The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Asia Argento

Writers:

Asia Argento (screenplay)
J.T. LeRoy (short stories)

Release Date:

19 January 2005 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Behind the greatest hoax of our time is the heartbreaking story that started it all.

Plot:

Seven year old Jeremiah is pulled from his foster home and thrown into a troubled life on the road with his teenage mother, Sarah.

Plot Keywords:

Boy Dressed As Girl | Sex | Grandfather | Psychologist | Policeman

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Asia Argento	...	Sarah
Jimmy Bennett	...	Young Jeremiah
Kara Kemp	...	Social Worker #1
Brent Almond	...	Cop #1
David Dwyer	...	Cop #2
Kip Pardue	...	Luther
Jeremy Renner	...	Emerson
David Brian Alley	...	Doctor (as David Alley)
Lydia Lunch	...	Social Worker #2
Ornella Muti	...	Grandmother
Dylan Sprouse	...	Older Jeremiah
Cole Sprouse	...	Older Jeremiah
Peter Fonda	...	Grandfather
John Robinson	...	Aaron
Lindy Maguire	...	Girl

Also Known As:

Le livre de Jérémie (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for intense depiction of child abuse/neglect, strong sex and drug content, pervasive language and some violence.

Runtime:

98 min | USA:97 min | Argentina:97 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

USA | UK | France | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 | France:-16 | Canada:18A | Australia:R (2007) | UK:15 | Germany:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Above All Things Inc.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Chester stumbles out of the meth lab after the explosion, he is obviously severely burnt as evidenced by his face. Yet the white embroidery on his black leather vest is undamaged in any way.

Quotes:

Jackson: I'm sorry babydoll I thought it was you. He was talkin' like you actin' like you.

Movie Connections:

References Santa sangre (1989)

depressing

Downright depressing. I watch films to escape or to see the joyousness of life - basically this is about child abuse. We all know what that is - and the adults who do it are downright ILL. For that reason, this film is brilliant and depicts the mental illness in adults very well - and their inability to connect with their own compassion and understanding. Makes you realise that just because a person can have a child, doesn't mean they are a parent. Throws up the whole notion of family and how damaging it is for some people.

If anything this film could be used to force EVERYONE to take a parenting course and to be observed and examined in the action of parenting.

It was realistic - but sad, depressing and well, if you are in the mood of getting depressed, watch this one.

I was really wanting to see what the kid turned into as an adult. Just another junkie?? It leaves you dissatisfied completely in that respect.