Lost Heart

This latest faith offering is a perfect example of why, as Pastor Jared C. Wilson argues, Christian/faith movies are so terrible. Lost heart, like so many others, is more a piece of propaganda than art. The "faith message" is all important, relegating the story, characters, and motivation as secondary importance.This movie also suffers from what Wilson calls Christian sentimentalism. The good "faith filled" characters are far too earnest, gifted with inspirational dialogue that is so divorced from real life as to make the whole effort trite and implausible. This, in turn, creates a far too scripted feeling about the whole story. Every message, every platitude, is carefully placed, perfectly timed, giving the whole production a sweet cheesy soft sledgehammer feel.You know from the first scene you are going to be taught an important message of faith that with be served to you without any ambiguity, subtlety, or nuance. Lost Heart has all the earmarks that make it, in Wilson's own words, a terrible movie.

This is a feel-good movie that is uplifting without trying too hard.

Hannah Sweet, whose real name is Hannah Howard, is right at the point of a drunken career meltdown when she hears of her father's death. Reluctantly but having nowhere else to go, she returns to her northern Michigan hometown of Lost Heart to confront her past. As if the situation were not hard enough as it is, she finds that her abusive, alcoholic father had in her absence become a much loved and respected member of the tight knit community.

Melissa Anshutz is so believable as a burned out country singer that one watches the whole movie before realizing she hasn't sung a note in the whole thing. The singing instead is done by her young niece Elsie (beautifully played by Taylor Dupuis, who also co-wrote the heart-tugging country song that voices the theme of the story). Don Most plays a somewhat unconventional minister whose gentle spirit provides a counterbalance to Hannah's unquenchable anger.

It could all descend into maudlin melodrama, but the script by DJ Perry is filled with a gentle, character driven humor, and director Jesse Low keeps the emotional level honest without getting too heavy. One of the real jewels in this production is Josh Perry, an actor with Downs Syndrome whose character is integral to the storyline and is a delight to watch. Another jewel is SNL alum Victoria Jackson in a role far from her comedic persona, who gives a surprisingly touching performance as Hannah's mother.

The small town vibe hasn't been constructed on a back lot. The location is real and fresh and displays the love the filmmakers have for their native state of Michigan. But while the "look" of this movie may be vintage, rustic Hallmark, this is not a formulaic film of contrived plot twists. The surprises that emerge come out of the humanness of the characters honestly played.

Lost Heart is a movie about the soul and there are spiritual and religious themes at work, but in line with CDI's customary approach, these themes are broached in ways that make the viewer think and not cringe. While it never gets preachy, it does carry a note of uplifting faith. Might just have a tiny touch of the supernatural? Depends. Do you believe in UFA's--Unidentified Flying Angels?

This movie is very well developed with believable sand real life situations. Thoroughly enjoyable. More moves should be made like this. A whole family can watch this. The only mistake I can see is that Hannah and her mother are about the same age. There doesn't seem to be a gap even if her mother were to have gotten married as a teenager. That aside, there are many worthwhile life lessons to be learned here. - such as forgiveness, redemption, and tolerance. It teaches us to also understand people with different physical qualities, not to be judgmental. Our faith in God is the most important of all.

This was a wonderful movie. It was very touching and could make you laugh and cry. The acting was excellent and the production was great.

The story is about a Country Singer who is an alcoholic because of the way she was treated as a child and young woman by her father. She left home as a teenager and never went back. Her father dies, and she has to go home for her mother and aunt. That's when she finds out her father had changed.

Watch the movie to find out what happens!!

Very well executed. Don Most's performance was outstanding. I was also impressed with the character Chip. My wife and I loved it so much we watched it twice. We knew Don from "Happy Days," his singing career, and directing, but this was an Emmy quality performance. A must see.