Genres

Visitors Review

dan gabriel 2012-05-25 10:43:22

Brian Cox tour de force

This movie is about Brian Cox... Director Dagur Kari provides a stage.Paul Dano is great being a looking-glass. But Brian Cox's Jacques ismonumental, he literally carries the action from the first second hesteps in. He energizes the viewer, no matter how one classifies hismoral actions. The bar scene is one of surrealistic charm, dwelled bydecameronesque characters and maintained as a personal fiefdom byJacques. The short story on the cover is "A bartender takes a younghomeless man in under his wing" but there is so MUCH more to it. Lucas(Paul Dano) represents here a humanity clear of prejudice, pure andimmortal. The suicide attempt doesn't stop him. Nor does death itself,his heart symbolically living on in another body. Supporting actressIsild le Besco is somehow incongruous, offering not believable Frenchaccented replies. Underwhelming, as her debut movies in France, whereher naked skin prevails. Probably a strong actress, I am thinking hereEmily Mortimer, or Marie-Louise Parker, or, -if they really wanted aFrench one, how about Sandrine Kiberlain? -would have done much better.Solidly memorable, Brian Cox gives this movie so much personality andenergy that only true talent can offer. In line with Anthony Hopkinsand Ben Kingsley, Cox is another Musqueteer of a generation of powerfulperformances from Britain to enchant us. Watch this great movie, and abar will never look the same to you!

tom van de Bospoort 2012-05-24 20:25:52

Brilliantly dark from the director of Noi Albinoi and the actors Brian cox and Paul Dano from the brilliant L.I.E

Brilliantly dark and hilarious. Shot in a bar in Reicuvic, Iceland bythe director of Noi Albinoi, and the two brilliant actors from themesmerising L.I.E. With a brilliant performance from Brian Cox.The director has the way of putting his own Icelandic feel to thismovie with its very greenish feel in the artistic shots. which wereshot in New York and a mocked-up bar in Reicuvic.Totally brilliant humour throughout mixed with the serious moody BrianCox and upbeat Paul Dano, merges together once again to give a goodmix.Definitely the best thing I have seen in the 2010 EIFF, and one Irecommend for all to see.

2012-05-17 13:17:15

Just Okay

This was an interesting film, but a bit slow. Just didn't connect with it enough to like it. Acting was pretty mediocre. Overall, not memorable.

Gordon-11 2012-05-17 01:50:03

Artistically bleak but a little slow

This film is about a bitter bar owner who insults everyone he sees. Heencounters a homeless young man with a good nature, and takes him ashis apprentice in the bar."The Good Heart" is filmed artistically. The mostly dark colour scheme,and the old and bleak sets augment the film's dismal atmosphere. Thestory follows a predictable pattern, as two individuals with vastlydifferent personalities collide, they change each other. Brian Cox putson a great performance as a character who is bitter and cold. PaulDano's character is very good natured to the point that he isvulnerable to exploitation. He has the good heart, which I did notimagine it to have a literal meaning. However, the slow pacing and theoverly bleak atmosphere hurt the enjoyment factor. If this story wasfilmed as a light hearted comedy, it would have worked better.

TxMike 2012-05-05 21:02:53

Quirky characters in a very drab, dirty-looking film, only modestly interesting.

If you are a Netflix member and have rated a lot of movies on theirsite, they will suggest a rating for movies you haven't seen yet. Itsuggested I would think this is a pretty good movie, they were wrong.As they have been before. I don't trust it.The first impression is one of dark and dirt. It is shot in a colorstyle that evokes depression. The characters aren't happy, thesituations aren't joyous, and this mood never changes so I found ithard to watch and enjoy.We never find out any reason why, but Paul Dano as Lucas is without jobor family and lives in a box under an elevated street in New York City.He opens a can, we don't know if it is tuna or pet food, he gives someto a kitten and eats the rest himself. Eventually he gets depressed tomake a feeble attempt to kill himself, and doesn't succeed, but ends upin the hospital. There he meets Jacques.We've seen Brian Cox in so many American roles it is easy to forget heis from Scotland. Here he is Jacques, gruff and anti-social owner ofthe Oyster Bar, which quit serving food after an oyster killed acustomer for the prior owner, so now he only serves alcoholic drinks.In his quirkiness he has 3 rules ... no "walk-ins", no women, and nobeing nice to customers. He has had several heart attacks and presentlyfinds himself sharing a hospital room with Lucas.Jacques finds himself on the heart donor list, but believes he will diesoon. So his bright idea is to bring Lucas into his bar and spartanupstairs apartment, train him to run the business, then give it to himwhen he dies.I believe there is a good movie within the framework of that plot, butit isn't the one they made. Too negative most of the time, too dark anddepressing, and with an ending that the filmmakers must have thought,"Here's an ironic way to make all this come together." SPOILERS: Lucas is a slow learner, by the standards that Jacques hasset. With too much empathy for others, he takes in a French FlightAttendant who is afraid to fly anymore, and she asks him to marry herright away so she will have a residence. He does, and all this justinfuriates Jacques more. But in the end, Jacques softens up, still hasa bad heart and, when the duck being fattened for the holidays escapesto the street, Lucas is hit and killed, his "good heart" goes toJacques, who we see recuperating on a tropical beach.

