Sometimes you guess right. Frustrated with having seen two very poor films earlier in the day: Summer 1993 and Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist, I called an audible and went for a potential feel good above another artsy-fartsy one. The “feel good?” It felt really good. Hearts Beat Loud can be enjoyed by anybody, but was especially poignant -for me- given the relationship between struggling single dad Frank (Nick Offerman) and his extremely smart and talented college-bound daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons).
Frank’s Red Hook Record store is going out of business. The good news is he can now pursue a career that might support Sam going to UCLA; the bad news is Frank’s life is music. He used to be in a band; he owns a record store; he plays rhythm and bass guitar, drums, and keyboard all for fun. He even sings … or some Nick Offerman version thereof. In a move straight out of early David Letterman, he nudges Sam away from her pre-pre-med studies for a jam session. “Say Sam, you’ve been responsible far too long now; don’t you think it’s time you screwed around a little?”
We the audience get the feeling that jam sessions are regular things with Frank and Sam … but is there a hint of disgruntlement? Does Sam resent the quality father/daughter time? Oh, I see, that’s not it. She’s just a teenager. Truth is she’s holding out on him; she’s started her music writing career without telling him (or herself for that matter). And within ten minutes :eyeroll: the two have suddenly made a chart climbing hit. It’s no “That Thing You Do!” but “Hearts Beat Loud” doesn’t lack for merit. We assumed these two could play, of course, but why doesn’t Frank know that Sam can sing … really, really sing? Why don’t we know that Kiersey Clemons can really, really sing?
So what do you do when you make a hit record at home these days? Apparently, you upload it to Spotify and let the magic happen. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t happen for most people. The public recognition “hey, that’s my song” is cute. Again, it’s no “That Thing You Do!” especially as Frank has not told Sam he’s gone public with her voice and thus cannot share the “THAT’S OUR SONG!!” moment of jubilation, but it’s still cute – Nick Offerman in a deli paying for baked goods.
And here’s the big dilemma – you’re a single parent. You make no money. Your brilliant daughter is destined to be a heart doctor. If you start her on that path right now, she might get there in, say, 10-15 years, amassing a ton of school debt in that time. This is her primary choice. Naturally, your next option is taking a run at pop singer stardom. This is her secondary c
hoice, but not far down. Her ceiling isn’t exactly Beyoncé or Madonna, but if she’s lucky and has the right promoter, maybe Fiona Apple-level stardom isn’t out of the question. That would probably pay for a semester or two of UCLA. This is, of course, the problem every parent must face at some time or another: cardiologist or ingénue minor diva?
I had a tough time with the supporting cast in Hearts Beat Loud; I think the film just didn’t know what to do with Toni Collette, Ted Danson, or Blythe Danner – they all seemed more background props than integral pieces of the film. That’s a minor criticism; the film is about Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons and that elusive communication vehicle that drives all parenting. I found these two adorable; I loved their interplay and their music and if I could hum a single tune in this movie a week later, this might have been a top-10 film for me.
♪I jammed with the child just the other day
She said she’s headed to UCLA
But there were songs to write, lyrics to say
And that tuition I can’t afford to pay
She was walkin’ and I knew my dream would not come true
She said “I’m gonna be a college grad”
“You know I’m gonna enroll in U”
And this cat’s got a label with her silver tune
Red Hook Records out of business in June
“What you gonna do, kid?” “I dunno but
It’s nice to have doors not shut
Options? I’ve got a glut♫
Rated PG-13, 97 Minutes
Director: Brett Haley
Writer: Brett Haley, Marc Basch
Genre: Standard father/daughter/manager/talent tale
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Music lovers
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Fox News evangelists
♪ Parody Inspired by “Cat’s in the Cradle”
