Hearts In Atlantis Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
What if one of life's great mysteries moved in upstairs?
This is a gentle, innocent film about the reflections of an aging man (David Morse), who returns to his home town after the death of his best friend. Memories of life at age 11 floods back as it was a magical time that changed his life. Three 11 year old children (Anton Yelchin as Bobby, Mika Boorem as Carol, and Will Rothaar as Sully) share their lives. Carol & Bobby have a special affection for one another including sharing a kiss "by which all others will be measured". Bobby lives with his mother (Hope Davis), a bitter, vain woman who looks for pleasures for herself without sharing much with her son. Into their lives comes a mysterious new boarder (Anthony Hopkins), who befriends the boy but generates distrust from the mother. As time passes, the man and boy share confidences and special powers are revealed. The man warns the boy to be on the lookout for the "lowmen", who were seeking him. The two share a summer's adventures and come to love one another before the inevitable happens. A confrontation with a school bully (Timothy Reifsnyder) also changes everyone.
| David Morse | Adult Bobby Garfield |
| Anthony Hopkins | Ted Brautigan |
| Celia Weston | Alana Files |
| Alan Tudyk | Monte Man |
| Hope Davis | Elizabeth 'Liz' Garfield |
| Anton Yelchin | Robert 'Bobby' Garfield |
| Mika Boorem | Carol Gerber/Molly |
| Tom Bower | Len Files |
| Adam LeFevre | Don Biderman |
| Will Rothhaar | John 'Sully' Sullivan |
| Timothy Reifsnyder | Harry Doolin |
| Deirdre O'Connell | Mrs. Gerber |
| Terry Beaver | Mr. Oliver |
| Joe T. Blankenship | Richie O'Rourke |
| Brett Fleisher | Willie Shearman |
| Scott Hicks |
6.70 out of 10 (9800 votes)
Visitor Reviews
i sabotaged myself
posted on 30 Aug 2009I just finished the book and loved it so much, I thought I would give the movie a try. If you have read the book, DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE. It may have been good, had i not read the book. The movie basically dumbs down the book, cornering the characters into little boxes, unlike the book. I don't want to give too much away, but if you do watch the movie after reading the book, don't expect the same story. I was devastated.
Strange but thoughtful coming-of-age piece.
posted on 30 Aug 2009Strange but thoughtful coming-of-age piece about an ambitious boy (Anton Yelchin) and his skeptical mother (Hope Davis) who have a highly gifted man (Anthony Hopkins) move into the boarding house where the pair live in the Connecticut suburb during the fifties. The performances by Hopkins, Yelchin, and David Morse (in a small role), who serves as the narrator, are impressive.Based on the novel by Stephen King, which is adapted by William Goldman ("Misery"), and the movie is directed by Scott Hicks ("Snow Falling on Cedars" and "Shine"). Another part of the film that can't go unnoticed is camera work of the late Piotr Sobocinski and how he creates a beautiful appearence of the streets during autumn. "Hearts in Atlantis" left me with the feeling of someone whom I once met during the summer several years ago. The presence and loyalty that they showed towards me was an awakening, not rude but a surprise. When I saw the movie in the theater over a year ago, I didn't think of that, however; I rented the film last week. Watching the movie rended me of the friend and I wonder if I'll ever see them again.
Subtlely great
posted on 30 Aug 2009Anthony Hopkins and David Morse (in a small role) are great in this movie, along with excellent support from the actors playing the children. Excellent direction from Hicks (the DVD features a very soothing commentary by him), and stunning cinematography - this really is a BEAUTIFUL film to watch, one that gently carresses your eyes. The ending is vastly different from the book, more bittersweet. A good, subtle movie.
Hearts of Lettuce
posted on 30 Aug 2009Spoilers herein.Another formula picture about childhood discovery in the salad days, this time from the Ray Bradbury playbook. It comes close to being pleasantly dull, but it consistently moves past the cloying. This is another of Hopkins' recent `vacation' films.King is no dummy, he. So we have lots of the formulaic depth: the self-referential framing of a photographer revisiting his childhood, one in which he could `see' the thoughts of others. While in this state, he conjures up (?) a similar mystically-inclined friend who constantly links the `insight' to reading. Got it, seventh graders? Now the wheels turn with all the stereotypes and minicrises of the era, and guess what? A Nixonian cabal comes and takes his friend away and after that he loses the `insight.' This is briefly recaptured when he gives a picture of his old, excessively idealized girlfriend to her daughter.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 4: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
GREAT FILM!!!!
posted on 30 Aug 2009This movie was a great surprise! I never read the Stephen King novel that this film comes from, but as always, King has crafted an intriguing and absorbing story.Anthony Hopkins never disappoints and his performance as Ted Brautigan here is no different. Brautigan lives upstairs from young Bobby Garfield and his widowed mother and a friendship soon develops between Bobby and Ted. Bobby knows that there is something different about Ted, and the bond between them grows when Bobby starts uncovering some of Ted's secrets.
