Playing by Heart

views updated

Playing by Heart ★★ Dancing about Architecture 1998 (R)

Excellent ensemble cast doesn't save this episodic film about several L.A. couples falling in and out of love. Theatre director Anderson tries to avoid becoming involved with architect Stewart; loud-mouthed night-club-ber Jolie won't give up on Phillippe; Quaid uses bad lines and lies on Kinski and Clarkson, while his wife, Stowe, fools around with Edwards; Connery and Rowlands (in the best-acted segments) find their 40-year marriage threatened by emotional and health problems; and Burstyn tries to comfort her son Mohr, in the last stages of AIDS. Writer/director Carroll claims he was inspired by the saying “talking about love is like dancing about architecture,” and appropriately the working title was “Dancing about Architecture.” 121m/C VHS, DVD . Sean Connery, Gena Rowlands, Ryan Phillippe, Angelina Jolie, Ellen Burstyn, Gillian Anderson, Dennis Quaid, Jay Mohr, Anthony Edwards, Madeleine Stowe, Jon Stewart, Patricia Clarkson, Nastassja Kinski, Jeremy Sisto; D: Willard Carroll; W: Willard Carroll; C: Vilmos Zsigmond; M: John Barry.