Playing by Heart (1998)

62% of critics liked it
(52 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(19,313 ratings)

Sophomore writer/director Willard Carroll weaves together an all-star cast in interlocking stories about finding love in Los Angeles. The film's theme is spoken by young club-hopper Joan (Angelina Jolie). Taken by the mysterious Keenan (Ryan Phillippe), she tells him that "talking about love" is… More Sophomore writer/director Willard Carroll weaves together an all-star cast in interlocking stories about finding love in Los Angeles. The film's theme is spoken by young club-hopper Joan (Angelina Jolie). Taken by the mysterious Keenan (Ryan Phillippe), she tells him that "talking about love" is like "dancing about architecture" (the original title until the studio thought it would be confused with Dancing at Lughnasa), meaning speech is not the medium to adequately express the details of love. They all try, anyway. Others up for the dance include a TV cooking-show hostess (Gena Rowlands) and her husband (Sean Connery) who still fight over his one brief infidelity 25 years earlier; two lovers (Madeline Stowe, Anthony Edwards) who discuss their unhappy marriages; and a theater director (Gillian Anderson) and her architect, Mr. Right (Jon Stewart). Also searching are Dennis Quaid, Nastassja Kinski and Patricia Clarkson. For a familial sort of love, there's Ellen Burstyn as the estranged mother to her son (Jay Mohr) dying of AIDS. ~ Ron Wells, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr.
Directed By: Willard Carroll
Written By: Willard Carroll
Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 30, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Oct 2, 2001

Critic Reviews

Lael Loewenstein, Variety
Carroll's characters spend so much time talking, albeit intelligently, that the connections they make seem peculiarly synthetic.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
This charming romantic comedy with a Los Angeles setting cuts between seemingly unconnected miniplots the way some Robert Altman movies do.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
If Playing by Heart is the kind of film that used to be known as a "woman's picture," it certainly provides more emotional nourishment than most other mainstream movies generate these days.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
For all its artificiality, Playing by Heart percolates with an earnest charm.
Charles Taylor, Salon.com
As a young scenemaker who keeps landing in one bad relationship after another, Jolie doesn't exactly avoid the pitfalls of the material she's given. But her performance is flabbergasting.
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle
Mushy yet funny and intelligent, the beautifully executed new film Playing by Heart is an ideal romantic comedy-drama for a winter afternoon.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
A very slight and inoffensive movie. It's a lot like L.A. itself, all surface, soothing and warm.
Derek Adams, Time Out
All of these characters are more interesting when things are going badly for them than when the tide has turned, and Carroll's determination to make the final reel an extended bout of audience tummy tickling is disappointingly conventional.
Ron Wells, Film Threat
The brightest spot belongs to Angelina Jolie, who is so compelling to watch she has chemistry with the furniture.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Playing By Heart tries hard and sometimes succeeds -- and Jolie is terrific.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Nothing more than merely watchable film.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
The dozen or so lead characters of Playing By Heart fear silence the way Biblical people feared locusts.
Shannon J. Harvey, Sunday Times (Australia)
An underrated, dreamy drama about love, lust and infidelity amongst inter-connected Los Angeleans. Jolie rises to the challenge.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
The lack of time gives the last reel a fakey, tied-up-with-a-bow feeling, but good performances and a good script make this an enjoyable little romance.
Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinnati Enquirer
An intriguing patchwork of relationships converges into a portrait of modern love in Playing By Heart, a wry, satisfying emotional saga.
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
A heavily mixed bag; high points come with Jon Stewart's sweet courtship of Gillian Anderson and a brilliant turn from a young unknown named Angelina Jolie.
Francesca Dinglasan, Boxoffice Magazine
The script's overall artifice, combined with a convenient burst of "I love yous" and an all-too-obvious surprise ending, work to undermine an otherwise interesting concept.
, Boston Phoenix
Willard Carroll's cleverly interconnected (sometimes annoyingly so) tale of six different relationships is populated by a horde of big-name stars...
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A well-scripted ensemble drama about eleven people in Los Angeles searching for love.

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Steven C

I'm a bit confused as to why "Playing By Heart" has faded into oblivion since it debuted in 1998. First off, the cast is impeccable. "Playing By Heart" should be remembered for getting some of contemporary cinema's finest actors on screen together.… More
I'm a bit confused as to why "Playing By Heart" has faded into oblivion since it debuted in 1998. First off, the cast is impeccable. "Playing By Heart" should be remembered for getting some of contemporary cinema's finest actors on screen together. Gillian Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Madeleine Stowe, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards, Dennis Quaid, Gena Rowlands, Ryan Phillippe, Jay Mohr and Jon Stewart (yes, THAT Jon Stewart, who is shockingly great here) are all terrific. There is not a single weak spot in the ensemble. What's funny is that the actors are all so good that it almost seems like they are daring each other to top the next. Jolie, in an early performance, steals the whole picture, though. If this was not a showcase for what was to come, I don't know what is. The story is something we have seen before, mostly from the likes of Robert Altman, but none of it is ever trite or offensive. It's all played out with such grace and nuance that even it's somewhat conventional ending is welcomed. If you like movies about a group of interconnected people working through their lives and dealing with love and making connections (admittedly my favorite genre), then "Playing By Heart" is for you. I also recommend it on the merits of that incredible cast and the endlessly enticing dialogue. It all makes for a magical, resonant and sweet picture about the many sides of love.
Arash X

To my suprise this was good, Cheesy yes but also impressive
Burger S

Slice of Life / Romantic Comedy. It's a little choppy through the first half with the HUGE ensemble cast squared off in pairs. Contains a lot of the late 90's AIDS hysteria.
Joseph E

"Playing By heart" was seriously playing by Skill. It was emotional,sensational,comedical, and just right for a bad day. A true feel good inside film.
Ina S

I remember it as a pretty great film, but have to rewatch it one day since it has been quite a while since I saw it.