Bobby's father passed away when he was very young and he has no knowledge of who his father was except the word of his neglectful mother that his father was a drunkard and gambler. Bobby, through Ted learns a lot about his father, and more importantly, himself. I don't want to give away too much of the plot of this wonderful movie, especially if like me you have not read the book. This is a thoughtful, insightful, well written and well acted movie and is definitely a part of my own library.Dont miss Hearts in Atlantis.. you will be sorry if you do!! 8/10
The movie where nothing happens, ever
posted on 30 Aug 2009Extremely slow, extremely sober and extremely sappy. It's like they tried to make two movies out of one. One of the movies is YET ANOTHER nostalgic boy comes of age in small town 1950's America story (and a pointless one at that), while the other side tries to be a supernatural thriller, but this aspect of the story is so rarely visited you wonder why they even bothered at all. The children in the movie speak and act like they're 40 years old, not 11. What really set me off was the way it inserts cheap, thoughtless sentimentality and heart-tugging almost every chance it gets. For example, Hopkins tells a story to the boy about a touchdown in an old football game and that scene alone lasts for about 5 minutes and thanks to the hammy acting and dramatic music you'd think it was one of the most important events in the history of the world. This movie just wastes time like few movies ever have.If you're up for many random, pointless bouts of forced sentiment, go ahead, watch this movie. If you're interested in supernatural or horror elements, trust me, those elements are not present. I wanted to like it and ended up absolutely hating it. Cheap, brainless tear-jerker.
Gentle,moving and intriguing Stephen King adaptation
posted on 30 Aug 2009STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsWith a big name star like Anthony Hopkins headbilling it,and being another Stephen King adaptation,Hearts in Atlantis looked all set to be a big,major pre-summer release.Unfortunately,in the heat of the Attack-Of-The-Clones hype,it got swept under the carpet,and was anything but in the shape of a limited release movie,much like Jim Carrey's The Majestic.However,maybe this is a good thing as smaller films often do turn out to be the best ones.As is the case here.This is a story which manages to be gripping as well as gentle and deeply moving.It's shrouded in equal amounts of mystery and sentiment,the 'mystery' part cleverly conveyed in the story of the 'lowmen' and who or what these people are and what their motives are.Performance wise,Hopkins is reliable as ever,but the real star-of-the-show is Anton Yelchin as Bobby Garfield,who,especially for such a young actor,delivers a brilliant performance.The film is also at an enjoyably compact length,running at just over an hour-and-a-half,very strange really for a Stephen King adaptation.Recommended.****
Obviously, someone's personal love project.
posted on 30 Aug 2009If you ever dreamed of living in a world where children think, act and speak like
62 year-olds with long years of hard life-experience and I.Q's of 173, then this
film is for you. There isn't one bit of dialog out of these kids' mouth that was ever
spoken by a real 10 year old. They all seem to be wiser and more perceptivethan their parents and each actor gets to drool out some eloquent pearl ofwisdom. To make it more unbearable, they all seem to do it in slow motion. The
pretentious (and typically unnecessary) naration only makes it all the morecloying. I almost went into diabetic shock before the end credits. A low-budget,
afterschool TV special, at best. Anthony Hopkins couldn't seem more bored.
Open your eyes and welcome the future.
posted on 30 Aug 2009Talk about a good one. This is adapted from Stephen King's novel and really can put that fuzzy feeling in your stomach. King does so well with bringing us situations that bring back our similar memories. A photographer(David Morse)returns to the town he lived in at the age of 11. He goes to the site of the now rundown house and the memories begin. It is the 1960's and his widowed mom struggles to pay the bills, but he is rich in memories of what happened on his street...nothing. That is until a mysterious man(Anthony Hopkins) with strange powers rents the upstairs apartment. His stay was a short one; but one that would be remembered for a lifetime. For atmosphere there is the great sounds of Chuck Berry, The Crew Cuts, Santo & Johnny and The Platters. As you know, King always tries to slip in some of those great tunes of our childhood in almost every one of his novels. Kudos to director Scott Hicks for this wonderful adaptation. Also in the cast are:Anton Yelchin, Mika Boorem and Will Rothhaar.
