"Talking about love is like dancing about architecture."      

PLAYING BY HEART (R) 

Reviewed January 23, 1999 - Check out the Playing By Heart Website.

Playing By Heart is all about relationships, a story that follows eleven people on six separate paths that eventually intersect.  The players:

- Meredith (Gillian Anderson) and Trent (Jon Stewart), a thirty-something couple making tentative first steps towards a relationship.
- Paul (Sean Connery) and Hannah (Gena Rowlands), a couple married for forty years, now struggling with a would-be affair from long ago.
- Joan (Angelina Jolie) and Keenan (Ryan Phillippe), two Gen-X'ers discovering love despite Keenan's closed reticence.
- Gracie (Madeleine Stowe) and Roger (Anthony Edwards), struggling to keep their extramarital affair free of "baggage."
- Mildred (Ellen Burstyn) and her dying son Mark (Jay Mohr), finally revealing their true selves to each other.
- Hugh (Dennis Quaid), who reinvents himself every night as he creates a new story for each woman he meets at a bar.

Written and directed by Willard Carol, Playing By Heart is blessed with interesting characters, witty lines, and a wonderful cast.  Though some of the stories presented (Meredith/Trent, Joan/Keenan) are more compelling than others (Gracie/Roger, Hugh), the net effect is a pleasantly entertaining collage, with the film containing more than its share of very watchable, dialog-driven drama.  A common theme emerges as each story unfolds, with emotional walls coming down and the characters learning to understand themselves and each other.  But then again, would you expect anything less?

No, of course not.  Unfortunately, though Playing By Heart does have a few interesting plot twists, it never exactly feels like an original film.  In some form or another, we've seen all of these stories before, and they're given new life only through the solid performances we're treated to, and the film's execution as it cuts from one tale to the next.  For some, this will be enough to make Playing By Heart one of the better films of the season; for others, it will probably make for a long two-hour sitting at the movies.  Personally, I fall somewhere in between, admiring the work of Stewart, Jolie, Burstyn and Connery, while remaining uninterested in a number of subplots.  Without question, Playing By Heart suffers from its attempt to tell too many stories in too little time, but all in all it remains an entertaining collection of relationship tales performed by an entertaining cast of very capable actors.

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

chels_21_bball@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: " AMAZING!!! That pretty much sums it up. Angelina Jolie and Ryan Phillippe are perfect and they have a real chemistry. I can't say enough about the anger ball phenomenon. The second I saw it I ran out and bought it, not just because I am a huge Angelina Jolie fan but the fact that the rest of the cast made the movie provacative and interesting, I didn't want to miss a second." (10/1/01)

nick.c.thompson@tesco.net gives this movie  stars: "The first time I saw this film, was in the cinema and I thought it was excellent the way it tied in at the end, but I hadn't paid overdue attention to the individual storylines. However, after watching it again a few times, you ignore the outcome and concentrate on the dialogue and performances. I love it, but I feel some of the better parts are let down by some pretty boring ones. The Joan (Angelina Jolie) and Keenan (Ryan Phillippe) story line is the best, and I would have readily accepted more of this and less of the Sean Connery and Gena Rowlands one which I felt dragged on. The performances were outstanding, but special recognition has to go to Gillian Anderson, Jay Mohr, Ellen Burstyn and Ryan Phillippe. I am obviously forgetting what I thought was the best performance of the whole film. Angelina you do us proud. Someone said she is always someone with an attitude. This is true, but she is an outstanding actress. I have seen about 5 of her films, and she has ! played: a sociopath, a NYPD cop, a struggling actress, a computer nerd, a young alcoholic wife, a bisexual supermodel, the presidents wife etc. All very different but wonderful performances. she doesn't make the film alone, but is once again outstanding." (11/15/00)

Ari gives this movie  stars: "I just saw this movie again last night (saw it for the first time about 8 months ago) and I was enchanted once again by the wonderful performances and smart dialogue. I thought the relationship between Joan and Keenan was very touching and I would have liked to see more of that. I wish I could get my hands on a copy of the script, because it really has the best dialogue I have heard in years. This one goes on my top 10 of all time! I loved everybody in this (esp. Gillian, Ryan, Angelina, and Sean). Highly recommended. " (7/5/00)

jane_scully_99@yahoo.com gives this movie  stars: "This movie was well done especially with the serious plot. The actors really seemed like they knew what they were doing and they turned out a brilliant performance. I wasn't suprised with some of the casting. It seems that Angelina Jolie always plays a tough, street smart, emotional woman. She fit her character very well. Gillians character seemed like her x-files character. She seemed very down to earth and I loved the way she blurted things out as if she gave them no thought. Also her costumes were sort of simple yet elegant and that made her seem more sophisticated. The directing was also very good and there must have been alot involved to fit so many stories in a two hour time span. I loved it and I'm looking forward to seeing more from these sensational actors." (3/19/00)

