Heart of the Matter

This is the film about a cardiologist who makes an error in not telling her developmentally disabled patient not to drive and he gets into a car accident which results in his death. Our cardiologist blames herself and grieves, gets blamed by her patients mother, deals with the legal ramifications as well as the medical review board.

I wish I could rave about this film...the acting was good and the story was good, but when I come home from the hospital the last thing I want to see is a sad real life story. They may have wrapped it up nicely in a hallmark way at the end (although a little rushed) but the story was a little sad for escapist television.

'Heart of the Matter' (2022)

Opening thoughts: The 2022 Hallmark Movies and Mysteries output has varied, most of the previous films in the block actually being very impressive (especially 'North to Home' and 'The Presence of Love') with the only big misfire being 'Cut, Color, Murder'. Also saw 'Heart of the Matter' because of the premise, being someone who did connect with it even reading about it. Hallmark has not always succeeded when it comes to tackling serious themes and personal dramas, but they did do this very well quite a lot.

On the most part, the serious and very personal subject, with the themes of grief and loss, is handled very well in 'Heart of the Matter'. It didn't start off too great, but once it got going and the less the lead character frustrated me the more relatable the film became. For me, it is definitely one of the best 2022 Hallmark films not just up to this point but overall and a fine example of how to tackle serious subjects in a way that was easy to connect with.

'Heart of the Matter' isn't perfect. It is a slow starter, with it taking time to get going and with some of the dialogue not flowing very well. It did take me time to get behind the lead character, being another person to have moments of really disliking her with the film really overdoing her self-absorbed and self-indulgent traits.

Also did feel that the ending was a little too on the wrapped up in a neat little bow-like considering the behaviour of the lead character.

Good things: With all that being said, there is a lot to like here in 'Heart of the Matter'. Aimee Teagarden's performance is very sincere and moving, continuing to grow as an actress. Gail O'Grady has the more interesting and relatable character, one where her point of view was completely understandable and how most would feel in that situation, and plays her with class and every bit as poignantly. The supporting cast are fine, if not up to the same level as the two leads.

It is very professionally filmed and the locations are simply beautiful. A lot of Hallmark's films suffer from being over-scored, meaning being too constantly used and too loud. That isn't so big a problem here. The script is a lot less cheesy and schmaltzy than most Hallmark films and did find it very sincere, very affecting and that it mostly did not awkward, apart from to begin with. The story is predictable, but is very mature and poignant without being sappy or too melodramatic.

Closing thoughts: Overall, good but not great.

7/10.

Well, colour me completely and absolutely surprised! A deep, complex Hallmark movie where romance isn't the main plot? What is going on!

What's going on is Aimee Teegarden - one of my favourites, right back to her Friday Night Lights days - playing the role of a doctor who is responsible for the death of her patient. The decisions she made and the fallout deeply affect her life and she faces further complications when she approaches the dead patient's mother (well played by Gail O'Grady of NYPD Blue fame - remember the Rangers-obsessed receptionist Donna Abandando?) to try and apologise, leading to disciplinary action.

Don't watch Heart of the Matter if you want the usual family-friendly, tropey Hallmark movie. This definitely isn't one of those...but it is one of the best Hallmark films ever made.

This is a powerfully emotional movie. It is not a romance movie. The story of the main couple is totally secondary to the main thread of the movie which is about a doctor who breaks several conventions, and ignores common sense self-protection.

I love Aimee Teagarden. This is the fourth Hallmark movie I've seen her in and they all touched me. I would love to see her in many more.

It's true that Doctor Andie does some stupid things in response to her guilt. It is because for her, being a doctor is not a job. It's a responsibility and an honor. And she loves her patients. Toward the end of the movie, a lawyer of all people says that we need more doctors like her. That is partly gratuitous and totally true.

Some of the issues in the movie, especially the legal ones, pushed buttons for me that made it impossible to sit through, so I used the FF button, but I did watch most of the climax and end.

I too love Aimee Teagarden. Her facial expressions and her acting in general are very good. The surprise for me was that the whole cast were excellent. The story line breaks away from the traditional romance comedy sometimes silly Hallmark movies into a well written drama with true to life characters with very real and relatable emotions. There is romance, sadness, struggles and of course a happy ending. It will go down as one of my favorites from Hallmark. The other one that surprised me this year was Presence of Love with Eloise Mumford. Give them both a try.