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Fans ofThe Green MileandThe Shawshank Redemptionwill feel a similar affection forHearts in Atlantis, a Stephen King adaptation that again finds the horror writer in more mainstream waters, with a bit of dabbling in the supernatural. When mysterious out-of-towner Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) moves into the boarding house that 11-year-old Bobby Garfield (Anton Yelchin) shares with his self-involved mother (Hope Davis), Bobby jumps at the chance to befriend an adult who talks to him straightforwardly. Ted enlists Bobby to read him the newspaper daily--and to keep an eye out for the "low men" bent on capturing Ted, who possesses a strange mind-reading power. Hopkins is in fine form, ably matched by the phenomenal young Yelchin, but director Scott Hicks (Shine) more often than not flattens out the dramatic arcs of the story, despite all the intriguing turns the film takes. Thankfully, though, the schmaltz factor is kept to a minimum, makingHearts in Atlantisa heartfelt coming-of-age drama.--Mark Englehart
Moving but follows simple ideas The old trick of going back to childhood is a sure ticket to the peoples' hearts and this film is moving and smells nostalgia. Anthony Hopkins gives a fine performance as always, even with a script that does not have many surprises. The young actors are also excellent in their roles and the depiction of rural America of the 60s very good also.
This is not really a family film This is not really a family film, but i liked it's overall theme. There is some violence, and even a rape scene (no nudity), and i would not reccomend girls under 13 or boys under 17 to watch it. Viewer discretion advised. Although most of the film centers around the mysterious relationship of a pre-pube boy and a 50'ish aged man that has just become a tenant in his mother's house. The man apparently has some psychic abilities and is able to pass them off to the boy. The film has some good lessons, is touching and is very well made, but it's not for everybody. It's a Stephen King story and has some odd quirkyness to it. But i loved the innocence of the children, and how Anthony Hopkins' character dealt with them. **** 3 and half stars.Good in and of itself...but a far cry from the story... I have to concur with many of the other reviewers: this is a good movie as a stand-alone experience, but only if you have not read Stephen King's collection of short novels from which this story is taken. In fact, the naming of this film is somewhat confusing, because the story told in the film is not "Hearts In Atlantis." It is actually a King novella called "Low Men In Yellow Coats." "Hearts In Atlantis" is another novella from the same collection and the compilation took it's name from that story. I guess the studio thought that "Hearts In Atlantis" had a better Hollywood "ring" to it than the story's original title; or maybe since they eliminated the "yellow coats" of the low men, they realized that the original title would not work. I'm not sure why Stephen King agreed to this name swap. The title "Hearts In Atlantis" actually makes sense in the context of the original story of that name. The story features both "hearts" (the card game) and "Atlantis" (the narrator's metaphor for the forgotten 60's college experience). But in the context of the "Low Men" story about Ted and Bobbie, it has no relevance. It would be like taking the story of Gone With The Wind and renaming it Citizen Kane -- it makes no sense. Oh well, it is what it is. A good film, but a much better collection of short stories. Read the book. Each story stands alone, but they also feature common characters, and together all of the stories work together to bring you full circle. And as another reviewer pointed out, if you read Heart's In Atlantis (or more specifically "Low Men In Yellow Coats"), you will be tantilized by questions that are answered in King's magnum opus Dark Tower series...it will suck you in and provide a few more months of reading the best work by America's laureate, Stephen King. Enjoy!
