 33,239 members
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The International - Blu-ray
(2009)
Starring: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Director: Tom Tykwer
Certificate:
Clive Owen and Naomi Watts star in RUN LOLA RUN director Tom Tykwer's action thriller concerning an ambitious Interpol agent who targets corruption at the top levels of the world's largest banking institutions. The world's most powerful banks have become hopelessly corrupt, prompting Interpol agent ..read more »
62%
from 6,553 members
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Duplicity - Blu-ray
(2009)
Starring: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson
Director: Tony Gilroy
Certificate:
CLOSER co-stars Julia Roberts and Clive Owen reunite for Oscar-nominated director Tony Gilroy's drama tracing the illicit love affair between two spies-turned-corporate operatives. The Cold War has thawed, and for CIA agents seeking to make an easy mint, the real money is in multinational ..read more »
57%
from 4,700 members
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The International
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Director: Tom Tykwer
Certificate:
RUN LOLA RUN and PERFUME director Tom Tykwer assembles a fine international cast for this thriller that spans continents. Clive Owen (CHILDREN OF MEN, SHOOT 'EM UP) and Naomi Watts (FUNNY GAMES, EASTERN PROMISES) stars as a besieged pair who encounter many obstacles as they try to expose a bank's ..read more »
61%
from 26,860 members
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Shoot 'Em Up
on DVD
(2007)
Starring: Clive Owen, Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti
Director: Michael Davis
Certificate: 
Shoot 'Em Up is a gritty, fast paced action thriller starring Clive Owen as Mr. Smith; a mysterious loner who teams up with an unlikely ally (Monica Bellucci) in order to protect a newborn baby from a determined hitman (Paul Giamatti) who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city.
58%
from 39,881 members
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Elizabeth - The Golden Age - Blu-ray
(2007)
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Rhys Ifans, Cate Blanchett
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Certificate:
Nearly a decade after Cate Blanchett drew the attention of audiences and critics alike with ELIZABETH, the Oscar-winning actress returns to the role of the Virgin Queen. Though the protestant ruler has been on the throne for decades in 1585, Elizabeth I's reign is still under attack from both ..read more »
63%
from 102 members
Not available for rental
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Second Sight
(4 discs)
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Clive Owen, Claire Skinner, Stuart Wilson
Director: Charles Beeson
Certificate:
Dedication and results have earned Detective Chief Inspector Ross Tanner the prestigious charge of the Special Murder Unit. But Tanner has a secret - he is suffering from a rare disorder that causes intermittent blindness and hallucinations. When his deputy, Detective Inspector Tully, deduces the ..read more »
67%
from 412 members
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Inside Man - HD
(2006)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
Director: Spike Lee
Certificate:
In the tense thriller INSIDE MAN, a bank robbery leads to a number of people being taken hostage and it's up to NYPD hostage negotiators Detectives Keith Frazier and Bill Mitchell to secure their release. The detectives are sent to the scene with orders to contact the ringleader of the gang, Dalton ..read more »
73%
from 612 members
Not currently released
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Inside Man
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
Director: Spike Lee
Certificate:
Inside Man is the story of a tough cop, Detective Frazier (Denzel Washington), who matches wits with a clever bank robber, Dalton (Clive Owen), in a tense hostage drama. As the dangerous cat-and-mouse game unfolds, a wild card emerges: Madaline (Jodie Foster), a power broker with a hidden agenda, ..read more »
71%
from 79,410 members
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Children Of Men - HD
(2006)
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Certificate:
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which man can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of mankind.
70%
from 1,269 member
Not currently released
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Inside Man - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
Director: Spike Lee
Certificate:
Inside Man is the story of a tough cop, Detective Frazier (Denzel Washington), who matches wits with a clever bank robber, Dalton (Clive Owen), in a tense hostage drama. As the dangerous cat-and-mouse game unfolds, a wild card emerges: Madaline (Jodie Foster), a power broker with a hidden agenda, ..read more »
73%
from 2,774 members
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Children Of Men
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Certificate:
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which man can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of mankind.
67%
from 96,382 members
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Derailed
on DVD
(2005)
Starring: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Certificate:
For Charles and Lucinda, a chance meeting quickly leads to unstoppable passion. But just as suddenly, a violent stranger explodes into their lives. Before they know it, they are thrown into an inescapable game of blackmail and sent hurlting towards a terrifying fate they may not survive...
