American Heart

This movie features another great performance from Jeff Bridges, as a convicted felon whose son wants to have a relationship with him. It's a rare cinematic look at the strained father-teenage son relationship. Edward Furlong is sympathetic as Bridges' persistent son. The ending bothered me a bit - almost too anti-Hollywood, but this film is not driven by plot. The characters are the meat of this story. Makes a worthwhile rental.

An ex-convict (Jeff Bridges) is tracked down by his estranged teenage son (Edward Furlong), and the pair try to build a relationship and life together in Seattle.

Elements of the screenplay for "American Heart" were based on material originally covered in the director's prior documentary film "Streetwise" (1984), such as the relationship between Dewayne and his father. Having not seen the earlier film, I cannot comment on the connection any more than that.

Not surprisingly, Edward Furlong won an award for this, and Jeff Bridges is as great as ever (he is quite the natural). It is a shame that Furlong went on to a more questionable future. One cannot help but wonder if the early success tainted his later life.

I have to admit being somewhat biased toward this film, as I was living in the apartment building (at the time) where most of the filming took place! The rent was $225/month if I remember correctly, and it was indeed a "studio"... complete with bare bulb hanging from the ceiling and a lot of roaches :-) (the room used in the movie was somewhat nastier than the one I was in - there was a top floor, a middle and a basement, and I was living in one of the middle floor rooms at the time). But I got to see a great deal of the process of filming a movie (extremely interesting and educational) as well as meeting Jeff Bridges and Edward Furlong (no, I don't appear anywhere in the film as either an extra or an actor). As for the movie itself, it turned out quite a bit better than I had expected. Martin Bell is underrated as a director, and it's unfortunate that lately he's concentrated on TV rather than movies - he really is talented (See "Streetwise," 1984). The ending of American Heart really was sad, although we've seen it before in a lot of movies. Yet another reflection on the sad state of today's society.

And now, a small revelation... in the movie, the apartment where "Jack" and his son lived was portrayed as being on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. Actually, the building used in filming was on Capitol Hill, a few blocks west of Broadway. No, I'm not going to give away the street address or the name of the apartments, sorry :-).

My overall review for "American Heart" - 9/10.

Man, was Jeff Bridges excellent in this! Talk about being pitch perfect in a character who is trying to change and just having the hardest time. Subtle touches, like when he takes away the joint from his son, only to slip it into his own pocket. This is a good film, small gem. Rent it!

What makes "American Heart" a better film than many others with a similar theme (father and son struggling with their relationship) is the exceptional acting. Jeff Bridges and Edward Furlong are both brilliant in this film. The story is also very well-written and interesting. Definitely a film above the average. 6/10