Untamed Heart Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Untamed Heart Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 14, 2019

Director Tony Bill started his career making gentle pictures about human concerns. He dealt with friendship in 1980’s “My Bodyguard,” and finality in 1982’s “Six Weeks,” returning to the land of tearjerker entertainment with 1993’s “Untamed Heart.” Working from a screenplay by Tom Sierchio, Bill aims to create an unabashedly earnest film about love and devotion, pulling the characters away from gritty authenticity for 100 minutes of sweetened romance, inching toward a fairy tale with this story of two sensitive people finding each other in an unusual way. “Untamed Heart” isn’t for cynics, as Bill doesn’t weigh the feature down with too much of the hard stuff, preferring to remain in a glow of attraction and protection, touching on mild fantasy overtones that probably wouldn’t hold up in the cold light of day, but connect beautifully in the seasonal light. Performances from Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei secure Sierchio’s aim to create a something of a cosmic connection between lost souls, while Bill stays in touch with the fragile atmosphere of the movie, which is captured in a deeply heartfelt way.

Recently dumped by her latest boyfriend, Caroline (Marisa Tomei) feels cursed, unable to keep a partner for very long, always drawn to the wrong men. A server at a Minneapolis diner, Caroline pals around with the staff, including Cindy (Rosie Perez), but she’s curious about busboy Adam (Christian Slater), a young man who keeps to himself. One night while walking home after a shift, Caroline is attacked by two ghouls, Howard (Kyle Secor) and Patsy (Willie Garson), about to be sexually assaulted before Adam appears out of nowhere and beats the men up, whisking Caroline away to the safety of her home. Shaken by the event and overwhelmed by Adam’s heroism, Caroline tries to crack his painfully shy exterior by inserting herself in his presence, soon understanding that her savior is actually her longtime protector, with a profound love for her he can’t express. Warmed by Adam’s devotion, Caroline allows herself to love again, embarking on an unusual relationship, learning more about her boyfriend’s private world and his innocence when it comes to the details of his ailing heart, which has followed him since his days in an orphanage.

“Untamed Heart” has a delicate tone, with Bill summoning a near-fable like atmosphere for the feature, which initially explores Adam’s experience at his orphanage, with the nuns greatly concerned about his health due to a heart defect. Adam endures a near-death experience, but he returns to life, seemingly magically. The tale picks up 20 years later, examining Caroline’s disastrous love life, recently dismissed by another man who can’t quite put his finger on why she’s being discarded. Caroline is established as a woman who’s deep inside her own head, trying avoid suffocation from her neuroses but craving a partner as she deals with diner life and attempts to secure a beautician’s license while living at home. Sierchio doesn’t make Caroline a spineless nitwit demanding a Romeo, instead emphasizing her desire for love and her frustration when she can’t achieve the one thing she craves.

In 2019, Adam might be labeled a problematic character. He’s a silent witness to everything, often caught staring at Caroline. We learn that he follows her home every night to make sure she arrives safely, a routine that saves the young woman from a violent crime, with her walk through the city interrupted by bad men looking to assert their dominance. Adam interrupts the crime, carrying Caroline home in the cold, and “Untamed Heart” explores his obsession with her, revealed as their tentative questioning blossoms into a relationship. Bill keeps Adam a puppy dog, softening potentially sketchy scenes, including one where Adam infiltrates Caroline’s house and sets up a real Christmas tree in her room while she sleeps, saving her season from the drudgery of plastic decorations. It’s a gift from the heart, a romantic gesture from a character who’s never learned how to express himself, easily overpowered by the emotions he’s suddenly feeling. Adam is simple, not a stalker, and “Untamed Heart” makes it clear what’s happening is meant to be sincere.

Adam’s heart problems are addressed throughout the screenplay, exposing the busboy’s contorted childhood, where he was fed a fantasy about his bad ticker, believing he’s possession of a baboon heart thanks to his adventurer father. Caroline is curious about his medical condition, but “Untamed Heart” remains in the magical space of their pairing, with Adam gifted someone to protect and Caroline presented with someone to love. It could be corny, but Tomei sells the stuffing out of Caroline’s spirit, delivering such a brightly felt performance (the “oh yahhh” Minnesota accent is a bit much, but she seems to enjoy it) that carries the movie splendidly, allowing the viewer to believe everything the screenplay provides. Slater has the more observational part, but plays silent intensity with care, embracing a rare role that doesn’t demand pure ego. The actors enjoy strong chemistry and manage eccentricity, working hard to make “Untamed Heart” tender and kind.

Untamed Heart Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Untamed Heart" is sourced from an older scan of the film, and softness remains throughout the viewing experience, with age and gauzy cinematography denying acceptable sharpness. Detail isn't quite there, struggling with diner and household interiors, and all their specialized decorations. City tours are dimensional to a degree, and some signage is searchable. Costuming, especially winter wear, retains mild fibrous qualities, and close-ups handle age and signs of violence adequately. Colors keep their Christmas glow, with milder seasonal and diner lighting. Clothing delivers varied hues. Grain is chunky on occasion, developing into periodic blockiness. Skintones are lean toward pinkish. Delineation is passbale. Source is in fine shape, with only scattered speckling detected.

Untamed Heart Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix aims for a softer presence from the start, securing the intended tonality of the story. Dialogue exchanges are pleasant, managing hushed professions of love and more animated friend encounters, while Tomei's accent is fully understood. Scoring is light but supportive, capturing intended emotionality, and soundtrack selections are slightly louder, with comfortable instrumentation. Atmospherics are acceptable, picking up on diner bustle, hockey arena roars, and changes in weather. It's not a forceful track in the least, but gentleness is secured.

Untamed Heart Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Tony Bill.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:03, SD) is included.

Untamed Heart Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bill peppers the feature with acts of violence as a reminder of the cold world that remains around the bubble of love, but "Untamed Heart" doesn't slip into overkill with aggression or even melodrama, with the conclusion sneaking up on the picture, successfully hiding Sierchio's end game for the couple. Bill squeezes viewers for the finale, asking for tears, and he earns them, gracefully detailing a relationship that approaches a dreamlike state, almost childlike with its innocence. There's plenty here to enjoy, from lovely Minneapolis locations to a melancholy holiday mood, but a heartfelt bond between two damaged people is the primary selling point of "Untamed Heart," and the helmer manages to find just the right way to communicate such a strangely cinematic coupling.