But when deeply buried secrets of their small town are revealed, violent events of the past threaten to tear the couple apart. 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. 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. But then he meets Cassie (Grace Van Patten), a high school senior who is reeling from the discovery that her father (Lukas Haas) might be having an affair. in " the violent heart ," writer-director kerem sanga ("the young kieslowski") wants us to believe that we're watching a sensitive post-racial romance about a goody-goody white tennessee teen. 830, This story has been shared 825 times. On DVD/Blu-ray: April 20, 2021 Drama, Thriller | 1h 47m Synopsis Trailers Cast Reviews The Violent Heart Fifteen years after the murder of his older sister, 24-year-old Daniel (Jovan Adepo) finds himself falling for Cassie (Grace Van Patten), an outgoing high school senior, in this Romeo & Juliet -style thriller set in the American heartland. 772, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Stream It Or Skip It: Noise on Netflix, in Which a Mother's Quest for Her Missing Daughter Illuminates Mexico's Epidemic of Kidnappings and Femicide, Stream It Or Skip It: 'She Said' on Peacock, a Journalism-Procedural About the Women Who Toppled Harvey Weinstein, Is The Pale Blue Eye Based on a True Story? Writer-director Kerem Sanga has a knack for delivering arresting, noir-like visuals, especially from medium- and long-shot distance, and the talented cast gamely tries to sell the material, but The Violent Heart is so muddled there are times we have to remind ourselves of the connection between certain characters, and the histrionics so over the top were hoping everyone will just take a deep breath and CALM THE HECK DOWN. She believes in herself, and she believes in him too, and for the first time in ages, Daniel starts to unclench. Daniel sees his sister sneak out the door and follows to a dark, secluded spot in the woods, where she is killed. Poor Cassie just doesn't get it. John Frankenheimer directed. Cassie is the nicest possible version of this character (earnest to a fault, as The Violent Heart struggles to liberate her from the basic function she has to play in this story), but Daniel has several good reasons to be reluctant about all this. Our Take: Fate serves to be fatal for The Violent Heart, which was an otherwise passable, well-acted, nicely directed, rather humorless and slightly boring but otherwise watchable drama until the presence emerged to accelerate the plot to ludicrous speed. Even Aaron feels the grief of losing a sibling he never met. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Top Filming Locations, 'The Last of Us' Opening Scene Is Terrifying Thanks to John Hannah, 'The Last of Us' Series Premiere Recap: Spawn of the Dead, When Do New Episodes of 'The Last of Us' Come Out? Co-stars Jovan Adepo and Grace Van Patten have chemistry as a couple from different backgrounds falling in love, though Kerem Sanga's sensitive indie drama has other plans for them. Where To Watch Miss Universe 2023 Live, Rude Golden Globes Producers Tried to Play Austin Butler off Stage Before He Had a Chance to Thank Lisa Marie Presley, Twitter Rejects Rihanna's Upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Performance: "She Might as Well Stay Home", Joy Behar Derails 'The View' Segment With Her Stories About Getting "Stoned" and Watching 'Law & Order'. Director Kerem Sanga may not be working at quite the same level, but his stirring new film pays effective tribute to the likes of Magnificent Obsession and A Place in the Sun through its vivid self-belief that audiences will buy anything so long as they get enough bang for their buck. Mystery & thriller, Her dad Joseph (Lukas Haas) is also her English teacher not as awkward as youd think, she swears and Cassie would rather have lunch with him in the cafeteria than any of the kids her own age. But by the end, you will in no way be able to regard The Violent Heart as anything resembling a serious movie. Starring Jovan Adepo and Grace Van Patten. This is her shock, which is nothing compared with what Daniel witnessed all those years ago. Coming Soon. Let us know what you think in the comments below. This is not to say that its not entertaining in a way, its even more entertaining for being insanely ridiculous. Find more movies that help kids build character. Movie Cassie reveals her age with her naivete and her inability to see how she's actually making Daniel's life harder with her impetuous decision to pursue him. Common Sense Media. Well, its not really a suspicion; its pretty obvious he WILL resurface. $11.24. 1,449, This story has been shared 1,200 times. by Gary Oldman DVD . 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. The Gist: Young Daniel (Jordan Preston Carter) tinkers in the garage, fine-tuning his dirt bike. All rights reserved. But the movie seems afraid to come out and name what we and the actors know that its depicting. She is beautiful and gentle, a high school student with the entire world ahead of her. It was released on February 19, 2021, by Gravitas Ventures. Hes reserved in demeanor, seems to keep to himself, and is still haunted by the experience, understandably so. What part does he play in the story? Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Gravitas Ventures presents a film written and directed by Kerem Sanga. No, theres something bigger than the both of them percolating under the surface here, and the full truth of it obvious in parts, butlayered with implications that dont totally reveal themselves until the waning moments is so hard to swallow that most films would surely choke on it. Nightmare Film Shoots: The Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'Mad Max' to 'Avatar 2'. What Time Does 'That '90s Show' Premiere on Netflix? There are a few scenes of intense violence, including three murders, two of which are bloody and disturbing. Going into The Violent Heart, you must understand that the ending is insanely ridiculous. Summary: Nine-year-old Daniel lives in a town outside of Nashville. 958, This story has been shared 897 times. 44,515, This story has been shared 35,289 times. This item: The Violent Heart. Sangas film is gripping for how it uses old scars to expose the pain of fresh wounds and vice-versa, and swirls complex weather systems of inherited and/or systemic violence into white squalls of new wrath. Most of the women were 35-54 years old. '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? Struggling to find his path in life, Daniel works at a local auto shop and dreams of enlisting in the Marines like his father. Was he cheating? [8][9] In December 2020, Gravitas Ventures acquired distribution rights to the film, and set it for a February 19, 2021, release. Grace Patten (left) and Jovan Adepo play the lovers at the center of The Violent Heart.. On video on demand starting Friday, Feb. 19. Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. 