Texas Heart

A wonderful, character-driven story about a loveless mob lawyer on the lam who ends up in small town Texas hoping to reinvent himself (and stay clear of the pursuing mob). Terrific performances from relative newcomers Kam Dabrowski (as a mentally-challenged young man, Tiger), Erik Fellows (as Peter, the mob lawyer on the run), and Jared Abrahamson (playing the rebellious, volatile football star, Roy), along with truly memorable work by Johnny Dowers as the Sheriff, Susie McPhail as the 'Pie Lady', Blake Clark as the local barkeep/gun seller, Stid, and the incomparable Lin Shaye, of INSIDIOUS fame, (as Ms. Smith, the mob boss) and THE DEER HUNTER'S John Savage, as the alcoholic father--all this makes Texas Heart an emotionally involving ensemble film with committed actors directed by the energetic and amazing indie director, Mark David. A must-see!

The reason I love indie movies is this: A story told without the budget to make a mediocre story look better with the glitzy tricks of post-production polishing. And this is a good example. A story. Some good characters. Some moments of good acting. Moments of laughter and touching moments. Yes, in all honesty mixed with some poor acting, some caricatures and some predictability. Which are all found in a series like Dynasty. At the end of the day, who really cares. You don't read James Joyce every day. Sometimes you just want a David Baldacci. This is not a brilliant movie by any stretch, but it is watchable and enjoyable.

A brilliant film! Great performances, great script, witty and moving. The story spans a number of different directions, following multiple characters and it's to the filmmakers credit that when the drama really comes knocking, you really give a damn. Again to make a film that takes you through such an array of different emotions is a real triumph. This independent production is worth the time!

I watched a lot of indie films this week, including Texas Heart. I read all the good reviews and all the bad ones. I don't get the low reviews on this one. My barometer of a film is whether I can walk away from it part way through. Texas Heart wouldn't let me go get a snack, and that's an unusual thing. Some of the acting in the Southern town may seem exaggerated to those who don't live in one- but I live in a place where when you move in, someone may very well turn up on your front porch with a home backed pecan pie. The cinematography was top notch and the editing and pacing was spot on. A few weaknesses as in any indie film, but well worth your time to watch.

Predictability: 10/10 Script: 3/10 Acting: 2/10 Please ... Don't waste your time.