Crooked Hearts (1991)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Michael Bortman

Writers (WGA):

Robert Boswell (novel)
Michael Bortman (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 September 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

How the discovery of a father's affair affects each member of his family.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Peter Berg	...	Tom (as Pete Berg)
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Charley
Noah Wyle	...	Ask
Peter Coyote	...	Edward
Cindy Pickett	...	Jill
Juliette Lewis	...	Cassie
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Marriet Hoffman
Wendy Gazelle	...	Eileen
Marg Helgenberger	...	Jennetta
Deanna Milligan	...	Julie (as Deanna Jean Milligan)
Sasha Moisewitsch	...	Bonita
Joshua Jackson	...	Tom (11 years)
Ryan Jorgenson	...	Ask (9 years)
Ian Tracey	...	Limber Watkins
Vincent Gale	...	Charley's Friend

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company:

A&M Films

Quotes:

Tom: You here to beat me up, Charley? I know you can do it.

Soundtrack:

Ooh Baby, Baby

Fun Indie Film

When a young man, Tom (Peter Berg), comes home to visit his family, he finds that since he has left the Warrens have become majorly disfunctional as a result of his father's hidden infidelity. His father, Edward (Peter Coyote), refuses to deal with these problems, going into denial and pretending that everything is fine. His older brother Charley (Vincent D'Onofrio) attempts to get kicked out of the family by causing emotional trouble, becoming violent, and he finally beats up Tom in the end, to no avail; Tom realizes that Edward won't throw Charley out because that would be letting him win.

This is the sort of dark little film which is original and wonderfully written but too subdued and depressing to ever gain wider acceptance. The tale of a family's descent into mutual distrust and self pity is not something most people would be willing to watch, regardless of the quality of the work.

Good directorial work and writing here. The performances are also all solid, especially D'Onofrio as the aggressive sociopath son and Noah Wyle as his brother Ask, such a riveting performance from a young Wyle. Take the time to watch this at least once if you see it on the movie channels. It's too extreme for many people to relate to, but it does keep you entertained, and it has a good, realistic ending.