The Good Heart

2009

Action / Comedy / Drama

3
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 58% · 37 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 58% · 1K ratings
IMDb Rating 6.8/10 10 5340 5.3K

friendship homeless person san francisco, california suicide attempt melancholy tavern

Plot summary

Jacques is the curmudgeonly owner of a gritty New York dive bar that serves as home to a motley assortment of professional drinkers. Jacques is determinedly drinking and smoking himself to death when he meets Lucas, a homeless young man who has already given up on life. Determined to keep his legacy alive, Jacques deems Lucas is a fitting heir and takes him under his wing.

Director

Dagur Kári Photo
Dagur Kári

Top cast

Brian Cox Photo
Brian Cox as Jacques
Paul Dano Photo
Paul Dano as Lucas
Larry Pine Photo
Larry Pine as Laugh Therapist
Elissa Middleton Photo
Elissa Middleton as Mattie
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
875.69 MB
1280*546
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles ru   us  
25 fps
1 hr 35 min
Seeds 3
1.76 GB
1920*818
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles ru   us  
25 fps
1 hr 35 min
Seeds 3

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by dangabriel 7 / 10

Brian Cox tour de force

This movie is about Brian Cox... Director Dagur Kari provides a stage. Paul Dano is great being a looking-glass. But Brian Cox's Jacques is monumental, he literally carries the action from the first second he steps in. He energizes the viewer, no matter how one classifies his moral actions. The bar scene is one of surrealistic charm, dwelled by decameronesque characters and maintained as a personal fiefdom by Jacques. The short story on the cover is "A bartender takes a young homeless man in under his wing" but there is so MUCH more to it. Lucas (Paul Dano) represents here a humanity clear of prejudice, pure and immortal. The suicide attempt doesn't stop him. Nor does death itself, his heart symbolically living on in another body. Supporting actress Isild le Besco is somehow incongruous, offering not believable French accented replies. Underwhelming, as her debut movies in France, where her naked skin prevails. Probably a strong actress, I am thinking here Emily Mortimer, or Marie-Louise Parker, or, -if they really wanted a French one, how about Sandrine Kiberlain? -would have done much better. Solidly memorable, Brian Cox gives this movie so much personality and energy that only true talent can offer. In line with Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley, Cox is another Musqueteer of a generation of powerful performances from Britain to enchant us. Watch this great movie, and a bar will never look the same to you!
Reviewed by BeneCumb 8 / 10

The Good Heart is a good film!

It is a drama and so-called independent film (with Icelandic screenwriter/director), but it is not oppressive, but includes plenty of comic moments. The screenplay is witty and distinct (with some predictability though) and all the cast is good (supporting actors) or excellent (leading actors Brian Cox and Paul Dano). They are masterly both together and separately, you constantly feel chemistry between them - does not matter if their characters agree or disagree.Highly recommended, although the film is not to everybody's taste: most of event occur in a bar, scenes including women are infrequent, the ending is ambivalent. But still, this film deserves far more attention, praise and distribution, primarily in northern parts of Europe and America.
Reviewed by tom-3160 8 / 10

Brilliantly dark from the director of Noi Albinoi and the actors Brian cox and Paul Dano from the brilliant L.I.E

Brilliantly dark and hilarious. Shot in a bar in Reicuvic, Iceland by the director of Noi Albinoi, and the two brilliant actors from the mesmerising L.I.E. With a brilliant performance from Brian Cox.The director has the way of putting his own Icelandic feel to this movie with its very greenish feel in the artistic shots. which were shot in New York and a mocked-up bar in Reicuvic.Totally brilliant humour throughout mixed with the serious moody Brian Cox and upbeat Paul Dano, merges together once again to give a good mix.Definitely the best thing I have seen in the 2010 EIFF, and one I recommend for all to see.
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