Where the Heart Is

Rating:
Summary: Best movie ever!!
Review: My friend and I were both dumped by our boyfriends at the same time. Feeling low, we decided to rent this movie for something to do. I have never been through so many emotions in a movie. I laughed, I cried, I got nervous, I got mad. I felt everything. It also made me and my friend realize that life may be tough, but it does go on and it gets better. Natalie Portman was such a good actress, she was so sweet and innocent you fell in love with just her voice. I would recomend everyone to watch this movie. It really gives you a boost in your life, and makes you realize what life is really about. Their is not a dull moment in this movie. I have watched it probably ten times, and now that I own it, I will probably watch it ten more times.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: "Where the Heart Is" is an incredible movie. It shows the struggles of a young mother and how she succeeds on her own. Natalie Portman puts on a magnificent performance! "Where the Heart Is" is definetely the movie to see!

Rating:
Summary: This is a really good movie!!!
Review: I completey fell in love with this movie. I knew about this movie since it came out in theatre but because of some bad reviews I've read I stayed away from it. Well it was a big mistake. After renting out almost all the movies I wanted to see at the video store I finally gave in and rented the movie and it was an absolute gem I loved everything about this movie(I bought it the next day). The cast is superb Nathalie Portman and Ashley Judd did an excellent job. Also James Frain was perfectly cast as Forney Hull I couldn't imagine anyone else playing this part after seeing him. This movie is the kind that lives you with a warm feeling inside you. So if you didn't see it yet b/c of some review you read that didn't like it; trust me you're missing out on a really good film and beside critics don't know half of the time what they talking about.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome, touching... a little bit of it all!
Review: This movie was the best one of them all. I read the book and loved it, and had to rent the movie! I can't decide which is better. I loved Ashley Judd playing Lexie; Novalees best friend. Natalie Portman was awesome, too. A MUST SEE MOVIE!

Rating:
Summary: One of My New Favs!
Review: Well, I read the book first, by Billie Letts. It was just as good as the movie! Usually, I don't like the movie versions of books, but there have been a few exceptions (Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, To Kill A Mockingbird) and this movie is definitely an exception. There were a few changes but that seemed to be reasonbale. For instance, Americus' age at the end of the story in the book was 7, but in the movie it was only 5. I think a 7 year difference would have been hard to show on the camera. And then this made sense for Novalee's fear of 5's instead of 7's. The acting was so good. I enjoyed the cameo appearance by Sally Field and Stockard Channing was hilarious as Sister Husband, and of course Natalie Portman was great. James Frain (who I had never heard of before this movie) was also good as Forney. He is an exceptional actor. You can feel the pain that he goes through with his sister and his love for Novalee. The one thing I liked about both the book and the movie is that they weren't predictable. Certain things were surprises and it kept me guessing to how it was going to turn out. Buy this movie - even though it might be a "chick flick" - it is a very well done movie!

Rating:
Summary: Where the Heart is
Review: Natalie Portman is excellent in playing the role of Novalee Nation a 17 year old girl who just so happens to be very pregnant.Novalee went from 17 to 22 during the course of the movie. Every minute of the movie was just like watching buttercup's bloom into something beautiful. Willie Jack Pinkes is Novalee's sad excuse of what used to be a man in the prehistoric ages before he knocked up a 17 year old girl excuse of a boyfriend. Before I go any further there are three things that you should know about Novalee. #1 she hates the number 5, # 2 she was abandond by her mother at age 5 and is again through the course of the movie, and #3 she was also left behind by bouyfriend Willie Jack at an Oklahoma Walmart.It gets really good when.... If you want to know what I was going to say buy the movie which might not help seeing as the movie has so many great parts! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!! -BLS

Rating:
Summary: A suprisingly good movie.
Review: At the begining of the movie you do assume this to be a trashy chick flick considering a pregnant 17 year old who used to live in a trailer with her ex boy-friend is now living in a Wal-Mart.Its not.It is one of those "i should rent this because i've seen everything in the video store" movies.You'll be happy that you've seen it.

Rating:
Summary: "Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers..."
Review: Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) is a ill-educated, pregnant southern teen, who leaves Tennessee for California with her boyfriend, who then abandons her at an Oklahoma Wal-Mart with just a pair of shoes and $5.55 of change. She gives birth there and experiences a brief moment of fame as the "Wal-Mart Mommy" She is then adopted by the residents of Sequoyah, Oklahoma as she and and the people around her jump from one random catastrophe to the next. I had poised myself to like this film, being a fan of the brilliant Natalie Portman and of Joan Cusack and Sally Field. Portman looks mis-cast as a teen that the novel discribes as "seventeen, seven-months pregnant, thirty-seven pounds overweight -- superstitious about sevens." The story loses any sort of direction after Novalee gives birth to her daughter Americus. Novalee and the other residents of Sequoyah, Oklahoma experience a succession of ramdom disasters, a kidnapping, a tornado (and the consequent death of "Sister" Husband) the death of Forney's insane sister and child molestation. The story of Willy Jack's transformation into a one-hit wonder country music star seems quite pointless, except for the chance to put Joan Cusack into the story somewhere the resolution of his tale in his apology and confession to Novalee does not seem to have relevance. I did like how Novalee develops a relationship with the local librarian Forney Hull through mutual respect and trust (something Novalee had not experienced beforehand) Sally Fields' performance was funny and it was interesting to see her as a bleach blonde, whose hair looked green at some points. Joan Cusack was funny too as Willy Jack's mean, tough-talking agent. However, overall this film was a let-down and I definately would have gotten something else from the video store

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant suprise
Review: I read most of the book a few years ago, I hated it so much!! I thought it was too drawn out, boring, and just frustrated me so much. I figured that one day I would watch the movie, and I will find out then what happens in the end. I like both Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd, and I think that they brought their character's to life so greatly. They made them seem so real to me. Plus, the movie only took two hours of my time, but the book, which was put down so often, took a much longer time. The book was very hard to get into, but if you like the talents of both Portman and Judd, you'll appreciate this movie much more than the book. The book is usally better than the movie, this is one of those rare exceptions. It's is a very heartwarming movie that will make you laugh and cry. Also, the acting is excellent despite what I had heard from other reviews. Stockard gives the character of Sister Husband great soul. I watched this one on HBO, but I would definitely recommend it for a rental now that I've finally watched it as I had kept passing it up on the video shelf.

Rating:
Summary: Excelent
Review: What a great movie I just love it. James Frain, Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman are all great actors. I have seen the movie at least 20 times and could watch it another 20 times.