Let us now come together in praise of
Maura Tierney. Ms. Tierney is an actress equally adept at comedy and drama. Even when she has to play down her looks, she's always appealing onscreen, but in a way that never threatens the female audience. On NewsRadio as the overachieving Lisa Miller, she complemented ace comic actors Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, and Stephen Root. On ER, her Nurse Abby redeems a show which has not been compelling for several years. She's completely credible in whatever role she plays, even when the plot isn't.
I give you
Oxygen as Exhibit A. Ms. Tierney plays a cop into S&M who has to save a rich woman from a kidnapper. Despite its B-movie shell and rip-off plot, Ms. Tierney rewards you for spending ninety minutes with her.
Exhibit B is
Scotland, PA where she sinks her claws into an updated version of Lady Macbeth with an earthy performance that makes the whole film rise above post-ironic, hey-can-we-get-Christopher-Walken-to-play-Macduff cheese. Her husband, the director Billy Morrissette, wouldn't have anything more than an SNL sketch without her.
Now with
Welcome to Mooseport Ms. Tierney plays opposite Ray Romano and Gene Hackman as the love interest. One clip shows her throwing her underwear at Mr. Romano, who is worried that he will lose her to ex-president Hackman. I'm guessing the movie doesn't deal with the fact that Mr. Romano should have been insecure about his status with Ms. Tierney a long time before Mr. Hackman arrives in town.
Ms. Tierney deserves better than we have given her. For that, she deserves our praise... and a better agent. Str8, I'm looking in your direction.
edited to add link to imdb.org 'cause I'm so freakin' considerate. 