larry-411 2012-05-05 02:53:06

Tour de force from Brian Cox & Paul Dano

I attended the North American Premiere of "The Good Heart" at the 2009Toronto International Film Festival. Brian Cox and Paul Dano (reunitedafter the 2001 indie classic "L.I.E.") pull off a tour de force thatleft me breathless in this character piece from Icelandicwriter/director Dagur Kári.The film opens with Lucas (Dano) barely eking out a living in acardboard box under a rusty highway overpass, with only a scrawnykitten as a companion. Jacques (Cox) runs a worn old bar where he'sbeginning to take on its characteristics. The two meet and a classicintergenerational arc is set up that carries the film to the end.The film is dominated by a triumphant performance from Cox, one of thefilm world's masters. Shot primarily in one interior location, thetheatrical nature of the script lends itself to playful interactionbetween the two leads. The chemistry between Cox and Dano began in 2001with "L.I.E." and there's still magic in that relationship, forged overtime as Dano has matured as an actor and into manhood. Interestingly,there are some references to cars and shaving which have carried overfrom "L.I.E." to "The Good Heart," intentional or not. Conflict isinfused by the sudden appearance of April (Isild Le Besco), who forcesthe two to take sides even as their friendship is beginning to blossom.Shot with mostly hand-held camera by cinematographer Rasmus Videbæk,"The Good Heart's" grainy film stock, washed out colors, and naturallighting without compensation for shadows give the film an honest look.A sweet soundtrack is mostly provided by the player piano that holds aprominent place in the bar. It's a clever and amusing device.A long time in the making, "The Good Heart" spent five years inproduction with exteriors in New York and interiors in Iceland. Cox'sintroduction after the screening brought the first standing ovation ofthe festival.

PersianPlaya408 2012-04-30 20:30:46

Just saw this impressive opening night film at Cinequest in San Jose....

Dagur Kari's film The good heart was a good way to start a filmfestival in my eyes. I just got back from the screening, and althoughthis film i heavily dramatic, i have to say the audience was laughingquite a bit, as was I. Its not a comedy though, just a film that somegreat comedic reliefs, and does a great job portraying a story of humaninteraction. In this case, Brian Cox is spectacular as a bitter,foul-mouthed and at times cynical barowner who takes in a homeless manin his early 20s (Dano) who he meets while being roommates with at thehospital where he has his 5th heart-attack. The film's strength lies inits script which gave its talented actors (mainly Cox, but also sometalented character actors in the supporting cast who played someregulars at the bar). The cinematography is perfect and has aestheticqualities, colors that show authenticity of the bar atmosphere. theScore is also quite suitable, and perfectly adds to the wholeexperience. Dagur Kari created somewhat of a gem with this film.perhaps it was also an advantage that i saw this in an impressivevenue, on opening night of cinequest in the "California Theatre" withwhat seemed like almost 7 or 8 hundred people in attendance.

Christian Andersson 2012-04-30 10:23:37

OK movie

The film is something between a feel-good and melancholic thoughtfulmovie. Sometimes, the dialog is really good, and the bar owner is greatin his role.However, the movie is a little bit too much predictable in many scenes.Sometimes, it's good when a film can't be put in a specific genre. Butfor this one, I wish it would have been more consequent in style. Itfeels like the director couldn't make up his mind.For some interesting dialogs, the nice atmosphere and the great barowner role, I give this movie 5/10.*spoiler warning* For the lack of knowledge about what happened to thestewardess and for the 5-10 silent seconds before the end-music startsplaying (sometimes, it add to the atmosphere to do like that, but hereit was totally wrong) I can't give it more than 5.If you don't have anything else to do, this film is OK to watch. (It'sactually much better than most of what's going on the cinemasnowadays...)

2012-04-27 09:02:39

A surprisingly good movie!

This review is from: The Good Heart (DVD) I liked it. An American movie with an European feel. Watch it, you will also be pleasantly surprised.

frosti-sigurjonsson 2012-04-26 17:19:07

This movie got heart

This is a must see movie - goes on my list all time favorites.It is not a thriller but there is never a dull moment. It is no comedyeither yet there were several occasions where I was laughing so hardthat I was almost out of breath. It's difficult to classify.The script has everything. Excellent plot, really fantastic dialogs,interesting characters, unexpected turns and a surprise ending... agreat story and its well told.The quality is excellent: filming, lighting, soundtrack, props,costumes ... everything. Brian Cox is fantastic as the grumpy bar owner... Paul Dano isconvincing as the homeless young man.I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

2012-04-25 00:35:59

So well made!!!!

A very carefully crafted film where life and death, love and hate are in constant interaction. Such a relief from stupid movies we have all around.

2012-04-24 11:32:40

A film with heart!

I didn't know what to make of the film when i started watching it. The start was a tad slow but still very watchable because of the great performance and chemistry between the cox and dano. Although admittedly the ending was a little predictable, the great musical score, the look and feel of the film and its well paced character development more than covers for it.Go watch it... if you are a fan of the drama genre, you'll like this.