Leave aside for the moment that Sanga is exploring Hitchcockian beats that most film-goers have not seen in their lifetimes. And leave aside also the perfect casting, especially Van Patten successfully selling a complicated and counter-intuitive character ,while at the same time playing Older-4-Younger. What really matters is that Sanga stuck to the core rule of story-telling that so many modern auteurs forget -- engage the viewer. Connect to the character. Hold the attention.
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A_Different_Drummer22 February 2021
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Jim_Screechy20 February 2021I more ore less came upon this film by accident, but was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. I think the title is a little misleading and certainly misplaced, but fortunately I somehow managed to get past it and I'm glad I did.
It has a pretty decent script, plot, and is well directed. For the most part it's a fairly simple tale well told of the meeting of two young people and how that develops with the complicated pasts that lies beneath their family history. Its an intriguing and well paced plot with a soft curve that ramps up evenly as the movie progresses.
A solid cast does a good job bedding you into the tale as it unfolds with subtle infusions of drama that add to its complexity. Jordan Carter does a great job with the portrayal of younger Daniel, however I think that Jovan Adepo who plays the older version of Daniel is miscast here. Throughout the film he seems somewhat distant and subdued and even when violence erupts from him, his manner always seems a little understated. His counterpoint in the film Cassie, played by Grace Van Patten, falls for him for really no reason that I can fathom, and the affection she has towards him seems misplaced given there is such little depth to his personality. I'm never convinced of the supposed bond that exists between them, or at least of the reasons for the affection she has for him.
The plot unfolds with some very interesting developments and with normal teens some rebellious behaviour ensues, bur fortunately here its not used to sour the character played by Van Patten. The film uses black and white actors in realistically separated lifestyles, and not in some idealistic homogenous social cocktail that is all too often employed to depict diversity. However its done without some of the more unpalatable racial overtones that so many films use to add tension and spice to the screenplay. Its been done well and gives the film an air of a unique viewpoint of events as things unfold and the lives become entwined.
I liked it. The story stuck with me for some time after I watched it, and that's always a good sign that it had positive impact. I think 7/10 is a pretty fair rating, possibly a little high given the reservations I had with the lead, but I'll let that slide.
Its a good film definitely worth watching. -
kaylaa-888349 July 2022Honestly , this movie was kinda cheesy and corny but still engaging. It couldve Been a lot better with some major changes but overall I didn't feel like I wasted my time watching it.
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kaeseem16 September 2023The foreshadowing throughout this movie was very allusive. The ending does a decent job at tying almost everything together. However the ending did leave us with a few questions. There were some unresolved issues that would have made the story more clear. Nonetheless we appreciate that the twist wasn't predictable and it left us wondering throughout watching what the issue could be.
They seemed to paint the main character like an angry black man but didn't actually show him in that light. In fact it was quite the opposite it was a young man trying to manage his emotions and get back on track.
Overall, this movie did keep us on our toes and we would recommend it to watch. -
The preview made this movie look so good. But boy was I wrong. A boy named Daniel witnessed his older sister Wendy being shot in the woods when he was 9. Fast forward 15 years and he is a mechanic who can't get any other jobs because he went to jail over a fight! He ends up meeting a high school girl named Cassie who brought her dad's car to get an oil change. He ends up giving Cassie a ride back to school where her dad works. So he could also pick up his little brother Aaron. Cassie ends up getting his number from his work and begins calling him to hang out. They end up having sex and she skips school with him. Basically Cassie ends up finding out her creepy ass daddy, who she suspects is cheating on her mom with a teacher at school; actually is the murder! He slept with Daniel's sister Wendy and got her pregnant then killed her to shut her up. But he didn't kill her baby and guess who that is...drum roll please....Daniel's little brother Aaron who is actually his nephew. And Cassie's half brother...lol The storyline was crazy as hell! The character development was lacking so when you find out all this mess it's just so insane. Not to mention several flaws in the movie. Like how in the world could Daniel a 9 year old hold his older sister who is on his back while driving a motorcycle all the way to the hospital? And how is Cassie's dad gonna be the father to Aaron when he clearly doesn't look biracial. They really should of cast a biracial boy for his character!
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LordCommandar25 February 2021This was a very good story. A story behind a young boy who witnessed his sister get murdered by someone he doesn't know who. Fast forward fifteen years later and he's all grown up, falls a girl and finally learns who the killer is and the twist is devastating. An excellent story with a well rounded cast. No spoilers but the ending pissed me off. I so wanted it to end differently....enjoy..
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suthernstinebelle21 November 2021I have mixed feelings about this movie!
What is Violent Heart?
One would think that the character Daniel was the one with the violent heart because the storyline is centered around him.
But in all actuality the character Joseph is quietly violent with no heart & the storyline she have been centered around him.
To sum that, the character Daniel has heart.
The character Joseph is the violent one. YET, Joseph gets away with murder for FIFTEEN YEARS!!
Go figure, another stereotypical movie where the black man goes to jail for FIFTEEN YRS compared to what someone who is not a minority would get. Predictable!
