Copyright (c) Pedro Sena 1994
FILM TITLE: MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART DIRECTOR: VINCENT WARD COUNTRY: CANADA 1992 CINEMATOGRAPHY: EDOUARDO SERRA MUSIC: GABRIEL YARED CAST: Patrick Bergin, Anne Parillaud, Jason Scott Lee, Ben Mendelsohn, Anne Galipeau, John Cusack NICE FEATURES: Though sad, the film has a really pretty edge.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have seen three Vincent Ward films, and while this one is the cleanest of them all ( looks like he had a slight budget for a change ), it really isn't up to par of the previous two, although it has interesting bits and pieces.
It is the story of an eskimo boy, who grows up to become a sad man, drunk in his shoes. In between are all the adventures he goes through, and the one love in his life, whom he wanted, but could not keep.
His inability to stay with his loved one causing him to go to the drink, which eventually leads him to his end. In between the film has its nice touches, the young man making love to the woman atop a weather balloon, and some other unusual bits which make the film very enjoyable.
THE VIGIL, dealt almost with unseen forces that one could not change. THE NAVIGATOR dealt with an ability to hold faith in the harshest of conditions. MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART deals with people's abilities to stay within their own desire and love. The girl Arik ( Jason Scott Lee ) loves, happens to like him, but she ( Anne Galipeau ) is concerned with her Indian background and the acceptance of their mixed relationship in a white world. And even though his ability to be crazy and courageous gets to win her for periods of time that appear to be coincidental ( the story indicates that there will always be a kharmic connection between these two -- thus they will always meet regardless of where ), but in actuality are each person's choices at the time.
It is a nice film, but it is rather sad and brutal on the cross cultured opinions that most people have about each other. And it really explains why many cultures, even the eskimo, is probably going to face extinction in the future.... ( we need food, not books... ) 3 1/2 GIBLOONS
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