Where the Heart Is

I’m sure I’m not the first to confuse this with ANYWHERE BUT HERE as “that Natalie Portman movie”, but outside of Portman, they really couldn’t be more different, and it is a credit to the star that she manages to distinguish her characterisation here to her characterisation there. Looking at the general consensus, this movie overall seems to have been misunderstood – the title leads you to expect a sappy “Hallmark” romance, but the Ganz/Mandel screenplay is really a much wilder journey through some southern-fried caricatures, balanced by the sweet and poignant relationship growing between Portman and Frain (even if the resolution is a bit arbitrary). If the whiplash occasionally becomes a bit much, as an excuse to display great character actors playing to the rafters, it’s tremendous fun if you can get on its wavelength, especially Channing, Cusack and a delicious movie-stealing cameo from Field; arguably Bruno’s subplot is a little superfluous and out-of-place, but it leads to some great natural justice punch-lines.