The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004)

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

Director:

Asia Argento

Writers:

Laura Albert (short stories) (as J.T. LeRoy), Asia Argento (screenplay)

Stars:

Asia Argento, Dylan Sprouse, Cole Sprouse

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

The dysfunctional twenty-three-year-old Sarah takes her six-year-old natural son Jeremiah from the home of his beloved foster parents with the support of the social service to live with her. Along the years, the boy shares her insane and low lifestyle and is introduced to booze and drugs and mentally, physically and sexually abused by Sarah, her lovers and her religiously fanatic family.

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Plot Keywords:

child abuse | written and directed by cast member | prostitute | child molester | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Country:

USA UK France Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 January 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

A szív csalfa vágyai

Filming Locations:

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,000, 12 March 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$29,058, 30 March 2006

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$176,153, 27 February 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

Above All Things Inc., Artist Film, Metro Tartan Distribution Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actor Jimmy Bennett claims his costar Asia Argento raped him during the making of this film when he was only 17 years old, one year younger than the age of consent in California where the assault allegedly took place.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Older Jeremiah: Fucking crystal!

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Connections

Featured in Author: The JT LeRoy Story (2016)

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Soundtracks

Cuckoo Bird
Arrangement by Hobart Smith
Performed by Hobart Smith
Published by Global Jukebox Publishing (BMI)
Courtesy of Rounder Records / Alan Lomax Collection

User Reviews

Better than I expected

I can't say I "liked" this film, yet I can say it was better than I expected. Actress/Director Asia Argento is both the best and worst thing about this film. As director, she presented a story that had flow and made sense, and made a couple of very good choices as to when to use surrealistic and stunt casting tricks in service of the story. She also got excellent performances out of the cast generally. Except...

as an actress, she kept taking me out of the scene. If your reaction is the same as mine, just tune her acting out and let the story unfold.

I would also say that JT Leroy, writer of the prose on which this film is based, was involved in the production. Via letter, he introduced the film at various film festivals. The claim that this is a true story, that this is "my life" that Leroy makes, tends to inoculate the film from a lot of criticism. How can anybody say "the ending wasn't much of an ending" or "the mom was really over-the-top" if the person who lived the story says the movie is "true". In other words, a movie has to have its own truth, whether the story it tells is true or not. And I guess I think this is "7" because for all it's flaws (Argento's acting, skips in time that leave characters undeveloped, and a general lack of roundness to the characters that really could have been fixed), the movie did seem to find it's own truth.

For that I credit director Argento, young actors Jimmy Bennett, Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse (who knew the Sprouse twins could act? Very well done), sharp (if stereotypical) cameo turns by Peter Fonda, Winona Ryder, & Ornella Muti (whom I took to be Lena Olin). Also props to John Robinson, who played Jeremiah's teenaged uncle -- an underused character in the film. Except I can't say that because this movie is a "true story". See? That's frustrating.

Oh, the content is strong, this is not for kids, and a LOT of adults will need to quit watching at some point. But it is overall worth the effort, if you have a strong stomach and can control your rage at the awfulness of the life depicted.