Hearts in Atlantis

Rating:
Summary: Fab movie, Nothing to do with the FBI though!
Review: Just wanted to echo the comments in the last couple of reviews; please please ignore the review of the reviewer in San Francisco who goes into one about the FBI/CIA. I dont know what film this person was watching but the low men have absolutely nothing to do with either organisation.
Its a great film with some sterling performances, not as good as, say, Green Mile, but still hugely entertaining.
Interestingly, I saw this movie with my wife who had not read the book and when we came to discuss it at the end she had seen a totally different story to the one I had been watching!

Rating:
Summary: Low men
Review: I've read the book and seen the film in the theater. I must say that this may be the first time in history where the film is actually better than the book. Which says a lot, because the book is fantastic.
I like the fact that the film never reveals who the "low men" are ... the book's explanation felt more like a comercial for another of King's books (if you've read "Hearts in Atlantis", you know what I mean). On a side note ... the reviewer that insists that the low men are FBI agents is completely wrong. Their identity is never revealed in the film. It isn't even hinted that they're FBI.
The film is essencially a cross between the film Stand By Me and an episode of X Files. There's a spookiness to the main story, which focuses around Bratigan's claravoyance. But, the back story is a believable, nostalgic look at growing up. Anyone that has fallen in love with the girl next door, or has been threatened by the neighborhood bully can relate.
The film is based on the first of five stories in King's novel Hearts in Atlantis. It would be interesting to see sequels based on the other stories. However, based on the film's reception by critics, I won't hold my breath.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Film
Review: My advice is watch the movie and forget about the book. The movie is ten times better. If you already have read the book then still see the film but sorry you had to go through the book. I have read the book and banished it to a box in the attic where all bad things go.

Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Movie
Review: "Hearts in Atlantis" was an extremely sweet andfunny movie that I enjoyed immensely, even though I walked into thetheater expecting to hate it. I'm not usually a fan of period piecesor movies where poor children experience the cruelty of growing up,but this was a far cry different. It had the innocent-yet-funnymentality of TV shows like "Wonder Years" or "Freaksand Geeks". Anton Yelchin definetly won points with me for beinga child actor that isn't in the least bit annoying or whiny. Heimpossibly stole the show from the great Anthony Hopkins (who was alsogreat, as always).

I can't recommend "Hearts in Atlantis"highly enough for people in the mood for a movie devoid of explosions,sex, and dirty jokes. Not that I'm against any of those things, butonce in a while it's nice to get something different.

Rating:
Summary: It was good
Review: The other person that did the review didnt know what they were talking about I watched this movie twice and it was awesome both times

Rating:
Summary: Hearts in disingenuous state
Review: I saw this film in the theater and was very disappointed, instead of a drama about human connectedness, I saw a cheap shot at the USA.

Stephen King, on the Today show, shortly after the film was released, which was shortly after September 11, commented that despite the fact Americans may wish to eschew violent, action-themed movies in lieu of the then recent terrorist act, the relatively dark action movie, "Don't Say a Word" was drawing larger audiences than "Hearts in Atlantis" a "sweet, sentimental" drama based on his book.

I was deeply disappointed by Hearts in Atlantis, and especially Stephen King. I found the allegories in the film appalling, to wit:

A large part of the movie focuses on a conflict between the boy Hopkins' character befriends and the town bully, who is a latent homosexual. This is an allegory to the alluded homosexuality of J. Edgar Hoover and Hoover's FBI "bullying" of all good people.

The US government agencies are shown in a very shadowy light, as if they are a mysterious, sinster evil. We eventually learn that the FBI/CIA intend to kidnap sweet Anthony Hopkins' character to force him to use his psychic powers to their own evil aims. The US goverment must be a really, really bad organization that makes the Taliban look like a picnic.

The film finishes with the boy speaking a monologue about how that summer his innocence ended that summer, but that he would see the world for what it was, and was no longer a boy. This is meant to be an allegory for the sixties, as if anyone who came of age in the 1950s or before is somehow a simpleton, and only the enlightened Baby Boomers can really ever know Truth.

