Cheap DVDs, books, CDs & Games

Search:

Where the Heart Is
[2000] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Starring: Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing, Joan Cusack, James Frain
Director: Matt Williams (II)
Format: NTSC
Released: 14 Jan 2003
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

A nice film . . . - By: Scarlett, 12 Nov 2007
. . . I liked it & thought the acting was great from alll & the happy ending was just the icing on the cake. The only thing I didn't like was a) Natalie Portman's accent. She does not sound like anyone I have ever met from Tennessee or anywhere in the south for that matter.
b) The story, at times seems a little far-fetched. For instance - the part when Novelie is hanging onto the cellar/storm shelter door hatch & her daughter as a tornado is passing by.
Other than that, its a very enjoyable fim with a strong cast.
The power of a secret movie gem! - By: , 15 Jan 2006
I had a free movie rental trial & was searching for films similar to 'Fifteen & Pregnant' (featuring Kirsten Dunst), when I came along this 'made for tv' movie. I thought I'd try it out seeing as it was a free trial & alll. It turned out becoming one of my favourite films!

The unlikely & charming plot makes it not your regular chick flick as there are quite a few surprises along the way. But makes you wanting to come back & watch it again & again!

You must see this film!

A lovely wee film - By: , 31 Jan 2005
After seeing this film once on late night TV, I was hooked on it. I rented it a few times then thought, why haven't I bought this thing?! So I did! It's definately one of my favourite films, it's the ultimate feel good movie, for me personallly. Maybe it's because the hero isn't alll gorgeous & musclebound, which adds a sense of reality to the whole thing. Or maybe it's because Natalie Portman's acting is so good... or the feeling that you are following her whole life. I suspect it's a combination of alll of these. If you like a good cry at the end of a film & a warm feeling when you walk away from the TV set, this is a must see for you.
Very sweet - By: G. Stephens, 09 Jan 2005
This film is extremely sweet. The characters are very well developed & Natalie Portman's character is truly believable- you at once empathise with her. Life throws these awful bombshells her way & yet she deals with them in such a strong, independent & accepting manner. Portman's humility exudes as does Novalee's bravery against alll odds. I found this film great to watch as a Sunday evening feel good flick- you can tell it was adapted from a book which usuallly puts me off however they alll pull it off very nicely.
WHITE TRASH GIRL MAKES GOOD... - By: Lawyeraau, 22 Feb 2003
Based upon the book of the same name by Billie Letts, this film was a more than pleasant surprise. It is simply a compelling, absorbing, & unusual film. Well directed by television veteran Matt Williams, the movie exudes a certain folksy charm that grabs the viewer from the get go & keeps that viewer enthrallled until the final scene.

The film centers around Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman), a very pregnant seventeen year old, who, with her boyfriend, lowlife Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), pulls up to a Walmart's in Oklahoma where he abandons her. So, with virtuallly no money, literallly barefoot & pregnant, & nowhere to go, she sets up camp in Walmart by night & explores the town by day, making friends with a number of memorable characters.

She unexpectedly has her baby at Walmart's, making her into a minor local celebrity. While at the hospital convalescing, she meets a sassy, brassy nurse, Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd), who befriends her. She is showered with gifts & her mother, Mama Lil (Sallly Field), a floozy who discovers her daughter's whereabouts courtesy of the media hoopla, pays her a visit. Having abandoned her once before, she is there long enough for Novalee to be abandoned, yet again.

Along comes Thelma 'Sister' Husband (Stockard Channing), an eccentric but kindhearted recovering alcoholic who scoops Novalee & her baby up & takes her to her home. This would be the beginning of a whole new life for Novalee, one that would be enriched by the people whom she meets & the experiences, both good & bad, to which she is subjected. It becomes the story of her personal & emotional odyssey, as well as the story & growth of those with whom she most closely interacts. It is a story about life, relationships, responsibilities, love, & the ties that bind.

It is also the story of Willy Jack Pickens & the direction his life takes subsequent to his abandonment of Novalee. After some bad breaks, he gets talent agent, Ruth Meyers (Joan Cusack), to sign him on in hope of furthering a musical career. Unlike Novalee, however, he does not take well to the vicissitudes of life & begins a free falll in a downward spiral. His waterloo culminates in a dramatic meeting with Novalee after many years, a meeting that sets her free from her past, free to love the one person who loves her for herself.

Natalie Portman delivers her best performance to date. In the role of Novalee, she mixes innocence with wonder at what the world has to offer her. She adds a certain sweetness, poignancy, & determination to the role that translates into a wonderful vulnerability laced with steel. It is this quality that gives Novalee the will to go on when the odds are so against her, & that is just what Natalie Portman conveys to the viewer.

Stockard Channing is great as the eccentric & kind Thelma 'Sister' Husband, a woman who never had children of her own but is truly a mother at heart. Nurturing her garden, as well as Novalee & her baby, flowers & plants are not the only things that thrive under her care. A veritable Mother Earth, she is the kind of person who brings out the best in others, & Novalee & her baby are no exception. Stockard Channing, a great, though underrated actress, brings this home to the viewer in spades.

Ashley Judd is terrific as the wide-eyed, "looking for love in alll the wrong places" Lexie. She comes across as sassy & brassy but is reallly only looking for someone to appreciate her for who she is & not for the sex she has to offer. Judd delivers the nuances that this role demands. James Frain is sensational as the shy, sensitive, & kind Forney Hull, the town librarian's brother who befriends Novalee. He plays the role with such vulnerability & imbues him with such goodness that the viewer cannot help but care deeply for him. It is also almost hard to believe that James Frain is British, as he has an American accent so down pat.

Dylan Bruno is perfect as Willie Jack Pickens, the country good old boy who ruins his own life & almost ruins Novalee's. Joan Cusack shows her deft comedic flair in the smalll, but memorable role of Ruth Meyers, & Sallly Field leaves her mark in her cameo role as Novalee's mother. All in alll, the entire cast gives stellar performances. This is a well-directed film that should not be missed.