Untamed Heart

A childhood illness leaves a young man with a serious health problem and a somewhat odd outlook on life. Being rather retiring, he was considered strange by his fellow employees; causing them to shy away from him. Despite all this, he gets to know one of the girls better after he helps her out of a sticky situation. They manage to have a brief yet fulfilling relationship. Very romantic, I loved it.

This movie is an hour and a half song of joy for romantics everywhere.

Marisa Tomei as Caroline is a gentle romantic who falls in love completely and without pretense. She gradually brings out the shy and quiet Adam giving him the love and tenderness he so desperately needs.

Two of my favorite scenes were seeing the joy on Caroline's face when she awakens and sees the Christmas tree Adam put in her room on Christmas morning. Also when they meet on opposing escalators and Adam gently touches her hand as they pass. Neither speak, their facial expressions make the scene work beautifully. This film is unashamedly tender, heartbreaking, romantic, soulful and life affirming. This little gem will pull your heartstrings much more than most big Hollywood movie "romances" could ever hope to.

As an audience we all grow more cynical and demanding, the more films that we see. Our expectations are constantly being upgraded and shifted to new levels of anticipation. I really did not expect 'Untamed Heart' to have quite the same impact today, as it did when I first saw it. I was wrong. I still cried. It's still the most heart warming, feel good, romantic comedy I've ever seen.

For those who are not familiar with the story, Christian Slater plays the part of the mysterious Adam who works as a busboy in a diner. All his life he's never physically come into contact with people, and he never speaks. You could say he lives in his own magic kingdom, hermetically sealed from the outside world-so much so that at the age of 26, he still believes in a fairy tale the nuns told him when he was growing up in an orphanage, involving magic rubies trickling down from a magic mountain, and being given a 'baboon heart.' Later, he even admits to possessing 'magic' records that he plays 'whenever the world doesn't agree with him.'

In real life it would be hard not to raise a smile at such an account, or at the very least be convinced the person was in need of some serious medication, but it's a testament to the power of the story that like Caroline(portrayed by the Marisa Tomei) rather then dismiss him, we start accepting his childlike understanding of the world. We overlook it when at the start of the film, Caroline asks him questions and he doesn't even respond. Anybody else would consider that plain rude. We forgive him when he creeps into Caroline's bedroom to watch her sleeping. We understand when he follows her home repeatedly, keeping at a safe distance to remain undetected. The reason we're able to make such adjustments, is that normal rules here do not apply, because in the world that he lives in, it's not inhabited by mere humans. He still occupies that fantastic world that we so readily discarded as children, because we had to embrace the darker reality of adulthood in order to cope with our new responsibilities. So Adam's character, while undoubtedly naive, offers no real threat. As an audience, we know where he's coming from. He's simply trying to make sense of the world around him, and does not understand how to behave any different.

Gradually, over the course of the film Caroline brings out more and more from Adam, and because of his unique perspective and vantage point, some of the things he says and does to convince Caroline of his love for her remain long after the credits roll.

If we've ever had our heart broken and as a result we try to 'tame' our heart so we don't get hurt again, this is the film we should watch, because it reminds us what love is, and what love can be. Any hurt that we may have felt is nothing compared to the joy we feel when we do get it right.

Young, outgoing waitress Caroline (Marisa Tomei) still lives at home with her parents and younger brother. Although she has had her heart broken numerous times, she has not become cynical about love. Adam (Christian Slater) is a busboy at the same restaurant as Caroline; he is, however, a shy recluse who doesn't relate to people very well. Yet, when a crisis occurs, it is Adam who comes to Caroline's rescue. For the first time, she sees him in a different light and they begin a loving relationship. Caroline is finally experiencing the happiness she deserves and Adam is opening his life to someone else. Still, something from Adam's past comes forward to haunt them. Will they find a happy ending?

This is an extremely touching and humorous love story about working-class people. The movie has many candid scenes about restaurant life and the people who work there. Also, Tomei gives a sweet, irresistible performance that warms the heart. Although one may need a kleenex or two before the film is over, its loving atmosphere will remain with the viewer for a long time. Recommended for everyone searching for a film to provide a feel-good-about-life day at the movies.

UNTAMED HEART tells the story of the romance between a lovelorn diner waitress (Tomei) and shy busboy (Slater). It is a sad, sweet movie without the usual gloss and pretension that ruin so many filmed love stories. These are working class people living working class lives. Tomei is touching as a woman who has been hurt once too often but who still holds out hope. Slater gives one of his best performances as the virtually mute busboy with both social and health problems. A heart-tugging vignette at the very beginning, involving the busboy as child in a Catholic orphanage, foreshadows later events in the film. Slater underplays beautifully, and thankfully so as this is Tomei's film all the way. She never looked more beautiful than she does here. Watch for the Christmas morning scene. Tomei wakes up to a special magic thanks to her busboy pal, and magnificently conveys her sense of wonder. Beware, however: UNTAMED HEART (BOY WITH A BABOON HEART would have been a better title) is a two-box of Kleenex.