Grace of My Heart

1996

Grace of My Heart (1996)

TOMATOMETER

75%
20%

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

80%

Want to See

Not Interested

Add Rating
My Rating    

Grace of My Heart Photos

View All Photos

Movie Info

Illeana Douglas delivers a superb performance as Denise Waverly, a fictional singer and songwriter whose life bears more than a passing resemblance to that of real-life pop star Carole King. Edna Buxton, the daughter of a Philadelphia steel tycoon, aspires to a career as a singer, and when against her mother's bidding she sings a sultry version of "Hey There (You With the Stars in Your Eyes)" (instead of Mom's choice, "You'll Never Walk Alone") at a talent contest, she wins a recording contact and moves to New York City. She cuts a record and gains a new stage name, Denise Waverly; however, she soon finds that girl singers are a dime a dozen in the Big Apple and her career as a vocalist goes nowhere. But she has a knack for writing songs, and eccentric producer Joel Milner (John Turturro) asks her to pen some songs for his upcoming projects. Teamed with Howard Caszatt (Eric Stoltz), a hipster songwriter who wants to express his political and social ideals through pop tunes, she finds both a successful collaborator and husband. While her work with Howard gains Denise writing credits on a string of hit records and respect within the industry, their marriage falls apart, and she becomes involved with Jay Phillips (Matt Dillon), the gifted but unstable leader of a popular West Coast surf music combo. Students of pop music history will have a ball with the various characters modeled after real-life rock legends, and the 1960s-style song score includes numbers written by Joni Mitchell and J. Mascis (of the band Dinosaur Jr.), as well as one-time King collaborator Gerry Goffin; a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, "God Give Me Strength," led to a full album written by the two great tunesmiths.

Watch it now

Cast

Illeana Douglas
as Edna Buxton/Denise Waverly
John Turturro
as Joel Millner
Eric Stoltz
as Howard
Bruce Davison
as John Murray
Matt Dillon
as Jay Phillips
Jennifer Leigh Warren
as Doris Shelley
Bridget Fonda
as Kelly Porter
Patsy Kensit
as Cheryl Steed
Chris Isaak
as Matthew Lewis
Peter Fonda
as Guru Dave
Christina Pickles
as Mrs. Buxton
Richard Schiff
as Audition Record Producer
Sissy Boyd
as Dress Saleswoman
Jill Sobule
as Talent Show Contestant
Tegan West
as M.C. At Talent Show
Natalie Venetia Belcon
as Betty
Kathy Barbour
as Sha Sha
Diane Robin
as Waitress In Diner
Portrait
as Stylette
Eric Jerome Kirkland
as Stylette
Irving Eugene Washington III
as Stylette
Kurt Jackson
as Stylette
Michael Saulsberry
as Stylette
Christina Ehrich
as Riptides Dancing Girl
Drena De Niro
as Receptionist No. 1
Jade Gordon
as Girl In Coffee Shop
Tracy Vilar
as Annie
Amanda De Cadenet
as Receptionist No. 2
Martin Valinsky
as Brill Building Songwriter
Lita Stevens
as Radio Station Receptionist
Larry Klein
as Record Producer
Lucinda Jenney
as Marion
Deidre Lewis
as Girl In Howard's Bed
Redd Kross
as Group Member [The Riptides]
Buster
as Baby Luma
John Nacco
as Cab Driver
Lynne Adams
as Kindly Nurse
Jeff McDonald
as Group Member [The Riptides]
Brittany English Stevens
as Luma
Johnny Thomas III
as Annie's Son
Steve McDonald
as Group Member [The Riptides]
Harry Victor
as Journalist
Jeffrey McDonald
as Member of the Riptides
Irving Eugene Washington
as Stylettes Member
Steven McDonald
as Member of the Riptides
Brian Reitzell
as Member of the Riptides
Christina Ehrlich
as The Riptides' Dancing Girl
Melanie A. Gage
as The Riptides' Dancing Girl
Albert Macklin
as TV Interviewer
J. Mascis
as The Riptides' Engineer
Eric A. Stromer
as Doris' LA Boyfriend
Robert Brunner
as Theremin Player
Chris Shearer
as Security Expert
China Kantner
as Singer On Beach
Andrew Williams
as Click Brothers
Paige Dylan
as Singer On Beach
Alicia Jaffee
as Singer On Beach
Alice Cohen
as Singer In Tree
Lita Hernandez
as Singer In Tree
Kristen Vigard
as Denise Waverly/Edna Buxton [Singing Voice]
Delia Gonzalez
as Singer In Tree
David Clennon
as Dr. Jones--'Jonesy'
Precious Chong
as Crying Woman At Funeral
Shawn Colvin
as Commune Guitarist
David Andrews
as Stylettes Member
View All

Critic Reviews for Grace of My Heart

All Critics (24) | Top Critics (5)

This is not the smoothest trip: the transitions are bumpy, the lip-synching's imperfect...But rough edges are more than offset by contagious vitality...It may not be precision-tooled, but it's triumphantly alive.

Feb 26, 2018 | Full Review…
Newsweek
Top Critic

Edna Buxton... really wants to do is sing her own material, but there's no market for that in 1959. If her character were a song, you'd want her key changes to be less abrupt -- there's not much modulation.

Nov 15, 2017 | Full Review…
Independent (UK)

Charming tale of songwriter finding her voice has profanity.

Jul 12, 2016 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Common Sense Media

The lead, Ileana Douglas, is good, but the musical film suffers from repetitive structure and lack of sufficiently interesting ideas.

Jun 7, 2011 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
EmanuelLevy.Com

An intelligent, engaging comedy-drama that will have audiences tapping their toes and running off to buy the soundtrack.

Sep 10, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…
TheMovieReport.com

Illeana Douglas grabs onto her first starring role with passion and conviction.

Dec 3, 2003 | Full Review…
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
View All Critic Reviews (24)

Audience Reviews for Grace of My Heart

Grace of my Heart is loosely based on the life of real life singer/songwriter Carol King who yearns to break free of her privileged suburban upbringing to become a pop music singer but instead defers her dreams of pop stardom settling for a career as a songwriter. Moving to New York she meets famous song manager Joel Millner (John Tuturro) who helps her on the road to stardom and becomes her lifelong friend and confidant. Changing her name to Denise Waverley she writes a number of hits and becomes a famous and much sought after name in the music industry. She faces a lot of tragedies including the suicide of her husband Brian Wilson (played by Matt Dillon) but she overcomes all the hardship and gets her life back on track and produces and brings out her own new album which sells over a million copies. Illeana Douglas does a credible turn in the title role, Patsy Kensit plays Denise's longtime songwriting partner and loyal gal pal Cheryl Steed and a very young Bridget Fonda portrays the teenage closeted lesbian and pop singer Kelly Porter.

Deb S
Deb S

Super Reviewer

½

A personal favorite. Love it.

Leo L
Leo L

Super Reviewer

View All

Grace of My Heart Quotes

View All Quotes

News & Features