Lonely Hearts (1991)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Andrew Lane

Writers (WGA):

R.E. Daniels (story)
Andrew Lane (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 October 1993 (South Korea)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

Alma, a lonely woman, falls for the conman who steals her money after seducing her. Frank doesn't want Alma around him...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Eric Roberts	...	Frank
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Alma
Joanna Cassidy	...	Erin Randall
Herta Ware	...	Gran
Bibi Besch	...	Maria Wilson
Rebecca Street	...	Jane Ericson
Miriam Flynn	...	Helen
Sharon Farrell	...	Louise
Sandy Baron	...	Apartment Manager
Ellen Geer	...	Martha
Marlyn Mason	...	Beverly Ross
Charles Napier	...	Robby Ross
Simone Study	...	Social Security Client
Jack Jozefson	...	Detective
Darcy Shean	...	Speaker at Meeting

Runtime:

Germany:92 min | USA:109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:12 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Germany:16 | USA:R

Company:

Gibraltar Entertainment

Movie Connections:

Version of The Honeymoon Killers (1970)

Fair melodrama, superb acting lifts it above a Lifetime movie

It seems extraordinary that the producer was able to attract these superb actors to this movie - a script that needed to get deeper into the characters than it did and sometimes seemed to avoid evolution. Yet the acting lifted a "woman as victim" melodrama starring Beverly D'Angelo to something more. D'Angelo's ability to convey someone with little self-esteem, her grabbing at something hopeful, her lust, her confusion - were so vividly portrayed. D'Angelo is one of the finest actresses anywhere.

Joanna Cassidy is also a wonderful actress who lends some interest to a standard role. She and D'Angelo look very right together in their respective roles. Cassidy, the self-confident private detective, is tall, lanky and strong-looking - given to wearing jeans. D'Angelo, the lonely obsessive lacking self-esteem, is soft, shorter, voluptuous verging on plump, and wears very feminine clothes except at low ebb when she dons sweats. The viewer is reminded how beautiful both women are - both have stunning eyes.

The director uses food interestingly - when D'Angelo is abstaining from rich foods, she's moving away from Roberts -when indulging, she's in his clutches.

Eric Roberts is quite good as the vulnerable ladies' con man who never means to kill. The screenwriter does a poor job with his character. Each time he appears to suffer remorse, he takes actions that don't bear any relation to the remorse. The script seems to jump about in dealing with him. In fact, the poor treatment of this character is probably the greatest weakness in the movie.

The climax is terribly predictable - which is unfortunate. In its desire to satisfy the audience, it simply serves up the usual dessert.

AS the other person commented, this movie is worth watching for its performances D'Angelo is simply superb, Cassidy somehow makes one interested when she's on the screen, and Roberts is dandy. I'd recommend it.