66%
from 42,033 members
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Sin City - Recut, Extended, Unrated Ver...
(2005)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba
Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarant
Certificate:
Comic artist genius Frank Miller and Desperado director Robert Rodriguez combine to bring Miller's searing, stylised vision of a torn, twisted city - and the people within it. Told in three chapters and definitely not for the faint of heart...
Recut, Extended, Unrated Version Includes:
Kill 'Em ..read more »
76%
from 3,127 members
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King Arthur - Blu-ray
(2004)
Starring: Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Keira Knightley
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Combining the historical appeal and epic sequences of films like GLADIATOR and BRAVEHEART, director Antoine Fuqua (TRAINING DAY) and producer Jerry Bruckheimer provide a sleek twist on the King Arthur legend. Arthur (Clive Owen), a brave Roman/British Christian warrior who leads his band of pagan ..read more »
61%
from 2,146 members
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Closer - Blu-ray
(2004)
Starring: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman
Director: Mike Nichols
Certificate:
Are humans meant to mate for life? What drives someone in a perfectly good relationship to cheat and risk losing the one that they love and that loves them? Is it possible to love more than one person at the same time? How well does anyone really know the one that they love? Directed by Mike ..read more »
61%
from 1,818 member
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King Arthur
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Keira Knightley
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Combining the historical appeal and epic sequences of films like GLADIATOR and BRAVEHEART, director Antoine Fuqua (TRAINING DAY) and producer Jerry Bruckheimer provide a sleek twist on the King Arthur legend. Arthur (Clive Owen), a brave Roman/British Christian warrior who leads his band of pagan ..read more »
57%
from 53,864 members
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Closer
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman
Director: Mike Nichols
Certificate:
Are humans meant to mate for life - What drives someone in a perfectly good relationship to cheat and risk losing the one that they love and that loves them - Is it possible to love more than one person at the same time - How well does anyone really know the one that they love. Directed by Mike ..read more »
55%
from 72,133 members
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Beyond Borders
on DVD
(2003)
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Linus Roache
Director: Martin Campbell
Certificate:
Director Martin Campbell (GOLDENEYE) balances a romantic tale, serious political commentary, and beautifully shot scenery from exotic locations in BEYOND BORDERS. Oscar winner Angelina Jolie gives a moving performance inspired by her real-life U.N. work, and has the perfect romantic foil in Clive ..read more »
63%
from 7,032 members
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The Bourne Identity - Blu-ray
(2002)
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
Director: Doug Liman
Certificate:
A young man with two bullet wounds in his back is pulled from the Mediterranean Sea by a group of Italian fishermen, barely alive, he is nursed back to health. With no memory to help him, his only clue to his own identity is a bank account number, it becomes clear that he is Jason Bourne, but what ..read more »
85%
from 4,446 members
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The Bourne Identity
on DVD
(2002)
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
Director: Doug Liman
Certificate:
A young man with two bullet wounds in his back is pulled from the Mediterranean Sea by a group of Italian fishermen. Barely alive, he is nursed back to health, but with no memory to help him, his only clue to his identity is a bank account number. It becomes clear that he is Jason Bourne, but what ..read more »
77%
from 92,868 members
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The Bourne Identity - HD
(2002)
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
Director: Doug Liman
Certificate:
A young man with two bullet wounds in his back is pulled from the Mediterranean Sea by a group of Italian fishermen, barely alive, he is nursed back to health. With no memory to help him, his only clue to his own identity is a bank account number, it becomes clear that he is Jason Bourne, but what ..read more »
83%
from 1,223 member
Not currently released
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Gosford Park
on DVD
(2001)
Starring: Michael Gambon, Stephen Fry, Richard E. Grant
Director: Robert Altman
Certificate:
In GOSFORD PARK, Robert Altman explores the English class system and master-servant relations via his preferred modus operandi of multiple characters and intertwining storylines, which he achieved so brilliantly in NASHVILLE. Featuring an all-star British ensemble cast, the film recalls both THE ..read more »
