But the movie seems afraid to come out and name what we and the actors know that its depicting. Its only when Cassies sexual passion is ignited that Van Pattens performance comes alive, and then The Violent Heart gets interesting: She sees no limits and has none, while he has the burden of his familys expectations and the pressure of having to find a career. You're almost there! We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. When a local, 18-year-old high school senior named Cassie (Grace Van Patten) stops in to get the oil changed on her fathers car, what starts off as an awkward, halting friendship eventually blossoms into romance. "The Violent Heart" (a title worthy of a 1950s Technicolor melodrama) had everything it needed to be powerful, even cathartic: an opera with tearful monologues in place of songs. He also has a police record, for beating up a guy in a fight he didnt start. So for young Daniel (Jovan Adepo), the world has not been a friendly place, while Cassie (Grace Van Patten), who doesnt know better, thinks the world belongs to her. Related #SIOSI. The writer and director, Kerem Sanga, has created a world for his characters where messy relationships abound. Daniel sees his sister sneak out the door and follows to a dark, secluded spot in the woods, where she is killed. Even he thinks so, resenting how his mother (Mary J. Blige, firm but underused) seems to love Daniel more. The first getting-to-know-you conversation between Cassie and Daniel is a disaster of bad writing, and yet its intended to do a lot of heavy lifting in terms of establishing their immediate bond. VOD release The Violent Heart seems destined to be lost in the shuffle. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. He follows her on his dirt bike, and hes the only person present when Wendy is shot and killed by a man whose face Daniel never glimpses. Director Kerem Sanga Writer Kerem Sanga Stars Jovan Adepo Grace Van Patten Lukas Haas The retired center teamed with Gabby Williams of the WNBAs Seattle Storm to beat former Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton and Spanish tennis player David Ferrer in a basketball game on the famed clay of Court Philippe-Chatrier. 24 Famously Queer and Homoerotic Horror Movies, from 'Psycho' to 'Hellraiser' The Violent Heart. Maybe itd draw more eyeballs if Netflix or Amazon had picked it up or maybe theres a reason a big streamer didnt snatch it up? Meanwhile, Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Cassies mother lurks on the sidelines for much of the movie, waiting for her big moment a moment that when it finally arrives seems borderline ridiculous, like just about every late development in this blood-soaked melodrama. Gravitas Ventures presents a film written and directed by Kerem Sanga. 'The Kardashians' Season 2 Finale Reveals How North West's Iconic "Stop" Sign Moment Happened, Kim Kardashian Says She Travels "With a Cup in the Backseat of the Car" for "Pee Anxiety" on 'The Kardashians', Every Pete Davidson Moment in 'The Kardashians,' From Showering With Kim to Remembering How She Rejected Him, Where Was HBOs 'The Last of Us' Filmed? Written and directed by KeremSanga, and unfolding in the type ofdesolate rural American landscape where movie characters tend to either battle over ownership of farmland or participate in demonic rituals, this movie arrives preceded by claims that it's a melodrama in the tradition of Douglas Sirk ("Magnificent Obsession"), embracing coincidence and tragic fate. The killer has never been caught. It stars Jovan Adepo, Grace Van Patten, Lukas Haas, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Cress Williams, Jahi Di'Allo Winston, and Mary J. Blige . Going into "The Violent Heart," you must understand that the ending is insanely ridiculous. Is it a coming-of-age movie? Reminiscent of old-fashioned melodramas, this emotional drama has standout performances and a heartrending plot -- but also uneven pacing and a contrived storyline. Writer-director Kerem Sanga at least addresses this concern by having Daniel claim that Cassie is too young, while she proclaims she's an adult. Get it as soon as Thursday, Dec 22. What new insights does a closer look reveal? 2,148, This story has been shared 1,449 times. