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Where the Heart Is (2000)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.6/10
Reviews Counted: 96
Fresh: 33 | Rotten: 63

Poor script and messy plot undermines the decent cast.

Average Rating: 3.8/10
Critic Reviews: 28
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 23

Poor script and messy plot undermines the decent cast.

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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 61,232

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Movie Info

Pregnant 17-year-old Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) runs away from her Tennessee home toward the bright lights of California, accompanied by her boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno). But Willy gets cold feet and abandons her at a Walmart in Sequoyah, OK. Novalee's life savings amount to $5.55, so she moves into the Walmart, sleeping there at night and venturing out during the day. With the help of the eccentric Sister Husband (Stockard Channing), and Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd), a nurses'

PG-13, 2 hr.

Drama, Comedy

Directed By: Matt Williams

Written By: Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel

In Theaters: Apr 28, 2000 Wide

On DVD: Sep 26, 2000

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Where the Heart Is Trailer & Photos

Cast

Natalie Portman
Novalee Nation
Ashley Judd
Lexie Coop
Stockard Channing
Sister Husband
Joan Cusack
Ruth Meyers
James Frain
Forney Hall
Dylan Bruno
Willy Jack Pickens
Keith David
Moses Whitecotten
Sally Field
Mama Nell
Richard Jones
Mr. Sprock
Dennis Letts
Laura House
Mackenzie Fitzgerald
Ray Prewitt

Critic Reviews for Where the Heart Is

All Critics (107) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (34) | Rotten (65) | DVD (12)

Not possessing much in the way of a character arc, saints are boring to watch and impossible to act.

April 25, 2003 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

The scenes feel forced, producing episodic plotting and calling attention to the characters' superficiality.

November 6, 2002 Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

| Comment

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Top Critic

Banal and trite where it could have been insightful and emotionally truthful.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

Heart definitely lacks much of the earthy lyricism it's obviously striving for.

January 1, 2000 Comment

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Top Critic

The movie isn't all that much -- it's too cloyingly ramshackle -- but Portman isn't playing down to her character this time around.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: New York Magazine

| Comment

Peter Rainer

New York Magazine

Top Critic

A chick flick that's as yummy as eating bon-bons.

December 29, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Predictable, schmaltzy, and knock-you-over-the-head obvious in its attempts to be endearingly offbeat.

September 1, 2006 Comment

Betsy Bozdech

Reel.com

... a great big ol' commercial for the Wal-Mart

January 29, 2005 Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

| Comment

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

The script, based on a novel by Billie Lett, is sprinkled with phrases meant to be poignant and funny, but sound like repackaged cliches.

July 2, 2004 Full Review Source: Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)

| Comment

Judith Egerton

Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) Source: Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)

...enjoyable enough.

August 1, 2003 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews

| Comment

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

This is as irritating as chick flicks come and it's a real disappointment since Portman's talents are totally wasted.

December 8, 2002 Full Review Source: Film Threat

| Comment

Chris Gore

Film Threat

Unfortunately, the spirited performances (notably Stockard Channing as the benevolent Sister Husband) buckle under the weight of the implausibly overloaded script.

December 2, 2002 Full Review Source: Sight and Sound

| Comment

Kay Dickinson

Sight and Sound

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Where the Heart Is

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An all time favourite - still as good 11 years later as the first time I watched it. This really is the ultimate girl movie - good story to it and great cast. This is one of those rare movies where the movie is better than the book. After seeing this, i got it, and I was really bored by it. This movie really bought

January 25, 2008

Nicki Marie

Super Reviewer

A heart warming movie. I really enjoyed this movie & Natalie Portman was excellent in it. I love it :) Just a great movie :) Natalie Portman is just so adorable & sweet & so is James Frain :) A movie that I can watch over & over again :) Natalie Portman is an amazing actress :) :) :)

January 23, 2011