UNTAMED HEART (1993)

Directed By: Tony Bill 
Written By: Tom Sierchio 
Cinematography By: Jost Vocano 
Editor: Mia Goldman 


Cast: Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei, Rosie Perez, Willie Garson, Kyle Secor, Vincent Katheiser

*Please note that some trivia and facts have been republished from imdb among other sources In this review

Caroline has not had much luck in love. Boyfriends seem to either leave her or cheat on her. Then she meets a shy, introverted man at work named Adam. When leaving work one day, two men attack her. Adam comes to her rescue. Unfortunately, retaliation by the attackers sends Adam to the hospital where he finds out he has a diseased heart. Adam is an orphan and was told he had a baboon's heart. He refuses a transplant, as he believes his love for Caroline is contained in his damaged heart. Before tragedy can strike, they have a passionate but brief romance. Adam opens up to Caroline and he, in turn, heals her broken heart.

This film is perfect if you are looking for the more overly emotional romantic film. As it's setting is mildly urban and working class. Though the film feels timeless it is undoubtly modern. Even as it seems to try to effect a more nostalgic 1950's vibe. That films more of the 1980's tried to evoke time to time. A homage and throwback to the simpler times.

In fact this film seems to have borrowed certain it points and storylines from bill's former film FIVE CORNERS though that film was more bleak and hard edged. It seems the idea was to try and make a more idealized and less violent yet similar film. Interestingly he wrote the former film, but didn’t write this film.

What ultimately ends up damaging the film is the fact that it overdoes itself by becoming so sweet. You almost feel like you will go into a coma at any minute. The only promise of a kind of reality is that you get a sense of doom coming eventually. That this is a limited learn to love life type of romance. So that even when an attempted rape rears it's head. It feels all the more uglier because, things like that seem not to exist in the world of this film. That tries to bring a working class sensibility to the film, but even that feels contrived.

Even Marisa Tomei's character who is so sweet and virginal. You can't believe she is so trusting and seems so desperate. That it takes you out of the film many times. They try to pant her as a free spirit, all she ends up becoming, is annoying.

This is obviously not my type of film. I am the incorrect audience, the only thing that brought me to this film is the appearance of Christian Slater in the romantic lead. As he is one of my favorite actors I felt the need to actually watch this film.

Though even his character is also too innocent. Which I guess is the appeal and his defense of her physically shows that he can be both deep, poetic yet dangerous when it comes to protecting those he loves. It also makes it seem like he is too innocent for the jaded world and the longer he would have stayed in it. It would have affected him for the worse and probably intruded on the relationship.

Surprisingly this was, A hot property before it went into production, stars like Geena Davis, Demi Moore and Brad Pitt were all vying for roles. Madonna had been particularly interested in the film, lobbying hard for Jason Patric to land the male lead. However, she finally quit trying when the studio decided to go with William Baldwin instead, although ironically Christian Slater has the part in the finished film. After Johnny Depp Turned it down

The only touch of flavor the film has is Rosie Perez as the cliche sassy best friend. Who at least brings the film a relative logic and sense to what is happening throughout. She seems to be the only character you want to follow and know more about.

The film plays heavily on the audiences emotions that ultimately feels manipulative. As it is melodramatic with not real drama or conflict. Instead it injects the film with a ticking time clock that has no set time to go off. So it's like a ticking time bomb with no timer.

Unfortunately, they don’t make films like these anymore. The more overly dramatic melodrama with romance in it’s heart and heavily driven by Brokedown romantic fantasies, Driven by soundtracks by contributing flavor of the month artists. It’s like as you get older and hear one hit wonders or bands you couldn’t stand on the radio and while you hated them at the time in your youth. Now you actually listen to the songs, you still don’t love but have an appreciation for it. As it was part of your generation and something you like better then half of the modern stuff. As at least there was some hope of sincerity in it.


Grade: C