The misleading synopsis- has little to nothing to do with the father, the murder, or the whole storyline. That synopsis just gave me insight of 2 characters.
This film should've been about the 2 characters fallen and love w/a twisted fate.
OMG, Who did the casting?!!
The character Aaron should've been played by an biracial actor.
What a stupid ending!! The good guy (Daniel) gets killed and the violent murder gets an easy out w/o disclosing the truth! Another unsolved murder of a blk person... really writers?! -
greengrl-805973 December 2021I don't understand how this movie has so many low ratings. The acting was great, the story compelling and the ending was a twist. It's not a 10/10 but 8/10 ain't bad either. Do yourself a favour and watch this film.
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michelleoverton11 October 2021Well this movie was really difficult to follow. Way too much going on and nothing going on at the same time. I can't explain it but this movie was quite a mystery until it wasn't a mystery anymore. It wasn't necessarily worth the time but it was alright once you figured it out!
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charlottebetteridge-9348121 February 2021I thought this was really good. It wasn't cheesy, the acting was convincing. It had an incredibly harrowing storyline and an unexpected ending. I thought it had everything a good movie needs. Definitely didn't feel I'd wasted my time watching it, at all.
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I'm not going to spoil the movie for anyone reading my review. All I wanted to say is that this movie is a rollercoaster of emotions. Brilliantly written and acted by all characters. Like it says in the description; this movie will have you believing that it about A 24 year old black male who's involved with an 18 year old white girl in who's still in high school but it's so much more than that. This film states it was made in 2020 but I recently saw it on a movie website I frequent and this film was truly an unexpected gem. This was a original film for the genres it touches. 9/10.
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mzmayne30 November 2021This is a must see movie. I was glued to my tv from beginning to end. The title does speak for itself. I read some of the reviews and I must say some people are CLUELESS. Not everyone shows when pregnant. I hid my first 3 for the first 8 months. No one knew unless I wanted them to know. Which is why we never saw Wendy not hovering over her belly if you paid any attention to detail. This was an amazing film. I laughed, I cried, it was beautiful. And it comes full circle once you see the end.
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spankybenford19 March 2021Heart felt , inspirational and challenging to watch even more wait until the end . #heartbroken but hits the spot.
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nikkyrbowen19 October 2021So daniel's sister wasn't far enough along to be showing or her mom and dad would have know she was pregnant right? But her baby survived ? HOW??!? If she wasn't far enough along to even show then how did the baby survive when she died?? How is that even possible??
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mynameisnabilll22 February 2021Gave ten because it impossible to rate it 6 overall. Come on guys.?are trumpers trying to screw ratings??? It s been a long time i havent watched a teuely heart moving movie. I so puke at these haters who low rated it!?!?!?
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lavatch18 April 2023In "The Violent Heart," truth-telling is at the heart of the drama. This was a theme underscored in Shakespeare's "Hamlet," which was being studied in the senior English class taught by Joseph, the father of the protagonist, Cassie.
Some of the best scenes in the film involved the blossoming relationship between Cassie and Daniel, whom she meets at the local auto repair store. A precocious and articulate young woman, Cassie is constantly trying to support Daniel as he struggles with his past.
The film turned into a spellbinding whodunnit with clues revealed to Cassie about the death of Daniel's older sister Wendy fifteen years in the past. Despite the often melodramatic nature of the narrative, the dialogue was engaging and the performances were first-rate.
By the end, Cassie is roughly in the position of Horatio at the end of "Hamlet," as he vows to set things right in Denmark through recounting the truth about what he has witnessed. In "The Violent Heart," the truth witnessed by Cassie is shattering for two families. -
cybainfo22 May 2022Good story, good acting, good prod values, good score. What else can I say.
A very nice little character driven drama for a rainy day/evening. The characters are developed well and you really feel emotionally tied to them. There are also actors of all ages and they all do well, very well directed.
I felt emotional when I was supposed to and was engaged throughout. I hope Grace Van Patten and Jovan Adepo keep up the good work and I wish them the best moving forward. -
rotten-potatoes28 September 2023I would watch it again. My wife she didn't think one part was believable, so she was indifferent.
It's one of those bleak, slingblade type settings, which could be too dreary for some viewers. I on the otherhand, love those type of backdrop drama/suspense movies. It's dark, but has some bright spots between the brothers, and love interests.
The darkness tends affect the pace at times, which is a slight downer. It could have been a little more suspense.
The direction was great. Writing was great. The leads did their parts. I guess one part could have been a tad more believable, but all in all it didn't bother me.
Pleasant movie, with a mostly black cast which is pretty awesome. I highly recommend. -
urbanmajic26 November 2023This was an incredible story that grabs you from the first several minutes to the very end! As soon as I began watching, the movie, it captured my attention all the way to the end. The actors took you on a journey and you really didn't know where you were going to end ups. The ending was surprising, but not totally a shocker. I did expect a different ending. By all accounts, the acting was great, and Mary J Blige as the matriarch of the family was very convincing, although her part was very small. I highly recommend this movie without hesitation. It is worth the 1 hour and 45 minutes. Get your popcorn ready!