Random Hearts (1999)

A police sergeant and a congresswoman both lose their spouses in a plane crash, and they soon discover that their spouses were having an affair with each other.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Warren Adler (novel), Darryl Ponicsan (adaptation)

Stars:

Harrison Ford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charles S. Dutton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harrison Ford	...	Dutch Van Den Broeck
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Kay Chandler
Charles S. Dutton	...	Alcee
Bonnie Hunt	...	Wendy Judd
Dennis Haysbert	...	Detective George Beaufort
Sydney Pollack	...	Carl Broman
Richard Jenkins	...	Truman Trainor
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Dick Montoya
Susanna Thompson	...	Peyton Van Den Broeck
Peter Coyote	...	Cullen Chandler
Dylan Baker	...	Richard Judd
Lynne Thigpen	...	Phyllis Bonaparte
Susan Floyd	...	Molly Roll
Bill Cobbs	...	Marvin
Kate Mara	...	Jessica Chandler

Storyline

After the death of their loved ones in a tragic plane crash Harrison Ford, a widow & widower Kristin Scott Thomas find keys in the possessions their loved ones left behind. They realize the two had been having an affair and are determined to discover all the details.

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Plot Keywords:

politician | police sergeant | investigation | u.s. congresswoman | policeman | 

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Taglines:

In a perfect world, they never would have met.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief violence, sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ahava Mikreat

Filming Locations:

Manchester Airport, Manchester, New Hampshire, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$64,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,012,585, 10 October 1999

Gross USA:

$31,502,583

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$74,608,570

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Global Entertainment Productions GmbH & Company Medien KG, Mirage Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final theatrical release from Rastar, although founder Ray Stark had not produced a film since Lost in Yonkers (1993). Its final production was the Disney Channel TV movie Alley Cats Strike (2000).

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Goofs

When Kay is kneeling in front of Dutch at the cabin, her hair is alternately in/out of her collar between shots.

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Quotes

Kay Chandler: Got any cash?
Cullen Chandler: [reaching into his pocket] Sure.
Kay Chandler: I need about a half a million. Harold Cornelius is gonna run against me as a write-in.

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Connections

Referenced in Game k n b?: Episode dated 15 March 2007 (2007)

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Soundtracks

The Folks Who Live on the Hill
Written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II
Performed by Diana Krall
Courtesy of The Verve Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

An intriguing story with a clever twist

I admit I have been a fan of Harrison Ford for many, many years now so it didn't surprise me that I enjoyed his performance here. But I also enjoyed the way the storyline developed and thought the casting was well done. I don't know whether I "buy into" Kristin Scott Thomas as a Congresswoman but she is a fine actress and a beautiful woman. I took notice of her in the first Mission Impossible. Although her part was small she stuck out on the screen.

Here her and Ford play people whose spouses are killed in an airplane crash. They are seated together and this is where the plot takes off. Apparently Ford, a police detective in Wash D.C., discovers that his wife was having an affair. He further discovers that the affair was with the husband of a New England Congresswoman.

The story takes on many subplots as Ford and Thomas find themselves drawn together by revelations of their marriages, the uncovering of deceipt, and the pure grief and anger over the loss of a loved one.

I think the movie is worthwhile either renting or catching on cable.