Heart of America (2002)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Uwe Boll

Writers:

Uwe Boll (story)
Robert Dean Klein (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Violent Lesson... Deadly Learning.

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Father Son Relationship | Boyfriend Girlfriend Relationship | Naive Young Woman | Gang Rape | Sex With Retarded Character

Cast

Jürgen Prochnow	...	Harold Lewis
Michael Paré	...	Will Prat
Patrick Muldoon	...	Ryan Kirkland
Kett Turton	...	Daniel Lynne
Elisabeth Moss	...	Robin Walters
Maria Conchita Alonso	...	Mrs. Jones
Clint Howard	...	Artie Lynne
Brendan Fletcher	...	Ricky Herman
Lochlyn Munro	...	Reporter
Maeve Quinlan	...	Becky Schultz
Elisabeth Rosen	...	Dara
Will Sanderson	...	Frank Herman
G. Michael Gray	...	Wex Presley
Kevin Mundy	...	Tommy Bruno
Michael Belyea	...	Barry Schultz

Also Known As:

Deadly Trust (USA) (working title)
Home Room (Australia)
Homeroom (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, drug use, sexuality and language - all involving teens.

Runtime:

USA:87 min

Country:

Canada | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Australia:MA | UK:15 | USA:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Boll Kino Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG

Quotes:

Ricky Herman: We've known each other for a long time, haven't we guys? I mean there's a history here. In a year from now we're gonna wonder where all these times went. You know what I mean? Hasn't it been fun now?

Soundtrack:

Walk On By

Hey teachers, leave those kids alone!

Jurgen Prochnow and Michael Pare star as a principal and teacher of an average high school that has a columbine style shooting that will take the lives of many students of course along the way we will run into characters who deserve to die and those who don't, the main point of interest is Prochnow and Pare who don't really strike one as the faculty type. I myself teach and well for one, this movie fails to convince me as anything resembling reality. Whether it be with teachers or students. Michael Pare's character plays a teacher who openly mocks his student's work. If such a thing ever happened you would be suspended or even dismissed because we encourage, not laugh at a student's work. Okay, I don't teach English (Pretty sure you can tell, whoever has glanced at my reviews) however it is pretty basic that all a teacher can take points off for, is grammar errors rather than content of such material. At least at high school level. Anyway the movie itself fails to convince one of the students and their plights because it is far too overwrought in the humiliation sequences. These humiliation sequences that these kids put the shooters through is something more at home in Last House On The Left rather than a school yard. Kids do not force other kids to take their clothes off and eat feces, rather they beat up on them. A far better film wouldn't have had any motivation of the killer's part and therefore it would feel more subtle and honest. There are some strong sequences such as the final showdown between the shooter and his tormentor but it is treated as just desserts and I for one can't bring myself to say that this has something rational to say if it is treated like an action movie. However despite a few bizarre moments of camera angles, such as the part which is supposed to simulate a drug haze, Heart Of America is Boll's most competent effort I've seen and although the results are fairly watchable, It is quite obvious that Boll is oblivious in telling a story. He lacks subtleness and that is a big flaw in all his films. Also Prochnow and Pare as principal and teacher? Did Uwe Boll see Eddie And The Cruisers and Das Boot?

* * out of 4-(Fair)