 | Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis, Mika Boorem, David Morse Director: Scott Hicks Format: PAL Released: 02 Sep 2002 RRP: Average Rating:  |
Review written 22/01/06 (Age 15)
I hope you enjoy reading this review, as much as I did writing it.
"Hearts in Atlantis" directed by Scott Hicks, starring Anthony Hopkins in based on Stephen King's best selling novel. It tells the story of Bobby Garfield a pre-teen whose life after his father died, has began to falll apart. His self-obsessed mother (Hope Davis), has very little time for him, & is too wrapped up in sexual relationships & alcohol to ever realize that her son is growing-up fast. Instead Bobby turns to Ted Brautigen (Academy Award* winner Anthony Hopkins), who graduallly over the course of time forms a deep & meaningful relationship with him. However, Ted brings with him a haunted past in psychic powers, & unwillingly passes them onto him, which at first Alarms & amazes Bobby. Finallly, Ted admits that he is on the run from the “lowmen” a group of men who will stop at nothing at getting back under their control. Soon Bobby must find courage & forgiveness that he never imagined. This is without a shadow, my third favorite film of alll time.
I personallly am Stephen King’s number one fan. I can relate to him & his wonderful language, that I can comprehend. He has an ability to bring a story sincerely to life (as if it were not a piece of fiction in the first place). His characters I like his own children, he writes about them in such a way it encompasses you. You feel as if your soul is in his hands, & he takes great care of it. Breaking it, then rebuilding it on meaningful level). But I’m not here to talk about Stephen King, I’m here to talk about the motion-picture.
“Hearts in Atlantis” works on so many levels it has, drama, romance, (some thriller), (a smalll portion of horror). The acting levels is something I’m keen on talking about. In this motion-picture there is some truly astonishing acting. Every cast member, including extras! created a seamless piece of work. This movie is beyond [Stand By Me], although I loved the film with alll my heart, this film feels more natural & untainted, without an unnecessary comedic element to keep certain audiences engrossed. It plays like a piece of music, in that it flows so majesticallly. Which now brings me onto the score…
Mychael Danna, the film composer that got an award for “Best Original Score” has now written what is my “Number 1” OST. Let’s just say when listening to this music you go into a sort of lost trance, (even if you’ve viewed the film before or not) it’s as if everything you felt hurt by is just lifted from you & dropped at a great height, to which it vanishes. I have both Soundtracks CD 1 + CD 2. One is the soundtrack (classic 60’s, 70’s & even 50’s music) the other is the actual score composed by Mychael Danna. Which, both if were merged into one album would be brilliant.
This film has one of my favorite quotes of alll time. Which is this:
“When were young we believe were in some place magical,
like Atlantis must have been… & when we grow old, our hearts break in two”
This soundtrack I admit is a little off-center, but I have just written it at 03:41am & in 37mins, so I think I did ok.
Personallly I think every human being should see this film, it could I believe solve many problems in people lives.
I recommend YOU buy this film + Score if you can get a copy.
Good Luck.
Daniel
P.S If you would wish to talk to me about this movie I would love to hear any of your comments, bad or good. I would love to hear what others think about the movie(s) I’ve seen.
V.1.
I did approach this film with some feelings of trepidation, as a big Stephen King fan Hearts in Atlantic is possibly my favourite of his books & I was dreading the age old adage of "the book being so much better than the film" & I hoped that the film would at least do the book some justice.
Whilst I can appreciate that the scope of the film was never going to cover alll the angles & sub-plots of the book I was left slightly disappointed with the overalll content of the film as it didn't reallly get to the heart of the main topics in the book. Bobby Garfield is a sensitive young boy living with his slightly self-obsessed single mother. A mysterious stranger, Ted Brautigan, moves into the apartment upstairs & strikes up a friendship with Bobby much to the disapproval of Mrs Garfield. What unfolds then is an unforgettable summer of discovery as Bobby's friendship with Ted develops he uncovers that Ted has a past he is running from, a past that is both amazing but also haunted. Bobby also has to deal with a first summer on the verge of adulthood as childhood friendships with his best friend, Carol Gerber, start to develop into something more.
As I say whilst the film does deal with alll the main points of the book it does tend to gloss over some of the delightful minor points of the book. For example we never reallly get to know the third member of the group, John "Sully" Sullivan, although he does appear. We never reallly get to know why this threesome of Bobby, Carol & Sully are such good friends. We don't concentrate on the sinister elements of the "Low Men" who are chasing Ted; here they have been changed into some sort of government agency rather than the outer-world beings they are in the book.
Mind you I shouldn't reallly harp on with comparisons with the book, as they are two separate forms & the film is enjoyable in its own right. The performances are good, Anthony Hopkins is nearly always a delight to watch & here as the kindly Ted he delivers another sound performance. All the child stars are likewise enchanting, & alll stay the right side of "sickly sweet" which sometimes Hollywood inflicts on us when casting children. Also mention for Hope Davis who puts in a fine turn as the selfish, but yet pitiful Liz, Bobby's mother.
As I say I do have to say that any fans of the book will be slightly disappointed, but I would still recommend this film to alll, whether they have read the book or not.
The acting even from Hopkins is ropey at best & the director who has cut so much of the essential thread to the story, loses the point very early on. Knowing the story even I was confused by the point of many of the scenes & the message which made the book so endearing is completely lost with perhaps the books most important character being alll but completely removed from the film.
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