Playing by Heart (1998)

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

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles. Paul produces Hannah's television cooking show, and they must move beyond gentle barbs when she wants to know about an affair of his years ago. Mark is dying of A.I.D.S., and his mother comes to his bedside: they must speak truthfully. Men have scalded Meredith, so she rebuffs Trent's charm, but he persists. The trendy, prolix Joan tries to pull the solitary Keenan into her orbit: why is he reluctant? An adulterous couple meets at hotels for evening sex, but she is unwilling for the relationship to grow. Hugh tells tall tales, usually tragic, to women in bars. By the week's end, their parallel stories converge.

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Plot Keywords:

manhattan new york city | sister sister relationship | cheating | chicago illinois | divorce | 

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Taglines:

The comedy with a twist.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of John Barry's score was replaced with a new score by Christopher Young. Barry's credit on the movie was retained, however, and a CD was released with Barry's largely unused score.

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Goofs

Although Joan's cat is called Blanche and is consistently referred to as "she", the actual animal is a male (tomcat).

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Quotes

Joan: When was having sex or not having sex not a problem?

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Crazy Credits

The opening scenes introducing the major characters list their character names with subtitles, but not the actors/actresses who are portraying them.

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Alternate Versions

Trailer includes scenes of sexual encounter between Anthony Edwards and Madeline Stowe.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: At First Sight/Another Day in Paradise/Hi-Lo Country/Playing by Heart/The Theory of Flight (1999)

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Soundtracks

Been Around the World
(1998)
Written by David Lowery
Performed by Cracker
Courtesy of Virgin Records America, Inc.

User Reviews

2/5 of a real movie

This movie is a telling of 5 individual stories about 5 different couples that seem to have no link at first but come together at the end. I found that 2 of the 5 stories were actually watchable. The other 3 went out on vacation and never came back.

Tried to be too real but couldn't shake its fairy-tale feel. Anjelina Jolie was the most memorable as the annoying girl that grows on you and Gillian Anderson was interesting as Dana Scully with a different name, dark hair and a new love interest.

If you MUST watch this because of the marquee names, save your 8 bucks and rent it. Better yet, wait for cable.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

22 January 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

If They Only Knew

Filming Locations:

Mayan Theater - 1038 Hill Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$26,669, 3 January 1999

Gross USA:

$3,970,078

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,970,078

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hyperion Pictures, Intermedia, Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1