Heartbreak Hospital (2002)

Synopsis: Based on a mystery novel by Henry Slesar, HEARTBREAK HOSPITAL celebrates, sends-up, and otherwise delves into the obsessive weirdness of daytime television. Struggling actress Neely Kendall... Based on a mystery novel by Henry Slesar, HEARTBREAK HOSPITAL celebrates, sends-up, and otherwise delves into the obsessive weirdness of daytime television. Struggling actress Neely Kendall (Chelsea Altman) lands a major part on the popular afternoon soap, HEARTBREAK HOSPITAL, but big-time success ends up straining her relationship with her not-so-famous chef boyfriend Tonio (Demián Bichir). Neely also finds herself hated by the show's resident diva, Sunday Tyler (Diane Venora), who likes to carry an axe around on the set. Then there's Neely's psychotic neighbor Lottie (Patricia Clarkson) who is dangerously obsessed with HOSPITAL's resident hunky doctor Milo (John Shea), whom she thinks is real. When Milo is scheduled to marry Neely's character in an upcoming episode, the stage is set for murder, mystery and mayhem as well as the expected romance and emotional turmoil. If all this sounds like a soap itself, well maybe that's just the point of this energetic, low budget indie. A dollop of quirkiness and some zany performances help smooth out the occasionally uneven tone. Shea and Verona are especially fine, maintaining their over-the-top performances as aging TV stars at just the right altitude. HEARTBREAK HOSPITAL is the first feature for German director Rudolph Gerber. [More]

Starring: Chelsea Altman, Demian Bichir, Patricia Clarkson, John Shea

Starring: Chelsea Altman, Demian Bichir, Patricia Clarkson, John Shea, Diane Venora

Director: Rudolph Gerber

Director: Rudolph Gerber
Screenwriter: Rudolph Gerber
Producer: Ram Bergman, Lemore Syvan, Dana Lustig, Rudolph Gerber
Composer: John M. Davis
Studio: Seventh Art Releasing

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