Restaurants, movie theaters, and parks will be busy this weekend as people celebrate Valentine’s Day. For those who prefer a little less hustle and bustle, it’s the perfect time to settle in at home with your sweetie and a good movie. And if you’ve seen Dirty Dancing enough times to recite Johnny’s onstage speech before the big dance finale, it’s a good time for a new movie.
Rather than picking a well known, and well worn, film check out the dramedy Playing by Heart. This 1998 gem boasts an ensemble cast that features a pre-Oscar winning Angelina Jolie, Sean Connery, Madeleine Stowe, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Quaid, and more. The movie follows six separate storylines all about love, though not all romantic. A married couple getting ready to celebrate 40 years of marriage deal with past grievances and present worries, a scorned woman spurns advances from a charming man, a vibrant young woman pursues a reluctant suitor, a man dying of AIDS connects with his mother, a married woman tries to keep an affair purely physical, and a mysterious man visits bar after bar telling elaborate tales to any who will listen.
Unlike more recent ensemble romantic movies, the characters in Playing by Heart are fully formed. They are relatable, realistic people dealing with their complicated histories and busy lives. Each of their stories contains truths about modern love and the challenges it faces in a cynical world, yet the movie doesn’t stray into lofty territory where characters spout over the top declarations of love. The dialogue is fresh and witty and by the end of the night it’ll have you talking about love and “dancing about architecture.”
Directed and written by Willard Carroll, Playing by Heart also stars Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson, Anthony Edwards, Ellen Burstyn, Jay Mohr, and John Stewart. It is rated R for language and adult situations and is 121 minutes long. The best bet for finding a copy is at FYE or online.
Fans of Love, Actually and As Good As It Gets will enjoy Playing by Heart. Check out this trailer at imdb.com.
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