I recently saw this film at the Phoenix Film Festival. I'd seen another film there, which was highly rated on IMDb but was just mediocre. So while the IMDb comments that Dark Heart was controversial were enough to intrigue me to see it, my expectations weren't very high. However I was blown away by this film and it's haunted me for days.
Dark Heart is about a soldier who returns from a year in Iraq to his hometown and faces more violence and pain in one night than his entire tour of duty. I'm not going to give away any more of the plot because this film has much more to it than just narrative. It's an observation of what war will do to men, and an accusation of our apathy toward their sacrifice. To anyone who claims this film to be anti-war either did not see this film or is an idiot who did not understand what it was about.
It is not an action movie with quick cuts. Instead the story slowly unfolds and the camera lingers unfolding a sad tale of desperation and evil. It also takes the anti-Hollywood ending and flips it on its head. This is not a date movie. If you've understood this film you will leave the experience disturbed but it will stay with you for long afterward. It contains similar elements to "Easy Rider" though I found this film to have more current themes. It was also much darker and very original in its style with great photography, writing and acting. The director/writer Kevin Lewis was willing to take a big chance with this film and I hope audiences will give it that same chance. I recommend this to anyone who's ever been in the Armed Forces and to any American who's ever benefited from their sacrifice.
PS: The next showing of this film will be on Wednesday, April 5 2006 at Method Fest in Calabasas, CA. This film is not to be missed!!!
