5 reviews
The current movie era of multi-million dollar action films is spoiling the chances of seeing enough quality dramas being released by Hollywood today. If it weren't for Independent Films, I feel movies released today would consist of 85 versions of "THE HULK". Depressing! I enjoy a good amount of today's' films, with some genre exceptions. This movie is in the same genre as Terms of Endearment, Steel Magnolias, One True Thing, On Golden Pond, etc. I would describe it as a youthful homage to On Golden Pond.
OK, I like a good tearjerker, and this film is as good as most.
Mary Tyler Moore proves here once again that she is a powerful dramatic actress. She is a great comedienne and is just as strong in her dramatic acting in this part. She could have easily overacted in this role, but kept it in check. Total class act! While she didn't win her Emmy, she deserved it and earned her nomination.
James Garner is a God, as his character is referred to once in this movie. He is one of my favorite actors of all time, reminding me of Spencer Tracy in the quality of his work. He took this part and sank into it. He makes acting look easy. He also earned his Emmy nomination and should have won. It's good he won the Golden Globe for this part. James Garner would be a great acting teacher...his skill is such that it should not die with him! This movie was well written. I have been on both sides of the medical field. Being a patient is the worst feeling if you've been a doctor, nurse, EMT or a professional care-giver of any kind. This film represented both sides remarkable well. I have lived many scenes of this movie. I truly believed the other scenes could have taken place in the real world...even today! The only parts of the movie I did not like were the flashback scenes. Most weren't believable, as far as the characters' hair and clothing. I loved the summer house on the lake. It was beautiful, and gave the movie a nice "On Golden Pond" feeling.
There are no happy endings where heart failure is involved, but there was hope for a good future here. I liked this 80's made-4-TV mushfest, and I recommend it to lovers of the mush-drama genre.
OK, I like a good tearjerker, and this film is as good as most.
Mary Tyler Moore proves here once again that she is a powerful dramatic actress. She is a great comedienne and is just as strong in her dramatic acting in this part. She could have easily overacted in this role, but kept it in check. Total class act! While she didn't win her Emmy, she deserved it and earned her nomination.
James Garner is a God, as his character is referred to once in this movie. He is one of my favorite actors of all time, reminding me of Spencer Tracy in the quality of his work. He took this part and sank into it. He makes acting look easy. He also earned his Emmy nomination and should have won. It's good he won the Golden Globe for this part. James Garner would be a great acting teacher...his skill is such that it should not die with him! This movie was well written. I have been on both sides of the medical field. Being a patient is the worst feeling if you've been a doctor, nurse, EMT or a professional care-giver of any kind. This film represented both sides remarkable well. I have lived many scenes of this movie. I truly believed the other scenes could have taken place in the real world...even today! The only parts of the movie I did not like were the flashback scenes. Most weren't believable, as far as the characters' hair and clothing. I loved the summer house on the lake. It was beautiful, and gave the movie a nice "On Golden Pond" feeling.
There are no happy endings where heart failure is involved, but there was hope for a good future here. I liked this 80's made-4-TV mushfest, and I recommend it to lovers of the mush-drama genre.
I watched "Heartsounds" tonight. Its been some 22 years since the original, but this is my first viewing. I'm not sure I could have appreciated the content at age 19 back then, but now at age 41 having experienced serious illness and death along with the frustrations of dealing with the medical industry, this movie has me feeling I've found a diamond in the rough.
Mr. Garner and Ms. Moore deliver such moving experiences, I felt drawn completely into their lives as the Lears. It rings of "On Golden Pond" and "Terms of Endearment", yet unique.
What an amazing film!
Mr. Garner and Ms. Moore deliver such moving experiences, I felt drawn completely into their lives as the Lears. It rings of "On Golden Pond" and "Terms of Endearment", yet unique.
What an amazing film!
- bethcdrake
- Sep 23, 2006
- Permalink
Since I've only ever seen Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People, I've always thought of her as a dramatic actress. My mom, on the other hand, is surprised when she's not in a comedy. Heartsounds is an extremely heavy drama, even heavier than we both were expecting when we rented it. Be prepared to be unsettled, incredulous, and frightened that it could and will happen to you.