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. Daniel has been living with his anger for long enough to name his demons, and the context he provides for that tricky balancing act (you start to not even notice it you kind of just become an angry person) frames the back half of this story with such bone-deep emotional force that its easy to forgive The Violent Heart for its occasional shortcuts and overarching contrivances. Cassie is naturally starting to drift apart from Joseph and her mother Rose (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) in preparation for leaving the nest, and the tension is amplified when she returns to school from her first long afternoon with Daniel (who fixed her vehicle at the local garage where he works as a mechanic) and catches her father in what might be a compromising moment with a teacher (they both seem flustered as the teacher lets herself out of Daniel's classroom). streaming The Violent Heart? All Rights Reserved. Aaron attends high school in the smallish, rural community. in " the violent heart ," writer-director kerem sanga ("the young kieslowski") wants us to believe that we're watching a sensitive post-racial romance about a goody-goody white tennessee teen. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! 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. High school senior Cassie (Grace Van Patten) is an only child who's so close to her father, Joseph (Lukas Haas), that she doesn't mind the fact that he's also her English teacher. 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. Just confirm how you got your ticket. Jovan Adepo (" Fences ," "Overlord") plays Daniel, a 24-year-old trying to get into the Marines in order to escape his small town and put his tragic family past behind him. [5], It had its world premiere at the Deauville Film Festival on September 9, 2020. (This isnt entirely their fault, as the screenplay gives Daniel just a few notes to play mostly variations on anger while Cassie is little more than a cipher.). The Violent Heart 2020 Unrated 1 h 47 m IMDb RATING 6.0 /10 681 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:36 1 Video 12 Photos Drama Thriller Fifteen years after the murder of his older sister, Daniel finds himself falling for Cassie, a vivacious high school senior. 1,200, This story has been shared 1,160 times. Easier still because Sanga doesnt play the reveals for shock value so much as inevitability, and his biggest bombshells are only as powerful as their aftershocks. Is it necessary to the story? Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! Sanga should have trusted this couple to steer the plot, instead of imprisoning them in it. Tragic drama has strong performances, violence. VOD release The Violent Heart seems destined to be lost in the shuffle. [12], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Mary J. Blige, Lukas Haas Join Coming-of-Age Romance 'The Violent Heart' (Exclusive)", "Tribeca Sets Feature Lineup Of Films For 2020 Fest", "Tribeca Film Festival Postponed Amid Coronavirus Fears", "Gravitas Ventures Acquires Tribeca Thriller 'The Violent Heart', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Violent_Heart&oldid=1116435090, This page was last edited on 16 October 2022, at 15:13. What are your thoughts on the difficulties that formerly incarcerated individuals face when finding work and trying to turn their lives around? Both romantic leads are as strong as the screenplay allows them to be, which is strong enough to make us care about them, even as the movie falls apart. You're almost there! 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. Some of these central relationships are inappropriate, even dangerous, but the subtlety of Sangas filmmaking allows for big twists to come as a genuine surprise. Director Kerem Sanga may not be working at quite the same level, but his stirring new film pays effective tribute to the likes of "Magnificent Obsession" and "A Place in the Sun" through . suggesting a diversity update. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Fast forward 15 years and he is a mechanic who can't get any other jobs because he went to jail over a fight! A place where we celebrate love and life to its fullest, quite literally. 7,823, This story has been shared 7,496 times. Their relationship escalates into romance while in Nashville, but it causes a stir back in their hometown. In addition, Jordan Preston Carter briefly appears as the young Daniel who witnesses his sister's murder. Daniel sees his sister sneak out the door and follows to a dark, secluded spot in the woods, where she is killed. Drama 2021 1 hr 42 min STARZ. Joseph (Lukas Haas) teaches English there, and his 18-year-old daughter Cassie (Grace Van Patten), a senior, is one of his students. by Ed McDonnell DVD . Crisis. They connect on the ride, but she's 18, he's 24, and he's headed to Nashville to secure a congressional endorsement for his waiver to enlist in the Marines. But the big qualifying but that I must wield like a warning of thin ice ahead might be too much to bear. All rights reserved. One day Joseph tells Cassie that she needs to take the car to a local garage for an oil change. You can help us help kids by "The Violent Heart," available on video on demand starting Friday, Feb. 19, is a combination love story/thriller about a 24-year-old Black man and an 18-year-old white woman who is still in high. A promising but self-thwarting film like this is more depressing than an outright bad or dumb one. What Time Is Miss Universe on Tonight? There's exactly one reference to the fact that Daniel is a dark-skinned man in his mid-twenties dating a light-skinned blond teenager in a small middle-American town, the type that Black road-trippers might've driven around during the Green Book days. There are a few scenes of intense violence, including three murders, two of which are bloody and disturbing. The killer has never been caught. Yet, a lot of what comes before is not bad at all. 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. For all of its overtures of forbidden romance, The Violent Heart uses its love story as a muscle more than anything else, flexing around Daniel and Cassies potential future together until it feels strong enough to lift a weighty meditation on the way that we live with our anger. By that late point, our emotional investment in these often thinly drawn characters has plummeted like GameStop stock. His relationship with their mom (an excellent Mary J. Blige, who features in all of the films most crucial scenes and textures every line with hard-won understanding) is particularly loaded. This movie keeps getting close to full self-awareness and raw honesty about its characters' predicaments(never more so than when Daniel marvels bitterly at Cassie's ability to see the silver lining in every cloud) only to shrug it off and keep moping in mutedwidescreen. Rate It! 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