Hearts Beat Loud: A Musical Masterpiece

Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons appear in Hearts Beat Loud by Brett Haley, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Photo by Jon Pack.

In Hearts Beat Loud, director Brett Haley has managed to do it again. This time, Haley, who pens the script with Marc Basch, goes musical and offers up a touching story about a father and daughter starring Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons.

Hearts Beat Loud may just be Haley’s best film ever–a musical masterpiece. There’s something about a Haley film that takes a side player from a previous film and they end up delivering one of their best career performances by way of a starring role in the next film. Following the critically acclaimed I’ll See You In My Dreams in 2015, Haley brought back Sam Elliott for The Hero and Offerman is a proven leading actor.

Offerman stars as Brooklyn-based record store owner Frank Fisher. He’s been running the store for 17 years and, following the tragic passing of his wife, Frank has been raising their daughter, Sam (Kiersey Clemons). Much to Frank’s dismay, Sam is heading off to college soon in UCLA en route to becoming a doctor. Financially, Frank is not in a good position. His landlord, Leslie (Toni Collette), is raising the rent on him and it only speeds up his decision to close the store. All who will be left for Frank when Sam leaves for school will be his mom, Marianne (Blythe Danner), and she’s not getting any younger. If Frank isn’t taking care of his mom, he’s at the bar owned by Dave (Ted Danson).

Read the rest of the review at Cultured Vultures.

DIRECTOR:  Brett Haley
SCREENWRITERS:  Brett Haley & Marc Basch
CAST:  Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Sasha Lane, with Blythe Danner and Toni Collette

Following its world premiere during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in the Premieres program, Gunpowder & Sky will release Hearts Beat Loud in select theaters on June 8, 2018 followed by a theatrical expansion.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.

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