A disappointment of grand proportions...
posted on 30 Aug 2009Hearts In Atlantis, based on the novel by Stephen King, could have been so much more. While a full size novel must be changed to fit into a movie's normal viewing time, the story that this movie is based on is but one of four full stories and the denouement of the novel. So it was not improbable that most of the heart of the original story could have been retained.If you are a King reader, you will be greatly disappointed with the story. Bobby Garfield, the child lead character, loses much of the charm from the original story. Ted Brautigan, played very well by Anthony Hopkins (based on what he had to go on from the screenplay), loses so much of the mystery and humanity of the King book, and seems almost supernatural rather than someone loving earth, humankind, and the beautiful innocense of childhood.I watched the interview by the director (Scott Hicks) with Anthony Hopkins. It soon became apparent that neither man had read the novel by Stephen King. How sad. Imagine what could have been given the novels emphasis on love, hope, and the losing of our childhood innocense. 'Do we ever really leave behind our childhood,' Bobby Garfield ponders at the end of the novel? Watching Mr. Hick's version of the movie tells us, "Yes. If I think I can make more money doing it this way.""I love you, Ted," says Bobby toward the end of the novel. That, and how truly special his relationship was with both Ted and Carol seems lost in the mish-mash of changes from the book to the screenplay.The ending does not fit in the movie as it did so eloquently in the novel. Do yourself a favor and buy (or borrow from your public library) the wonderful audio version of the novel and listen to William Hurt read the unabridged version the way the movie should have done it -- with heart and childlike awe.
What if one of life's great mysteries moved upstairs?
posted on 30 Aug 2009I have seen many movies in my time that have been either very dramatic or scary, yet ‘Hearts in Atlantis', in its own unique way does both of these at the same time. I enjoy reading Stephen King Novels, but feel that his books make great ideas for movies. This film is no exception to that rule.In the summer of 1960, young Bobby Garfield is sharing adventures with his best friends Carol and Sully when an enigmatic lodger named Ted Brautigan rents a room in his family's boarding house. Soon, Bobby learns that Ted possesses supernatural gifts, has a haunted past, and is being pursued by sinister men whose intentions are unclear.This is a great film. I found the storyline between Bobby and Ted to be of real enjoyment. Ted was performed by acting legend Anthony Hopkins. Many of his scenes where we see him in a ‘world of his own' are priceless from Hopkins. Yet he is also to be congratulated on how he interacts on screen with a very young cast. Ted blends in beautifully with Bobby. In fact many of the scenes we see with Bob and Ted are of true quality, especially the way he asks Bobby to save him from the ‘bad guys' that was great. I remember seeing Hopkins in an interview saying that he found it hard in real life to interact with children, like most adults would, by just simply overpowering them. Instead he treats children as he would any adult, and this shone through in his role as Ted, considering what does for Bobby and the other young people in the film. I felt that the children were treated with the same amount of respect as the adults were by Ted. Then look at the performances by the young cast members of this film. Many people would agree that after discovering what a talent Haley Joel Osment was, that we might not see how great some young actors could be. I know that I never realised who Anton Yelchin was, or how great an actor he was going to be. But his role in this film was first class. I am sure that he has a career to now go on with. It was very pleasing to see how Bobby and Carol are such good friends, and that Bobby will do anything for Carol, risking his own life in the process. In fact one of the funnier scenes in this film, is when Ted announces to Bobby ‘your first kiss, will be the kiss, where by all kisses are looked upon on', with Bobby protesting that kissing is evil. Yet when Bobby has had enough of his mother he lets fly with a stinging attack on her, which for me was one of the best scenes of the entire movie.We also see some other great performances in this movie. The character of Carol was performed well by Mika Boorem. She is a lovable young girl in this film, so pure and innocent, it is no wonder Bobby likes her so much. Then the role of Bobby's mother was great by Hope Davis. I felt that she bought the true feeling of how parents would have treated children in the 1960s.