James Garner stars as a doctor who finds himself on the other side of the white curtain after he has a heart attack. It starts off with small things, like semantics between sending an ambulance and taking a taxi to the hospital, or his wife Mary gets transferred to the wrong ward when she telephones. The bedside manner insults him, as the doctor acts like James is not even in the room and gives his wife all the monotone directions. The mistakes and lack of care escalate to huge, life-threatening consequences, like misdiagnosing and misreading test results. It's absolutely horrifying that medical error is commonplace (one of the leading causes of death in the United States), and that "doctors are the only group of people privileged to commit manslaughter with full immunity from the law" (from the book and film Not as a Stranger). There is no accountability, no retribution, and no atonement. If you're not in the mood for this subject matter, keep it on the shelf for a while. Most people have either experienced medical negligence or incompetence, or know a family member or friend who have, so this story will hit home for a lot of audience members.
I'm actually surprised this movie got funding to be made at all, even with a smaller budget on television. Criticizing the medical establishment is a big no-no which people do at immense risk. This is a true story, based on the book written by Mary's real life counterpart. Big names attached their names to the project, and they were rewarded during the 1984 awards season. Nominated for Best Picture, Actor, and Actress at the Emmy's, and Best Actor at the Golden Globes, the acting in this tv movie is top-notch. When James lives through all the stages of his heart attack, it's so realistic, it's as if we're actually watching a man having a heart attack. Additionally, there's no "relax, it's just a movie" that we can tell ourselves, since it really happened.
While I tried to remind myself that James Garner was just an actor doing his job very, very well, life imitated art: five years after this movie was made, Garner underwent a quintuple bypass and refused to quite smoking, just like his character in this movie. It was extremely difficult to make it through this movie, even though both Garner and Moore were actors playing parts. They were so convincing, and the material they were performing was so upsetting, it didn't feel like they were actors. This is a harrowing tale that makes anyone fear being at the mercy of the medical establishment.
James Garner stars as a doctor who finds himself on the other side of the white curtain after he has a heart attack. It starts off with small things, like semantics between sending an ambulance and taking a taxi to the hospital, or his wife Mary gets transferred to the wrong ward when she telephones. The bedside manner insults him, as the doctor acts like James is not even in the room and gives his wife all the monotone directions. The mistakes and lack of care escalate to huge, life-threatening consequences, like misdiagnosing and misreading test results. It's absolutely horrifying that medical error is commonplace (one of the leading causes of death in the United States), and that "doctors are the only group of people privileged to commit manslaughter with full immunity from the law" (from the book and film Not as a Stranger). There is no accountability, no retribution, and no atonement. If you're not in the mood for this subject matter, keep it on the shelf for a while. Most people have either experienced medical negligence or incompetence, or know a family member or friend who have, so this story will hit home for a lot of audience members.
I'm actually surprised this movie got funding to be made at all, even with a smaller budget on television. Criticizing the medical establishment is a big no-no which people do at immense risk. This is a true story, based on the book written by Mary's real life counterpart. Big names attached their names to the project, and they were rewarded during the 1984 awards season. Nominated for Best Picture, Actor, and Actress at the Emmy's, and Best Actor at the Golden Globes, the acting in this tv movie is top-notch. When James lives through all the stages of his heart attack, it's so realistic, it's as if we're actually watching a man having a heart attack. Additionally, there's no "relax, it's just a movie" that we can tell ourselves, since it really happened.
While I tried to remind myself that James Garner was just an actor doing his job very, very well, life imitated art: five years after this movie was made, Garner underwent a quintuple bypass and refused to quite smoking, just like his character in this movie. It was extremely difficult to make it through this movie, even though both Garner and Moore were actors playing parts. They were so convincing, and the material they were performing was so upsetting, it didn't feel like they were actors. This is a harrowing tale that makes anyone fear being at the mercy of the medical establishment.
- HotToastyRag
- Jun 27, 2022
- Permalink
Found this title in an old VHS cassettes pile, then found myself watching it to the end with no breaks, not even a quick look at the smartphone.
Where was this Jem hiding from me all that time!
And I'm writing this as someone who prefers action movies, have seen a lot and very picky about movies quality.
The movie also serves as a documentary of the medical establishment faults, which seem to be the same across the world, and across the decades. It talks to the heart of everybody how have dealt with this establishment and ill relatives.
But that's not the main issue. This movie is a breath taking drama, and it's sort of magic how it came out of a low budget production, with non Hollywoodish actors.
Where was this Jem hiding from me all that time!
And I'm writing this as someone who prefers action movies, have seen a lot and very picky about movies quality.
The movie also serves as a documentary of the medical establishment faults, which seem to be the same across the world, and across the decades. It talks to the heart of everybody how have dealt with this establishment and ill relatives.
But that's not the main issue. This movie is a breath taking drama, and it's sort of magic how it came out of a low budget production, with non Hollywoodish actors.
- icohen-94100
- May 20, 2024
- Permalink