Where the Heart Is: Watch This When You Are Looking for a Romantic Interlude

Every so often I watch a movie that impacts me. Today I watched two of them, and one of them was Where the Heart Is. I was totally involved in the movie within a few minutes of it starting, and by the end I was sitting there on the couch torn between a pleasant feeling and still wiping the tears from my eyes.


Basics of the Movie

I don't want to give too much away, based on personal preference. I hate knowing the ending of a movie before I have seen it! The basic plot of this movie is a love story. It takes two people who fall in love and watches them move through life, through various traumas and trials, before they finally figure it all out. The heroine, portrayed by Natalie Portman, is a young woman who has experienced a great deal of trauma in her young life, only part of which includes having her baby at Wal-Mart and learning what it really means to put one's own needs aside in favor of the needs of someone else. Ashley Judd (who plays Lexie in the movie) learns that things are not always as they seem, and sometimes the best things are the most simple. Natalie (Novalee) works her way through life, dealing with the reality of being a mother, the stress love can bring in her life, and finally the resolution with the baby's father.

I don't really consider this a "chick flick". Rather, I see it as a people movie; one that will make each viewer reflect on his or her own life and choices he or she has made along the way.

Where the Heart Is is incredibly romantic, and at several points during the movie my significant other simply reached out and hugged me as a result of what was going on with the film. I was totally impressed with the sweetness of the movie and it was a totally enjoyable viewing experience for both of us.


Positives

First, the acting. Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman in particular do excellent jobs in interpreting their roles. I did not experience any disbelief at all in the way these two phenomenal actresses portrayed their characters. I found it very easy to identify with the characters, and that is an important factor to me when watching a movie. All of the actors did excellent jobs in this movie; I can't think of a single instance where I was disappointed.

Abbreviated Cast List

Natalie Portman - Novalee Nation
Ashley Judd - Lexie Coop
Stockard Channing - "Sister" Husband
Joan Cusack - Ruth Myers
James Frain - Forney Hull
Dylan Bruno - Willy Jack Pickens

Next, the story line. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie; I found the plot believable and well-done, and the story moved along at a nice pace with no major holes in the plot or gaps in the action.

Finally, the emotional impact. When I watch this type of movie, I want to be emotionally affected. I have to say that Where the Heart Is did not disappoint at all in this aspect. I had tears in my eyes more than once, and I was left with a feeling of contentment when the final credits were running.


Negatives

Well, that is easy. There are no negatives to this movie. It is very well-acted and the story line is excellent.


Final Assessment

I have waited a long time to see this movie, and now that I have seen it, I wish I would have watched it a long time ago. I enjoyed every minute of the movie and was hard-pressed to pull myself away for even a couple of minutes.

I highly recommend this movie. I intend to jet on over to my favorite online store, Amazon.com, and order it right after I finish writing this review because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I want to watch it again.