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. Fifteen years later in the same Tennessee town, Daniel (Jovan Adepo) is a 24-year-old mechanic who's trying to enlist in the Marines despite a prior felony conviction. Caughey also stated that the rates of obesity, stress, and low physical activity in young women could be . For the majority of its running time, The Violent Heart appears to have more in common with the sullen indie romances of today than it does with the star-crossed theatrics of yesteryear. It starts with a brutal one that will linger in the background for a while to come. Rating: C-plus. There are no featured audience reviews for The Violent Heart at this time. As fort he meaning, I've got nothing to say. Starring Jovan Adepo and Grace Van Patten. See our. A nine-year-old kid named Daniel follows his teen sister out into the woods one night, and watches from a distance as the obscured person she was meeting there shoots her dead. It's unnecessary for Daniel to be 24; aging him at 21or 22 would still have been noticeable compared to Cassie but not borderline creepy. Even though we can feel the racial tension as subtext in a few scenes (particularly when mom and dad raise objections, and mom starts to say something like, "Also, he's" but doesn't finish) it seems unrealistic that nobody in this story would bring it up as text. Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Largeof RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism. Do you consider anyone in the movie a role model? Aaron suggests they visit Wendys grave, and as they stand over the headstone and adorn it with fresh flowers, its clear the family will never stop grieving. 44,515, This story has been shared 35,289 times. Our Call: SKIP IT. The problem with"The ViolentHeart" isn't that it goes too far, it's that it doesn't go far enough. It turns into a weekend away. Turns out (without saying too much), the film isnt so interested in bias or bigotry. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Seen the movie? Though the movie is being billed as a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story, race is not an overt obstacle to their getting together. Sanga moves these people around the board like chess pieces who are oblivious to the gambit thats being orchestrated around them, and the under-developed aspects of The Violent Heart often leave the impression of a film that was reverse-engineered from its shattering endgame. Ultimately, The Violent Heart's tragic aspects make it difficult to watch, but it's worth the effort because of the cast. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Drama 2021 1 hr 42 min STARZ. Will 'The Kardashians' Return for Season 3 on Hulu? $9.99. Performance Worth Watching: Adepo and Van Patten kindle some warmth between them that couldve blossomed into full-blown chemistry with a better script. What character strengths do the characters display? If you're interested to know more about me or this blog in general head to the 'about me' tab in the menu bar. Are you sure you want to leave and cancel your review? Lukas Haas plays Cassies father, Joseph, a hipster English teacher at Cassies school who has his daughter in his class, which seems problematic, and has lunch with her every day in the cafeteria, which seems kinda sad for Cassie. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Sonic Prime' on Netflix, A New Adventure for Fans Who Just Wanna Go Fast, Stream It Or Skip It: Snow Day on Paramount+, a Remake of the Crappy Chevy Chase Comedy, But Now With Crappy Songs. Part romance, part mystery/thriller, and part melodrama, it follows a 24-year-old mechanic who, as a child, witnessed his older sister's murder, as well as an 18-year-old high school senior who's ready to rebel. He runs, tumbles into a ditch, peers out. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. Harris Goes to Paris on Peacock, A Nicecore Fairytale with Deceptive Depth, Chelsea Handler Shocks Drew Barrymore With Dating App Horror Story, 'The Fabelmans' Flops on 'Jeopardy' After All 3 Contestants Fail to Name Spielberg's Film, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Riotsville, U.S.A.' on Hulu, a Quietly Seething Documentary Outlining the Roots of Modern Civil Unrest, Drew Barrymore Details Embarrassing Tailbone Injury on 'The Drew Barrymore Show': "It's Not a Hemorrhoid! It had its world premiere at the Deauville Film Festival on September 9, 2020. 7,496, This story has been shared 2,200 times. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. A man who witnessed the murder of his sister tries to rebound in this subtle melodrama. By that late point, our emotional investment in these often thinly drawn characters has plummeted like GameStop stock. Poor Cassie just doesn't get it. The Illinois State Rifle Association lawsuit appears to be the first in federal court to challenge Illinois new weapons ban, but it is part of a burgeoning legal effort aimed at undoing the new law. 825, This story has been shared 772 times. Curious, he follows, spots the car on the side of the road, hears voices Are they happy or distressed? the violent heart ending explained Io Shirai War Games, Spirit And The Bride, One Hundred Steps, Mahalia Jackson Parents, Tian Di Movie, Mogens And Other Stories Pdf, Kierra Sheard Fianc, Gold And Green, Walking Up The King's Highway, " /> A violent thunderstorm howls down on a lonely Nevada road. Every performer of any significance works overtime to fill these characters with emotional nuances. