Playing by Heart


Playing by Heart is a 1998 American comedy-drama film, which tells the story of several seemingly unconnected characters. It was entered into the 49th Berlin International Film Festival. It stars Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards, Angelina Jolie, Jay Mohr, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Quaid, Gena Rowlands, Jon Stewart and Madeleine Stowe.

Plot

Playing by Heart is an ensemble work that explores the path of love in its character's lives. Among the characters are an older couple about to renew their wedding vows ; a theater director and architect navigating a new beginning; a gay man dying of AIDS and his mother who had not been close; a couple having an affair and her husband who is exploring ways to break through the staleness of their marriage.
As the film continues and the stories evolve, the connections between the characters become evident. Kellie Waymire, Nastassja Kinski, Alec Mapa, Amanda Peet and Michael Emerson also have roles in the film.

Cast

Playing by Heart received mixed to positive reviews from critics and currently holds a 60% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 53 reviews. The consensus summaries: "It's overly talky, but Playing by Heart benefits from witty insights into modern relationships and strong performances from an esteemed cast." The film was released in the United Kingdom on August 6, 1999, and opened on #11. Roger Ebert gave it a thumbs-down due to its entertaining dialogue, star power and charming moments, but determines it to be a 'near-miss' because of its soft, gooey center. It was one of the last films reviewed on-air by film critic Gene Siskel on Siskel and Ebert at the Movies before his death on February 20, 1999. Like Ebert, Siskel gave it a thumbs down, deeming the film more about behavior than story.