Hearts Beat Loud

A refreshingly down-to-earth comedy-drama about family, ambition and the liberating power of music.

But the real star of this thing is Clemons, so natural and expressive, whether speaking or singing.

A hack would have turned Frank and Sam into overnight sensations. Instead, the writer-director recognizes the compromises that reality forces on dreams – and this soft breeze of a movie emerges as a scrappy surprise that's hard to shrug off.

Heartfelt and unassuming but likely to prompt a few complaints that it doesn't ring true.

Hearts Beat Loud is gentle, funny, humane, and predictable, kept from becoming tiresome by a cast of pros that includes not only Offerman but Toni Collette as Frank’s landlady and possible love interest and a frisky Ted Danson as a philosophic stoner who owns the neighborhood watering hole.

There’s very little marring this as a pleasant experience all round, even if little, outside the performances, ramps it up into the realm of the truly memorable.

The steadiness with which Haley's film progresses through its dramatic beats is rather like its familiar-sounding indie pop, moving rhythmically toward a predictable climax whose emotional intensity feels unearned.

I was honestly blown away by Hearts Beat Loud in a way that I truly did not expect. It's wholesome, pure, and heartwarming in a way that movies simply aren't anymore. The cast is incredible. Nick Offerman carries the show, and newcomer Kiersey Clemons is fantastic as well. It was great to see Sasha Lane in another movie!!! And Toni Collette is a delight as always. The music, cinematography, and overall indie aesthetic of the movie made me want to move to Red Hook and spend the rest of my days there. Please, please, please go see this movie!

“Hearts Beat Loud” takes place in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook and centers on the relationship between a father and his daughter and the music that linked them together. The film stars Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Blythe Danner, Toni Collette and Ted Danson. Directed by Brett Haley and co-written by Mr. Haley and Marc Basch, this an uncomplicated and easy film to watch with characters that are real and with whom the viewer can readily understand and identify. I give the film an 8 for, more than anything else, it makes for an enjoyable 91 minutes of theatrical entertainment.

Never as funny, dramatic or heart-felt as the title, cast or premise may suggest but it’s a simple watch with nice performances.

With "heart" in the title, you can pretty much expect an effort to tug at those strings. It's certainly true here…although not very effectively. Nick Offerman plays the owner of a record store who also jams with his teenage daughter (Kiersey Clemons). While he deals with his failing business and ailing mother, she finds her first love. Meanwhile, they explore the possibility of teaming up as a band (as unlikely as that pairing sounds). Although there are some gentle confrontations, this drama is painfully sweet, wholesome and basically conflict free. Offerman manages to pull off a few humorous moments, but doesn't really bring much depth to the role. The script or direction lack any quirky elements or touching moments that might have made the characters or the story charming. The earnest intent and the sincere pace drag it into the field of wannabe feel-good movies. At least their original songs weren't bad.

Smooth Familiar Guitar Songs. Hearts Beat Loud Haley is far from the vision and the audience he wishes to serve it. Still, there is an admirable stillness in the film that recreates a cozy environment on the screen for us to accept these characters quickly, easily. The narration and execution is pretty much standard or even cliched, in fact, the content is a big void floating around in space, relying upon performance. With basically nothing happening in the world of these incredibly sweet and appealing characters, the runtime might overkill the film but the viewers would still like to hang around them. And the real reason behind it, is obviously the core relationship of the father (Nick Offerman) and the daughter (Kiersey Clemons). It picks out the most mundane, commercial and yet crucial career decision, also blending in with a social moral dilemma, in order to spice things up. But this overcooked or under cooked script, would need a lot more than some standard spicy ingredients. Aforementioned, performance is the only savior of this almost sinking ship and fortunately the captain on charge is Offerman as Frank; a haunted musical past that pulls and pushes him into professional and social lifestyle. Sam, played by Clemons, as his daughter isn't supporting him accordingly. And yet, she is not the biggest disappointment, as Toni Collette is completely underused. Surprisingly, Ted Danson as Offerman's friend- or so he calls himself- has a much more moving investment in the storytelling than any other. The musical sequences are often stretched, so if you are up for the slow groovy music, this might be your jam, if not, you wouldn't wanna buy into this album. Hearts Beat Loud doesn't beat as it claims to or aspire to, it is a slow cycle ride that you would only take if your doctor recommended it.