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Starring: Jovan AdepoGrace Van PattenLukas Haas. Running time: 107 minutes. Available on STARZ, Philo, Prime Video, iTunes, Hulu Fifteen years after the murder of his older sister, Daniel is falling for Cassie, a vivacious high school senior. Cassie is a star student, but bored by the final stretch of high school. 958, This story has been shared 897 times. The City allocated $50,000 to support the Gun Violence Prevention Grant Program. Melancholy, mature drama explores father-son themes. But it settles for coming across as the Official Version of the storythe one thatthe characters' descendants will tell two generations later, conscious of not wanting to embarrass anyone by getting into the ugly truth of what went down. The films of Douglas Sirk have been repeatedly invoked in advance press for this moviereviews and film festival coverage alikewith "Magnificent Obsession" name-checked most often. So her thoughts change; and she starts to interact with Daniel a little more. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. If this one still bites off more than it can chew, its ambition nevertheless reaffirms Sanga as a skilled and emotionally sensitive filmmaker whos attuned to the low-frequency wavelengths that tend to get flattened out by stories with this kind of sweep. Hes earnest and moody, giving a nuanced angle on the angry young man type; shes charismatic like Shailene Woodley Lite, giving her character an astute blend of naivete and confidence. Are Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes on 'GMA3' Today, Jan. 18? When he was nine, he saw his older sister being murdered in the woods by a man whose face he never saw and who has gone unpunished for 15 long years. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. Festive Lunar New Year Activities for Kids and Teens, Drama Movies That Tug at the Heartstrings. The Violent Heart (1,126) 6.0 1 h 42 min 2021 X-Ray 18+ Fifteen years after his sister's senseless murder, Daniel finds himself falling for a vivacious high school senior named Cassie. Sanga should have trusted this couple to steer the plot, instead of imprisoning them in it. Thats a heck of a thing for a kid to witness, and its fascinating to catch up with the character 15 years later (played now by Jovan Adepo of Watchmen and The Stand). The central love story is a Romeo-and-Juliet type affair involving what appears to be the only Black family in town, one that was the victim of a violent, unsolved killing 15 years earlier. What part does he play in the story? This item: The Violent Heart. Parents need to know that The Violent Heart is a drama with moments of violence and sorrow. How Edgar Allan Poe Inspired the Netflix Mystery, Gerard Butler Has Finally Found His Niche Making Dad Movies For Guys Who Might Not Even Be Dads Yet. Where did they hide the clues? [6][7] It was originally set to have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2020, however, the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But something sure seems off. This Article is related to: Film, Reviews and tagged Grace Van Patten, Kerem Sanga, Reviews, The Violent Heart. Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. He has a short fuse and a felony record, but wants to make amends by enlisting in the Marines. The problem is that they seemingly have to tease out elements that are mostly glanced-over in the screenplayparticularly the racial dynamics of the relationship between Daniel and Cassie, and between Daniel's family and the town, which from all appearances is overwhelminglywhite. But he has a criminal record and would need a rarely granted waiver. Summary: Nine-year-old Daniel lives in a town outside of Nashville. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. Crisis. A nine-year-old kid named Daniel follows his teen sister out into the woods one night, and watches from a distance as the obscured person she was meeting there shoots her dead. Daniel and Cassies fundamental imbalance in life experience is racially coded. Billy Bush Felt Something Was Off With Lisa Marie Presley On Golden Globes Red Carpet, Has Fox Renewed 'The Resident'? Details: Nine-year-old Daniel lives in a town outside of Nashville. . Sanga doesnt really dwell on any of them, and yet the most textured moments between these characters dig at a one-sided disconnect between Daniels layered trauma and Cassies wide-eyed naivet. Daniel lives in a town outside of Nashville: Nine-year-old Daniel lives in a town of... 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