cisco4@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "What a pleasant surprise! When I picked this movie from the rental store shelf, I was attracted to the cast ensemble. How can you go wrong with Gena Rowlands paired with Sean Connery, right? But usually these movies with an all-star cast fall victim to a poor screenplay. Not so this one. It was the most interesting movie I have seen for a long time. Excellent cast and acting. It reminds me of a movie many moons ago titled "Choose Me" which remains one of my favorites. The only fault I have with this movie is that there were just too many stories to tell within the two hour time frame. The Dennis Quaid character was confusing and annoying and could have been eliminated without sacrificing the overall plot. If you enjoy movies with intgriguing characters, intelligent dialogue, and a series of stories weaved together that keeps you guessing all the way through, you're going to love this film. With all of the junk coming out of Hollywood these days, this film was a refreshing and welcome surprise." (1/23/00)

shippie85@cheerful.com gives this movie  stars: ""Playing by Heart" was the best movie of 1999! It was a delightful ensamble of players, with a refreshing non-Scully, non-Loretta, perfectly normal character of Gillian Anderson. Not to mention the dazzling performance by Angelina Jolie. It was the best cast ever to hit the silver screen, and no complainants can be lodged about this spectacular film. "Anyone who can say 'preemptive strike aganist litigation' deserves a dinner companion." -Gillian Anderson, 'Meredith', "Playing by Heart" " (1/20/00)

Lilstarrs@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "This movie has a terrific cast and the stories are executed beautifully, and they tie together well at the end. The only thing is that I sensed a little redundancy... but maybe that was the point. Anyway, I loved it, and it left me crying my eyes out at the end. I definitely think everyone should see it!" (1/16/00)

foxfire_83@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "This is the best movie i've seen in a long time. I know this because i've watched it 3 times in the 3 day rental i had it for, and i'm the type of person to never watch a movie twice. It's plot may be squished into a very brief time and i wouldn't mind if the movie was a year long, but I think it makes it have special effects each time you watch it (because u miss something the first time then understand it the next.) I give rave reviews for all the actors, especially Gillian, angelina, ryan, sean, jon... and well, everyone. I watched this movie expecting nothing and what i got out of it is more than i can explain in words. It leaves this specially tingly feeling at the end and even though the movie is filled with much sadness the end leaves such hope and happiness. It's a great movie to watch when you are feeling alone and like you are never going to find love. ps. It's nice being able to see gillian anderson in some brighter lighting then the norm. x-files kind." (12/12/99)

Robin gives this movie  stars: "I wanted to say that this movie is the best. I have to admit that I saw it cause Im a big gillian anderson fan. I had only heard about it on the internet and never even saw the movie. After I saw it though the first thing I said was "I wanna see it again" when it finally came out on video I watched it 4 times in the one night that I had it. Eneryone did so amazing in it. the cast was beautiful and did a wonderfull job. The only probem is it hasn't come out for sale. My friend and I even concidered renting it then telling them we lost it so that we could buy it. Anyway the movie is definitly one of my fav movies ever." (11/25/99)

angelsgirl12@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "I loved this movie so much that when it comes out I am going to buy it. I would have bought it sooner but it isn't out yet." (11/10/99)

Joy gives this movie  stars: "This movie is just an absolute piece of art!!!! Each time I watch it, it strikes a different emotion; sometimes you'll be watching the end credits with a silly grin on your face, other times with tears in your eyes. WATCH THIS MOVIE! It will make you laugh, cry, think, and smile! The performances given by the exceptional cast were spell-binding. I loved Anjelina Jolie and Dennis Quaid! Their characters, if I had to choose (which is extremely hard to do!), were the most adorable and entertaining. Gena Rowlins and Sean Connery did a superb job as well. Madeline Stowe was totally believeable with her part as the vixen-like Gracie . Gillian Anderson pulled off her roll without a hitch (which is expected, considering that the character of Meredith is almost an exact replica of the FBI agent Dana Scully, that she performs so wonderfully each week on The X- Files). Ellen Busten just about put me beyond the brink of tears, when her son...well, you'll find out! =) And an everlasting praise to Jon Stewert and the annoyingly charming grin of his!" (10/30/99)

Gia gives this movie  stars: "The movie was wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed it! It had a wonderful plot and interwined at a perfectly beautiful pace. Each story line was equally interesting and entertaining. The characters were displayed in a charming and superb manner. Angelina, were you marvelous!!!" (10/30/99)

fgary@flash.net gives this movie  stars: "Wife and I being a couple of 60's babyboomers got addicted to this film. Its the first one that has ever hooked us like that. The cast is fantastic. The actress that plays Joan is marvelouw the way her face blossoms into a killer smile. Some scenes are gut wrenching (aids patient). Some are funny as hell (Trent and his girlfriend's dog). Its one of the best screenplays and acting ensmble cast that I've seen since the movie Smoke. Shawn and Geena deserve great praise for their killer performances. I recommend it to all lovers out there." (10/24/99)

janiebflyn@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "I thought that it was one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time-highly recommend it to everyone!" (3/12/99)