Strange Hearts

I loved this film. Rose M is all grown up and Forester couldn't be better. It moved me. i loved this movie. The fragile balance in life between what we mean and what we say are well explored. The consequnce of inaction is heartbreaking and can hurt us more than the things we do say. Well done.

I wasn't expecting much at the start of watching this low budget comedy, but found myself liking both the plot and the players. The film is launched under three names, "Strange hearts", "Road to riches" and "Rat in a can". It's more of a drama than a comedy, and stars well known actors Robert Forster, Kip Pardue, Rose McGowan and Harry Hamlin.

Young Henry, a Texan carpenter, is a lucky naive honest guy, able to charm everyone. In addition to that he's a lucky one. As audience a a game show he meets up with the quite more unhappy and unlucky scam artist Jack Waters, which has a female scam artist and show girl companion, Moira. Henry doesn't really understand they are pulling his leg, and Jack sees every opportunity to exploit him and his wallet. After charming audience at a game show, Henry is asked to take over as a game show host, and the show is on. Telling more will spoil.

The film is easy entertainment, but has a cult side to it which I like. Not your average stupid American comedy, but a charming one, due to the charming two leading guys. Forster is good as the slick con artist, and Pardue is elegant naive charmer. Rose McGowan I haven't seen better since the Grindhouse movies if Rodriguez and Tarantino, "Planet Terror" and "Death proof". (Haven't seen her TV-series "Nip/Tuck" and "Charmed" though.) Forster is loved both by David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino, and the reasons are obvious after watching this, and Pardue delivers once again a great role here. This film has a certain feel of Lynch, and that is something likable as well.

Some animal protectors will be put of on an idea of Jack's with a rat in a soda can, but remember that this is film. Production value is good, but the clue to the liking is that the good actors are making this a charming gem with good entertainment value. A little possible future cult movie, due to the actors.

This is a film which easily could have been overdone, and also a film which could have been so much more. Charming anyway.

Strange Hearts is probably one of the biggest film surprises I've had all year, it's a very well-done little independent film that deserves much more then a straight-to-dvd release. The story revolves around Jack, a down-trodden middle-aged man who's best friends with a mysterious and very disturbed young woman called Moira. Their friendship is stretched when a young man, called Henry, enters their lives. Henry, a strangely lucky guy, "steals" Moira away from Jack, unaware of her emotional fragilities and disturbing past, forcing Jack, who treasures Moira more then anything AND who you start feeling very sorry for by now, to put his luck to the test and gamble on everything he has.

The entire cast is exceptional. Robert Foster's renowned charisma shines through in many ways, and Kip Pardue is very hateable as the cocky Henry. Rose McGowan (who I've become very interested in since seeing this movie) is probably the stand-out of the film, utilising her interesting role to the very hilt and stealing every scene she is in. First-time director and screen writer Michelle Gallagher delivers a powerful punch on her debut, and I look forward to seeing what she has to offer in the future.

Overall Strange Hearts is a thoroughly enjoyable drama, that really makes us think about how much of a big part friendship, trust and loyalty play in all our lives. A definite 3/4.

I read the review as posted by another person in regards to this movie, and I felt it wasn't giving Strange Hearts, Road to Riches ... or whatever it's called, the proper justice. (Which makes me think, why do people ever make up multiple titles to a movie. Whenever I think of that I think of the movie White Water Summer; save yourself some time and don't look it up folks, Kevin Bacon will probably thank you).

Anyway, I know my opinion may be a little biased considering I just got done watching the movie, but I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Robert Forester did such a good job in this movie it actually made me come here and write a review for the first time. I don't want to build the movie up or anything, but it was a nice character movie.

Be it as it may that it did have unrealistic parts, but the direction was great and very original. It had many great moments to keep my attention. Like at the beginning when Forester's character gets screwed on a $100,000 dollar pyramid rip-off and he swears himself off the set. Apparently it only takes two seconds and two guesses to get "air propulsion", but it takes ten seconds and more than the obvious hints of birds and airplanes to make a clod guess "things that fly"(yeah, I'd be really angry too).

Sure, Rose McGowan could have used a couple of stripper classes or two, and if I hadn't already seen her naked I'd wonder if she had silver dollar nipples with the size of those boobie tassels she was wearing. However, I must say it was a good movie I enjoyed watching. I'm not going to buy it or anything, but if you're up at eleven o'clock at night and you happen to see it on, It's well worth your time. Especially to find out just what Forester's character will do with that empty soda can.

I loved this film...I felt sorry about the rat in the can but still I loved it hehe. Rose McGowan's all grown up since Jawbreaker, which was so awful. This movie proves that even she can be emmotional, away from "Charmed" which she totally blowed. GREAT job to all the cast, exellent done guys!!