65%
from 16,226 members
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Greenfingers
on DVD
(2000)
Starring: Clive Owen, Helen Mirren, David Kelly
Director: Joel Hershman
Certificate:
Colin Briggs is a man who has given up on life. Nearing the end of a long sentence for murder, Colin is transferred to Edgefield, a minimum-security prison in the Cotswolds. Once there, Colin meets Fergus Wilks, an eccentric "lifer" who gives Colin an unwanted packet of seeds as a Christmas present...read more »
68%
from 2,087 members
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Croupier
on DVD
(1998)
Starring: Clive Owen, Kate Hardie, Alex Kingston
Director: Mike Hodges
Certificate:
CROUPIER tells the complex story of an aspiring writer who must take a job in order to pay the bills. Experienced as a professional croupier, Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) is hired by an upscale casino in London, where he intends to silently observe the goings on while continuing to work on his latest ..read more »
62%
from 4,895 members
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Bent - Blu-ray
(1997)
Starring: Clive Owen, Lothaire Bluteau, Ian McKellen
Director: Sean Mathias
Certificate:
An interesting cast fills out this solemn production based on the play by Martin Sherman (who also wrote the screenplay). During WWII, a Berlin homosexual is caught up in the Nazi hysteria. After being forced to kill his lover, he is placed in a prison camp, where he lies so he will be classified ..read more »
63%
from 145 members
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Bent
on DVD
(1997)
Starring: Clive Owen, Lothaire Bluteau, Ian McKellen
Director: Sean Mathias
Certificate:
An interesting cast fills out this solemn production based on the play by Martin Sherman (who also wrote the screenplay). During WWII, a Berlin homosexual is caught up in the Nazi hysteria. After being forced to kill his lover, he is placed in a prison camp, where he lies so he will be classified ..read more »
61%
from 2,309 members
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The Rich Man's Wife
on DVD
(1996)
Starring: Halle Berry, Peter Greene, Clive Owen
Director: Amy Holden Jones
Certificate:
When the wealthy, older husband of a beautiful young woman is found brutally murdered, the wife (Halle Berry) instantly becomes the prime suspect. Caught up in trying to clear her name, she becomes the prime target for the psychotic terrorist who actually committed the murder.
52%
from 593 members
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The Return of the Native
(1994)
Starring: Catherine Zeta Jones, Clive Owen, Ray Stevenson
Director: Jack Gold
Certificate:
Eustacia Vye longs to return to Paris, so marries Clym Yeobright when he returns from his work there, hoping he will take her back with him. However he has no plans to return, less so after his eyes begin to fail him. And so Eustacia finds herself looking for love elsewhere.
47%
from 34 members
Currently unavailable
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Close My Eyes
on DVD
(1991)
Starring: Alan Rickman, Clive Owen, Saskia Reeves
Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Certificate:
A woman, Natalie (Saskia Reeves), becomes re-aquainted with her younger brother, Richard (Clive Owen), from whom she was separated as a child. They meet intermittently for the next few years, until the sister gets married to Sinclair (Alan Rickman), a wealthy businessman. Once married, the siblings ..read more »
56%
from 2,238 members
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Vroom
(1990)
Starring: Clive Owen, Diana Quick, David Thewlis
Director: Beeban Kidron
Certificate:
Two pals, and the older woman who moves in next door, set out from their small-town background to discover their dreams.
35%
from 2 members
Currently unavailable
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Lorna Doone - The Complete Series
(1990)
Starring: Sean Bean, Clive Owen, Polly Walker
Director: Andrew Grieve
Certificate: 
One of the great love stories of English literature is retold in this powerful television adaptation, directed by Andrew Grieve (Hornblower) and starring Clive Owen (Children of Men), Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings), Polly Walker (Rome) and Billie Whitelaw (Napoleon and Love).
Based on R.D. ..read more »
61%
from 43 members
Not available for rental
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Sharman - The Complete Series
Starring: Clive Owen, John Salthouse, Adie Allen
Director: Matthew Evans
Certificate:
The British miniseries SHARMAN was an outgrowth of the one-off special THE TURNAROUND, about a family wiped out by paid assassins. The man assigned to solve the case, tough private detective Nick Sharman, proved popular enough with viewers to warrant a show all his own.
65%
from 4 members
Not available for rental
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Clive Owen facts
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...e story is pretty corny and predictable. Makes you wonder why Helen Mirren and Clive Owen wanted to be a part of it!
More like 'a made for TV' film....
