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Playing by Heart
1998 121 min United States of America, United Kingdom R 18+
★6.7
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director: Willard Carroll
Trailers
Description
In a vibrant tapestry of love and longing, nine interconnected souls navigate romance and heartbreak in L.A., where passions collide and truths unfold, revealing that the heart's desires often lead us where we least expect.
Budget:
$20M
US Gross:
$3.97M
Worldwide:
$3.97M
Starring
Gillian Anderson
Actor
Ellen Burstyn
Actor
Sean Connery
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 1999
— Golden Bear
Key opinion
Playing by Heart is a warm, multi-narrative romantic drama that explores the complexities of love through interconnected lives. While opinions on the screenplay's originality are mixed, the film is widely praised for its strong ensemble cast and sincere emotional resonance.
| Acting | The film features a stellar ensemble cast that delivers authentic, heartfelt performances across its various narrative threads. | |
| Score | The music score and production design effectively establish a warm, immersive mood that enhances the film's emotional tone. | |
| Screenplay | The script provides insightful, memorable dialogue that captures the nuances of love, though some find the narrative structure to be a familiar cliché of the genre. | |
| Pacing | The intersecting storytelling style is lauded by some for its realistic, life-affirming conclusion, while others find the pacing sluggish and the plot progression predictable. |