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IMDbPro

Playing by Heart

  • 1998
  • R
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
20K
YOUR RATING
Gillian Anderson, Sean Connery, Ryan Phillippe, Anthony Edwards, Dennis Quaid, Madeleine Stowe, Angelina Jolie, Gena Rowlands, and Jon Stewart in Playing by Heart (1998)
Trailer
Play trailer0:26
1 Video
76 Photos
ComedyDramaRomance

Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.

  • Director
    • Willard Carroll
  • Writer
    • Willard Carroll
  • Stars
    • Gillian Anderson
    • Ellen Burstyn
    • Sean Connery
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    20K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Willard Carroll
    • Writer
      • Willard Carroll
    • Stars
      • Gillian Anderson
      • Ellen Burstyn
      • Sean Connery
    • 201User reviews
    • 63Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Playing By Heart
    Trailer 0:26
    Watch Playing By Heart

    Photos76

    Ryan Phillippe and Angelina Jolie in Playing by Heart (1998)
    Gillian Anderson and Jon Stewart in Playing by Heart (1998)
    Ryan Phillippe and Angelina Jolie in Playing by Heart (1998)
    Gillian Anderson at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Gillian Anderson at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Gillian Anderson at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Gillian Anderson at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Jessica Biel at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Sean Connery at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Sean Connery, Mia Sara, and Jason Connery at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Sean Connery at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)
    Anthony Edwards and Jeanine Lobell at an event for Playing by Heart (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gillian Anderson
    Gillian Anderson
    • Meredith
    Ellen Burstyn
    Ellen Burstyn
    • Mildred
    Sean Connery
    Sean Connery
    • Paul
    Anthony Edwards
    Anthony Edwards
    • Roger
    Angelina Jolie
    Angelina Jolie
    • Joan
    Dennis Quaid
    Dennis Quaid
    • Hugh
    April Grace
    April Grace
    • Valery
    Patricia Clarkson
    Patricia Clarkson
    • Allison
    Gena Rowlands
    Gena Rowlands
    • Hannah
    Christian Mills
    • Phillip
    Kellie Waymire
    Kellie Waymire
    • Jane
    Madeleine Stowe
    Madeleine Stowe
    • Gracie
    Jay Mohr
    Jay Mohr
    • Mark
    Tim Halligan
    Tim Halligan
    • Cook Show Director
    Michael Emerson
    Michael Emerson
    • Bosco
    Jon Stewart
    Jon Stewart
    • Trent
    Ryan Phillippe
    Ryan Phillippe
    • Keenan
    John Patrick White
    • Pete
    • Director
      • Willard Carroll
    • Writer
      • Willard Carroll
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Sean Connery took just $60,000 as his salary for this movie, as he was keen to play a character his age in a relationship with someone his own age. This was a far cry from the $14 million he earned on The Rock (1996).
    • Goofs
      Up until the end of the movie Angelina Jolie doesn't have her dragon tattoo on her left arm. When all the couples meet for their parents to renew their vows you can then see that she has a red saran wrap heart on her left arm.
    • Quotes

      Paul: The wonderful thing about falling in love is you learn everything about that person and so quickly. And if it's true love, then you start to see yourself through their eyes. And it brings out the best in you. It's almost as if you're falling in love with yourself.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening scenes introducing the major characters list their character names with subtitles, but not the actors/actresses who are portraying them.
    • Alternate versions
      Trailer includes scenes of sexual encounter between Anthony Edwards and Madeline Stowe.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: At First Sight/Another Day in Paradise/Hi-Lo Country/Playing by Heart/The Theory of Flight (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Drinking in LA
      Written by James Di Salvio (as James Di Salvio), Haig Vartzbedian and Duane Larson

      Performed by Bran Van 3000

      Courtesy of Audiogram/Capitol Records

      Under license from EMI Music Special Markets

    User reviews201

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Woefully Disjointed and Sloppy
    How did a movie like this ever even get made? "Playing By Heart" has a myriad of notable actors meandering through painfully sluggish dialogue as they define, discuss and detail their individual relationships, ad-nauseum .

    Writer-Director Willard Carroll must know where a body is buried in Hollywood, as it is the only explanation for this mess to ever get poured into a motion picture camera. The film jumps between one unrelated story to the other, giving no time for characters or plot to develop. To ensure that the viewer stays completely frustrated, many of the characters develop in directions that are never re-addressed by the film, leading the viewer down several of these meaningless dead-ends. We get to follow Dennis Quaide as he plays out invented characters in a seemingly endless string of bars, all in the name of his acting class. Beware of those who want to pin this film as Sean Connery's best role. Rent "The Untouchables" if you have any doubt. Despite a noble effort by Connery and others, the dialogue and overall sloppy directing will make the viewer hard-pressed to find any real teeth in the characters. "Playing By Heart" is a complete disappointment. It is neither romantic nor insightful. It is plentiful in mediocrity.
    helpful•9
    3
    • rip-5
    • Jan 23, 1999

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 22, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Dancing About Architecture
    • Filming locations
      • Mayan Theater - 1038 Hill Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA(Nightclub interiors)
    • Production companies
      • Hyperion Pictures
      • Intermedia
      • Miramax
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,970,078
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $26,669
      • Jan 3, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,970,078
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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    Gillian Anderson, Sean Connery, Ryan Phillippe, Anthony Edwards, Dennis Quaid, Madeleine Stowe, Angelina Jolie, Gena Rowlands, and Jon Stewart in Playing by Heart (1998)
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