Where The Heart Is Movie Review:


I can't seem to find an answer to this question. Why did Natalie Portman choose this movie to make after Star Wars: The Phantom Menace? Where The Heart Is, is little more than an overheated TV movie, you know the type, a mixture of Dallas and Sunset Beach where they think they are elevating the material into art. But in reality all the are doing is pulling cheap emotional strings.

Where The Heart Is tells they story of a pregnant 17 year old called Novalee Nation (yes that is the right name, I did double check!) who gives birth at a Wal-Mart and becomes recognised in her town for that. But she starts to pine for the father of the child who has run off to Nashville in an attempt at a country and western musical career.

Now this is the first film that I haven't enjoyed Natalie Portman in, I really do truly think she will grow into one of the best actresses around. Everything she has been in so far she has shone through in and risen the material to something special. But she feels totally lost in this pot boiler nonsense.

The movie is a truly schmaltzy sentimental stew that runs a gamut of contrivances sugar coated with a feelgood coating.

The script never really tries and examines the subject material, being the worst kind of rubber necking, ie us looking in at these caricatures and never really understanding them.

Another thing that jars is Natalie Portman is immaculately dressed throughout the movie. Now call me thick, but would a single parent 17 year old have the time, energy and the money to look the way she does in the movie? I don't think so.

Let's hope she chooses a more interesting project next.

Gary Gray

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