Playing by Heart

Sophomore writer/director Willard Carroll weaves together an all-star cast in interlocking stories about finding love in Los Angeles. The film's theme is spoken by young club-hopper Joan (Angelina Jolie). Taken by the mysterious Keenan (Ryan Phillippe), she tells him that "talking about love" is ...more

Willard Carroll's uneven but disarming L.A. tale does nothing new for the ensemble drama, and some of its actors come off better than others, but it remains heartfelt and suffused with noble intentions. The multi-character story line lacks the bravura touches of similar efforts by such directors as Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson, but thankfully the film doesn't really aspire to be more than it is, which makes it more enjoyable than a more pretentious effort might be. The highlight of the ...more