PLAYING BY HEART **** (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Sean Connery, Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Quaid, Jon Stewart, Madeleine Stowe, Anthony Edwards and Jay Mohr Director-Willard Carroll Rated PG Miramax
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
Playing By Heart is ensemble romance at it's best. The story cuts between numerous love stories; some surprising, some touching, and all thoroughly engaging. The entire cast is in top form, as they all submit memorable performances that each account for a significant piece of this irresistible puzzle.
It's a real surprise to see how well director Willard Carroll juggles so many sub-plots with entertaining ease. A large portion of the screen time is dedicated to Paul (Sean Connery) and Hannah (Gena Rowlands), a wealthy couple who have been together for 40 years, but have recently been experiencing problems evoked by unpleasant memories. Secondly, there is play director Meredith (Gillian Anderson), who is hesitant to enter a relationship because of various reasons. She bumps into a friendly architect (Jon Stewart) after she is crushed by a falling bookcase, and the complications ensue from there. Then, there is the story of Joan (Angelina Jolie) a young, street-wise girl who bumps into the seemingly shy and reserved Keenan (Ryan Phillippe) at a night club. The final romance centers around Gracie (Madeleine Stowe) and Roger (Anthony Edwards), two lost souls looking for some escape from their regular spouses.
But, not everything in Playing By Heart revolves around a love story. We also follow Hugh (Dennis Quaid) through various social activities which seem to prove he's a pathological liar. There is also the story of a man dying from AIDS complications (Jay Mohr), and his supportive mother (Ellen Burstyn) standing by his hospital bed. It is interesting in the end when we find out that some of these stories are linked in some way or another. But, we're so caught up in how every relationship develops that we just accept everything in stride.
While every sub-plot has a few fundamental flaws, all are worthy of sharing equal screen time. The romance that I found the most interesting was the one shared by Jolie and Phillippe. The two are talented young actors, and while they are handed the most challenging subject matter in the movie, both handle it with a capable maturity. Connery and Rowlands have the most amusing confrontations - brought on by her regrets of the past and his tendency to blurt out a movie's entire plot and ruin any surprises. All of the actors are marvelous. Connery (as always) manages to captivate the viewer with every piece of dialogue, Anderson is highly convincing even at such a stretch from her X-Files character, and Mohr brings a tragic dilemma to believable life.
If there is one stand-out in the cast, however, it's Angelina Jolie. Father Jon Voight appears to have passed down his acting talents, because Jolie is a gifted and highly competent performer in every detail. It's amazing how well the actress can make us feel for her character, and even of other actors in the same scene. But, as I say, everyone does a respectable job - especially with the limited screen time they're given to prove themselves.
Playing By Heart moves swiftly, rarely stopping to examine the relationships from a different perspective. This is a very good thing. Any hopeless romantics are sure to be caught up in the antics from minute one, but everyone should appreciate the all-star cast juggling the brisk and enjoyable material. The script and dialogue are light as a feather, but Carroll knows how to stage a scene to the most appealing effect.
This is definitely a group effort if there ever was one. I am certainly no sucker for romance (I have been known to object to a movie in which nothing gets blown up), but Playing By Heart is a treat. For anyone looking for a light, fluffy little way to spend a few hours, this charmingly entertaining comedy will hit the spot. It certainly did for me...and nothing even got blown up.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
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