A Vida é Mesmo Assim

I came across this movie last night, I have to say that the movie was excellent. The acting was awesome, the story line was incredible. Two thumbs up for everyone, a job well done. I have 27 years of sobriety and I understand the progression of the addictive disease. Ving Rhames, you played an awesome role, I felt your compassion. Great job. Alfre Woodard, what can I say, you are an incredible actress. Your performance was amazing. I was captivated with your performance and was aww with how you portrayed a drug addict. Jesika Reynolds, as a young actress at that time you were amazing in dealing with a mother of a drug addict. Beautiful performance. This is truly a must see movie on anyone's list.

This is absolutely the very best film that Ving Rames has ever made. His performance was amazing, totally outside of his expected roles. His portrait of a gay drag queen is exquisite. It shows a depth of understanding and empathy which has not been seen is years. His performance is more than deserving of an academy award, not withstandinq that this offering does not qualify for such an award.

Holiday Heart is the tale of Holiday, a talented drag queen and how his life intertwines with the lives of a young girl named Nikki and her mother, who tries to kick a drug habit during the course of the film. Holiday is at first accepted by the mother and child after he saves them from an abusive relationship, only to be rejected by them when a new love enters the mother's life. The new love is a drug dealer, but does not approve of the mother using drugs. She eventually goes back to the drugs and he cuts her loose. After she disappears Holiday has to step back in to help take care of Nikki, which he does, even though he has dreams of getting away to Paris to start a new life since he recently lost the love of his life.

Where do I start with this film? The acting is TOP NOTCH. Ving Rhames, who plays Holiday, gives one of the best performances I have ever seen in my lifetime. Alfre Woodard, who plays the mother, just steals the show though. Her portrayal of an addicted mother is so great that words can do it no justice. It really has to be seen. The child actor turns in an outstanding performance as the child distraught over her mother's problems. I was extremely impressed at how she was so adult in many scenes, due to the fact that such a life will cause a child to grow up very quickly.

I rate this a solid 10 out of 10. One of the greatest films I've ever seen.

I rented this movie on the basis of Alfre Woodard,one of the most under-rated actors in the industry, and I was not disappointed. She is absolutely fabulous as the errant mother. The screen play is extremely realistic and the casting is superb. Ving Rhames is tremendous and Jesika Reynolds is a talented force to be reckoned with. We will see her in many movies to come.

It was a feel good movie, but the ghetto scenes (whores, drugs, violence, crack, etc.) are so real. I know it's a little "touched by an angel" ish, but sometimes that kind of movie just feels good. It gets your attention and never lets you go until the end. Sometimes good folks and children win in this world, if not the battle, the war.

I've seen lots of movies with Ms Woodard and not knowingly have seen Mr Rhames in his other movies. Pulp Fiction was way too intense for me and Holiday Heart was something that I decided to watch, but these two actors in this movie are AWESOME!!! Ms Woodard is so convincing as a full-blown, out-there-on-that-end drug user, then to see her as a ghost who needs to finish business on earth in Heart and Soul.......this woman is amazing! And Mr Rhames had me thinking he was indeed a drag queen outside of the movies! Dang, he's good!! One of the best scenes is in the drug store for Nikki and that's all I'm saying!! (Unfortunately, there are women who fit Ms Woodard's striking profile of the drug user and though some do end up as Wanda, many do make it through and become clean and go forward. I hope this was so for the lady who had to live the nightmare with her mother. (If this paragraph has to be removed because it's personal, I understand.))