padawanmovies
*Spoilers?* this is one of the 1st movies I watched with my new best friend in college. That was 10 yrs ago, pretty sure I fell asleep while we watched it, too much Chinese takeout lol. I liked the idea of this movie and I thought it was trying to deliver a good message, albeit, slightly misguided attempt. I thought the acting was pretty good given the scattered material. I jus don't understand how Lexie, a nurse, didn't understand how birth control works. I mean 6 kids by 5 different dudes?? I mean even a person who doesn't believe in birth control would find this CA-RAZY. I also feel Willie's whole storyline was completely disjointed from the rest of the movie; he was garbage so there was no reason to continue following his storyline (minus Cusack who was really good). If the content had been tweaked this could've been way better; instead we got a step up (barely) version of a Lifetime TV movie
Python Hyena
Where the Heart Is (2000): Dir: Matt Williams / Cast: Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing, James Frain, Sally Field: Unfocused drama about the important things in life. Natalie Portman stars as a pregnant woman abandoned by her boyfriend at a Wal-Mart. She stakes out there until the baby is born then she awakens in a hospital. Her mother appears just long enough for her to steal the money given to her by the good people of Wal-Mart but she finds friendship with Stockard Channing who opens her home. Useless subplots involve her boyfriend being arrested and struggling to become a musician; massive storms; baby stealers; abusive husbands; weddings. The only thing missing is the kitchen sink but even that couldn't save this travesty. Director Matt Williams fails to gain hold over the action. It begins with promise before falling into formula. Portman is subdued within the idiotic subplots. Channing's role is pretty much standard issue. Ashley Judd comes off too foolish. James Frain as the librarian who delivers the baby also gets locked into romantic clichés. Sally Field plays Portman's stooge of a mother who sees her on TV and makes an appearance long enough to make off with her money. The Wal-Mart location was great but once Portman left there then locations became pretty drab. Theme of starting over gets sidetracked and lost in this numbingly dull film. Score: 1 / 10
tieman64
"Home is the nicest word there is." - Laura Wilder The directorial debut of Matt Williams, and based on a novel by Billie Letts, "Where the Heart Is" stars Natalie Portman as Novalee, a pregnant 17 year old who is abandoned by her boyfriend at an Oklahoman Walmart.Part drama, part fairy tale, part farcical comedy, "Heart" watches as Novalee blossoms from a scatterbrained teenager to a successful photographer. Along the way she befriends Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd), a young nurse. Both women learn self-worth, to be wary of life's many dangers, and that even those with terrible backgrounds can create their own safe, surrogate families. In "Where the Heart is", "home" is a rehabilitation project that friends and loved ones embark upon together.Unashamedly a Hollywood crowd-pleaser, "Where the Heart Is" was panned by critics. Still, despite a hokey "tornado sequence", a corny "sex scene" and an overly glamorous (but nevertheless endearing) Natalie Portman, it's a fast and cute film. Always going unexpected places, Williams' script boats fine dialogue, and co-stars the lovable Joan Cusack. 8/10 - See "Frozen River".
TheLittleSongbird
Natalie Portman is superb here. If there is anything that this actress is brilliant at, it's giving thankless characters a lot of emotional depth. This film is intelligent and well made, that is often moving. It isn't the best movie I have ever seen, but there are a lot of things that I really liked about this movie. There was some detailed direction, but it is the performances from the likes of Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, Joan Cusack and Sally Field, that take centre stage. The principal characters are well developed and meaningful, however I do have two complaints of this movie. One is that it is overlong, and sometimes drags with the subplots. Secondly, the uneven script disallows the more minor characters to fully develop as they should do. Still, it is a well performed and well intended film, that I will award a 8/10. Bethany Cox.
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