Playing by Heart (1998)

Director:

Willard Carroll

Writer (WGA):

Willard Carroll (written by)

Release Date:

23 April 1999 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

If romance is a mystery, there's only one way to figure it out.

Plot:

Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in L.A.

Plot Keywords:

Multiple Story Line | Priest | Video Game | Imagination | Neurotic

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Angelina Jolie	...	Joan
Dennis Quaid	...	Hugh
April Grace	...	Valery
Patricia Clarkson	...	Allison
Gena Rowlands	...	Hannah
Sean Connery	...	Paul
Gillian Anderson	...	Meredith
Christian Mills	...	Phillip
Kellie Waymire	...	Jane
Madeleine Stowe	...	Gracie
Anthony Edwards	...	Roger
Ellen Burstyn	...	Mildred
Jay Mohr	...	Mark
Tim Halligan	...	Cook Show Director
Michael Emerson	...	Bosco

Also Known As:

Dancing About Architecture (USA) (working title)
If They Only Knew (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Austria:6 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Norway:A | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | Singapore:PG | Poland:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hyperion Pictures

Trivia:

Also contains a spoiler for Suddenly, Last Summer (1959).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Throughout the entire movie, whenever there is a scene (and there are many) involving martinis, between shots the olives and level of vodka in the glass change. This happens many time when a character either eats an olive or is about to eat one, it will re-appear in the glass seconds later. Also - many times where the character is starting to say something, and the view is changed to be from their point of view and their lips are no longer moving.

Quotes:

Joan: Talking about love is like dancing about architecture.

Movie Connections:

References Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)

Soundtrack:

Friction

It made me feel happy

This film may be slightly weak in story, and predictable, but it also has so much more. The characters are the driving force, with the acting very praiseworthy. When they were happy, I was happy, when they cried, I could feel tears welling up. I was also surprised at how long it took me to click onto certain things.

Angelina Jolie and Ryan Phillippe stand out as the most convincing couple and the most interesting, but maybe thats because they are the youngest, and closer to my own age and interests than the others. They also looked really good together, and Phillippe oozed sex appeal, an added bonus to his acting skill.

At the end of it all, I felt really happy and I had a smile on my face, as if I finally believed that there is true love out there. I'd like to go and see it again.