Where The Heart Is is a 2000 American romantic drama directed by Matt Williams in his film director's debut. The film stars Natalie Portman, Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, and Joan Cusack with supporting roles performed by James Frain, Dylan Bruno, Keith David and Sally Field. The screenplay, written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, is based on Billie Letts' best-selling novel. The film follows five years in the life of Novalee Nation, a 17-year-old, who was abandoned by his girlfriend at Walmart in the small town of Oklahoma. She quietly moves to the store, where she finally gives birth to her baby, which attracts media attention. With the help of friends, he made a new life for himself in the city.
Video Where the Heart Is (2000 film)
Plot
After 17-year and seven months pregnant Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) was abandoned by girlfriend Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno) at the local Walmart in Sequoyah when she used the restroom and bought new shoes, she met Thelma "Sister" Husband (Stockard Channing ) which presents it with a buckeye tree, and Moses Whitecotton (Keith David), a local photographer who advises him to give his baby a strong name. The ailing Novalee and the homeless were forced to live in Walmart, undetected. Novalee also met the sour librarian Forney Hull (James Frain) who took care of his alcoholic sister Mary Elizabeth (Margaret Hoard). During the storm Novalee, alone in Walmart, began giving birth. Forney, who now marveled at Novalee, destroyed Walmart's window to help deliver his son he named Americus. Novalee instantly became a media dear, and in the hospital befriended the Lexie Coop Nurse (Ashley Judd). Her mother who is estranged Mama Mama (Sally Field), visited after seeing her daughter on television, and disappeared with the money donated by the sympathizers. Sister Husband arrived and offered to take in Novalee and Americus. Three years later, Novalee became a photographer with the help of Moses. When a tornado blows through Sequoyah, Sister Husband is killed. In his memory, Novalee fired a picture of Americus and a buckeye tree that still stood in the midst of the storm damage. After the funeral, Novalee discovers that he is the real heir of Sister, totaling about $ 40,000. Novalee built a new home for himself and Americus on Sister land.
Meanwhile, after a spell in jail and traveling to Nashville, Willy Jack became a one-hit-wonder after a slow start with Beat Of A Heart, a song he wrote in prison. She works closely with Ruth Meyers (Joan Cusack) crisp music agent, who gives her a makeover and stage name "Billy Shadow." At the same time, Novalee arrived in Las Vegas to receive an award in the photo contest she won, almost missing Willy Jack who happened to be in the same hotel where Ruth burst into her hotel room to tell Willy Jack, her old cellmate, Tommy Reynolds , is suing him for plagiarism and dropping him as a client due to infidelity. Upon returning to Sequoyah, Novalee discovers Lexie has been attacked by a new love that abuses her two eldest children, almost beating her to death when she tries to protect them. Lexie's injury hampered her job as a nurse, and she and her children had to move with Novalee and Americus. The guilty Lexie is damaged by guilt and anger, while regretting his choice to men.
Mary Elizabeth later died and when Forney did not show up at the cemetery, Novalee found her in a hotel and cheered her up. They act on the feelings they have resisted for so long and spend the night together. Forney confesses his love, but Novalee confesses in Lexie he never considers himself good enough for Forney and is confused about his feelings for her. His continued unhappiness became remarkable when he said that he intended to stay with him rather than continue his studies at Bowdoin College in Maine. Believing his life to be a dead end with him at Sequoyah, Novalee struggles to lie to Forney saying he does not love him. Heartbroken and rejected by Novalee, Forney returns to college in Maine. Novalee learns that Lexie sees Ernie (Bob Coonrod), an exterminator who has no physical attributes that in the past interest him, but he fell in love with him after learning that he gave his ex-wife his 1967 Chevy Camaro restored. in exchange for the custody of her stepson she adopted as her stepson. The couple married, and Lexie told Novalee that she was pregnant.
Extremely depressed in his shattered career after the suit, Willy Jack became a depressed alcoholic while driving with a woman across the country. He wanders from drunk and fainted on the railroad tracks where he can not move as the train approaches. On the fifth anniversary of Americus, Novalee picked up a newspaper and saw an article about Willy Jack who lost his legs a few months earlier and was recently robbed of his wheelchair. Novalee visits Willy Jack at the hospital and he claims his whole life will be different if he does not leave it. He sees how Willy Jack is a changed man and can finally forgive and let go, but he warns him to never contact Americus. Novalee realizes now that his lie is the same mistake as Forney. He drives Willy Jack back to Tennessee and continues to Maine to find Forney at Bowdoin. Novalee tells him that he really loves her and they return to Oklahoma and get married. The final scene is their wedding, which takes place at Walmart.
Maps Where the Heart Is (2000 film)
Cast
- Natalie Portman as Novalee Nation
- Ashley Judd as Lexie Coop
- Stockard Channing as Thelma "Sister" Husband
- Joan Cusack as Ruth Meyers
- James Frain as Forney Hull
- Dylan Bruno as Willy Jack Pickens
- Keith David as Moses Whitecotton
- Richard Andrew Jones as Mr. Sprock
- Sally Field as Mama Lil
- Angee Hughes as a Religious woman
- Margaret Hoard as Mary Elizabeth Hull
- Mackenzie Fitzgerald as Americus Nation
- David Alvarado as Tommy Reynolds
- Richard Nance as Johnny DeSotto
- Bob Coonrod as Ernie
- Cody Linley as Brownie Coop
- Heather Kafka as Delphia
- Adrian Garza as Young Brownie ( uncredited )
Difference between novel and movie
- Novalee found 5 unlucky numbers in the movie, and the number 7 was not lucky in the novel.
- Sister Husband has brown hair on film, and blue hair in the novel.
- In the novel, Lexie marries Leon Yoder.
- In the movie, Forney returns to school. In the novel, Forney instead traveled for some time before settling in Chicago.
- Novalee's marriage to Forney only happens in movies.
- In the novel, Lexie is obese. He continues to try new diets and weight loss schemes. The character aspect is removed from the movie version.
- In the novel, Benny Goodluck gives Novalee a buckeye tree for good luck. In the film, the buckeye tree was given to Novalee by Sister Husband.
- In the novel, Moses has a wife named Tertentu that Novalee also becomes close to him. He was completely removed from the film, like Benny Goodluck.
Music
Original music for this film is produced by Mason Daring. An original music soundtrack was released by RCA Records, as well as a music compilation soundtrack featuring songs used in the film by artists such as Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Martina McBride, and John Hiatt.
The song "That Beat of a Heart" was performed by The Warren Brothers and Sara Evans. A music video was created for the song, which was included as an added bonus on the DVD release, and featured a number of scenes from the film.
Reception
Critical response
The film received mostly negative reviews. Metacritic gave a 30% score based on reviews from 28 critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 35% approval rating, based on reviews from 97 critics, with the site's consensus stating that "bad manuscripts and poor plots damage the proper cast."
box office
The film opened in theaters in the United States on April 28, 2000. Where the Heart Is accumulates (USD) $ 8,292,939 on its opening weekend, opening at number 4.
The film then earns $ 33,772,838 at the North American box office, and an additional $ 7,090,880 internationally for a worldwide total of $ 40,863,718.
References
External links
- Where the Heart Is on IMDb
- Where The Heart Is There in Mojo Box Office
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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