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Hearts In Atlantis cast: Anthony Hopkins, David Morse, Mika Boorem, Anton Yelchin, and Hope Davis director: Scott Hicks 101 minutes (PG-13) 2001 widescreen ratio 2.35:1 Warner DVD Region 1 rental RATING: 5/10 reviewed by Amy C. Adair |
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Hearts In Atlantis is the story of 11-year-old Bobby Garfield (Yelchin) and the friendship he develops with upstairs neighbour Ted Brautigan (Hopkins). Ted hires Bobby to read the newspaper to him, and also to watch out for the 'low men' who are coming for Ted because he possesses some kind of psychic ability. Bobby's father died when he was five, and he has a tumultuous relationship with his self-absorbed mother (Davis). The movie also explores the relationship Bobby has with friend/girlfriend Carol Gerber (Boorem). It is told in flashback from the adult Bobby's point of view, brought on by his attendance at the funeral of childhood friend (and undeveloped character) John 'Sully' Sullivan.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is, undisputedly, an excellent actor, and young Anton Yelchin plays his scenes with him very well. But acting alone cannot make up for the fact that not enough happens to keep you interested in the plot. The most action that occurs is the violence perpetrated upon the two women characters, Carol and Bobby's mother. As an audience, we don't know whether to feel sorry for Mrs Garfield, or angry with her for the way she treats her son. At any rate, this is basically a coming of age story with a few supernatural twists thrown in, and not the kind of inventive, horrific, and utterly spine-tingling type of movie we have come to expect from Stephen King.
There are no important DVD extras.