I don't know about you, but the last thing I wanted to see after September 11 was a vicious slam on the FBI, which at the time was busy tracking down terrorists cells. And I really resent the disingenousness of Stephen King--maybe some of us would have rather stomached a dark, violent thriller than see the trashing of our own goverment.

Rating:
Summary: No Hearts, No Atlantis
Review: If you were looking for some connection to Atlantis, you'll be disappointed; in fact the only way I can think of to get anything intelligible out of the movie title is to take it to mean the movie makers left their hearts far away in some land most alien to the movie's setting. The movie does waste some memorable performances, most notably that of Anthony Hopkins as Ted, and those of two youngsters, Anton Yelchin as Bobby, and Mika Boorem as Carol. Ted is a mysterious stranger just moved to town. He's a hunted man, but for what and by whom remains a mystery. One thing he does have is psychic powers. But as in certain other movies, from Mr. North to Always, the presence of (quasi-?) supernatural elements is mainly a distraction in a movie otherwise soliciting our attention to more down-to-earth matters. Bobby is ayoung boy in town who befriends Ted, and Carol is Bobby's girlfriend. In this movie it's ambiguous as to what's plot and what's subplot. That's no problem in general. But in one particular (sub-?)plot, the movie really takes on its coup de grace. Bobby's mother is invited by her boss on an out of town seminar that she thinks means career advancement. As they're packing to leave, the boss is heard to utter that saying "Women -- can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em". Never mind that any contemporary movie would give latitude to others expressing an analogous sentiment. Heterosexual women or gay men could express the same about men and be credited with the fullest wisdom of the thought. And I'm sure lesbians would get the same privilege in talking of their potential patrners. But if a man says that about women, the die is cast. It's contemporary cinematic shorthand for stamping the label "sexual predator" squarely on his forehead. In vain we hope for an exception in this movie. Then when Bobby's mother returns home from being predictably victimized, she walks in upon a scene where Ted has just reset Carol's dislocated shoulder. She immediately jumps to conclusions that she's witnessed an egregious assault. What is the move doing at this point? Trying to expose the viciousness of a stereotype about "sexual" behavior? Well it certainly does that, whether unwittingly or pretending that one can expose one such stereotype while invoking another in all its viciousness. Either way the movie chokes to death on its own schizophrenia and political correctness.

Rating:
Summary: Steven King Back On Top
Review: Having been a reader of Stephen King since Carrie, I tend to be bias.Over the years there have been a few, that were not quite what he is capable of. Having read Hearts In Atlantis,knowing that Stephen King is one fantastic writer and then add in Sir Anthony Hopkins to the mix. I don't see how you could possibly lose.Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of the great actors of our time,he is like wine,he gets better with time. Mr. King,welcome back,missed you bunches.Now start cranking the books out once again. We can hardly wait.

Rating:
Summary: the best movie i have seen in awhile
Review: Im not going to say what its about because you probably already know. I just want to say thats its the best movie i have seen in awhile. Dont listen to those stupid critics that only give it 2 and half stars. What do critics look for anyway. When they say a movie is good i dont like and when they say its no good I end up liking it alot. If you like movies w/ meaning and that make you think this is one you must see. This is a fun movie to watch and it brings you back to the past with great music and it also brings you memorys to the good old days. The movie also has very interesting quotes that I payed aloy of attention to and that made me think a lot about. Although its sad it is a grrreat movie. A must see and a buy when it comes out on dvd.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent on its own, dissapointing compared to the book
Review: Hearts in Atlantis is a heart-warming, beautiful coming-of-age story, similar to King stories such as Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. The acting is excellent, and the flow is wonderful. However, the movie is a total change from the original , much better, story in the novel. The title loses all original meaing, the main premise to the "low men" is changed and not fully explained in the movie, and the overwhelming feeling one gets after discovering the truth of anthony hopkin's character is different in the movie than the book.

Yes its a great movie, but if you've read the book, you'll find yourself dissapointed.

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