The very minor role taken on by actor David Morse is also worth a mention here. I found it to be of great importance at both the start and end of the film, when at the end of the film, we see how peculiar life really can be.I felt that Scott Hicks did a wonderful job as director of ‘Hearts In Atlantis'. I enjoy not only how we see most of the film, but also how he both starts and then end this film. The time that the film is set in was great, as was many of the features such as the businesses in the town, the use of radio and ‘root beer', which Ted and Bobby shared many a drink of. Most of the praise for this part of the film has to go to Cinematographer, Piotr Sobocinski, who brought this film to life. There are many great pieces to this film. Scenes such as when Bobby first meets Ted, when Ted talks about how great it is to have an adult library card, because of the great authors you can read. There is also the small sporting touch when Ted tells Bobby about the Football team, the (Chicago) bears, and how a retired player is brought back, to help save the day for his team. I also enjoyed the scene how Ted backs a large amount of money on a boxing fight in a pool hall, while Bobby finds out the truth about his late father from a bar maid. I have done many reviews, so I have probably said this before, but if a movie's soundtrack can get the audiences' attention then that can help win them over. Well it does for me in any case. This movie, though it has a very old soundtrack, still has a very good one. With classic songs such as Come Fly With Me, Ain't That A Shame, The Twist and Only You. They are all great hits of the past, and are used perfectly in this movie.For me, ‘Hearts in Atlantis' hit the spot. While it did have a very eerie feeling to it, I found myself liking both that and its main characters, Ted and Bobby. They have a very fascinating relationship, although their age gap should never have allowed this to happen. Also, considering that this is a story taken from a Stephen King novel, I will take particular notice for it on the shelves, as I am sure I will like reading it.CMRS gives ‘Hearts in Atlantis': 4.5 (very good - brilliant film)
undescribable
posted on 30 Aug 2009this movie was so incredible. there are no words to describe the emotion that i got from this movie and how touched i was. Anthony Hopkins was amazing. his acting was superb and simple fantastic. there could not have been a better person to play the role that Anton Yelchin acted. he put so much feeling into his role and was just so unbelievable. Mika Boorem was beautiful. she is a wonderful actress and i cant wait to see more movies that she and Anton star in together! it deserves a 10/10 with out a doubt!
A powerful, evocative film
posted on 30 Aug 2009Although the circumstances of the boy in the film weren't really similar to my own at that age, I found myself remembering things from my own childhood (I was 14 at the time the events of this movie took place) that I hadn't remembered in years. The magic that Ted Brautigan brought into Bobby Garfield's life reminded me, forcibly at times, of the wonder and beauty of life as I felt it during those years. I have traveled far from the home I grew up in, and have lost contact with so many people I knew. This film is incredibly powerful, and I would urge everyone to see it.
Very Good
posted on 30 Aug 2009I enjoyed the movie and thought it was very good, I would recommend it to people. The whole story is great, but the thing with the low men in yellow coats wasn't very realistic, I have read the book, and they were more alive in my imagination, and the time doesn't really reflect the 60's like the book did, and missing all these chapters was very unfaithful to the book, but I guess if they added them it would have been very complicated to the audience, because it kind of is like many stories linked together by the same characters, I would greatly recommend the book though, and for the movie I'd give it an 8.5 ...
STILL, THOSE CHAPTERS ON THE BOOK WOULD MAKE THIS A FANTASTIC MOVIE
posted on 30 Aug 2009Well, it is a classic Hollywood conversion of a book really worth reading.I personally believe that the info on the characters and the plot could hardly be transferred on a movie unless this had a duration of 4 hours, at least.Nevertheless, i was left with the impression after watching the movie that somebody had "stolen" the other chapters.I will be rather strict on this : my rating is 6 / 10.
superb acting, very persuasive scenes
posted on 30 Aug 2009I don't quite understand the average of a 6.8.... In my opinion this film is a high standard, dramatic production with an astonishing magical performance of Hopkins and the youngster, Anton velchin if I remembered correctly. Upcoming star I tell you, and if he won't, it's not because of his potential.With some tearjerking scenes, which are not over dramatized, this is a great movie to watch with your lover, close to each other, desperately trying to hide your occasional tears.Both the score and the cinematography play a good part in swallowing you up in the situations at hand.I give it an 8.6.
not very magical
posted on 30 Aug 2009I expected more supernatural type stuff since this was written by Stephen King. If they had shown more scenes with Ted using his special abilities, it would have been so much better. The plot was boring and dragged too much.
And I thought there were story lines that were just kinda left hanging. And what was the deal with the mom. We didn't really get to see her go through some kind of life change. What was her deal besides just saying she doesn't have money to buy her son a bike. And what about Bobby's friend, Sully. What did he really have anything to do with the story besides set up the flashbacks. He really had no point to the story when they were kids.FINAL VERDICT: Had potential but could have been better. This probably would have made a better TV movie.