Heartlands (2002) User Reviews

Fantastic unknown film!

[csharp7 · 8/10 · 5 February 2005]

Saw this in a film class when I was studying in Ireland and got to participate in a Q&A with director Damien O'Donnell (other films to check out, East is East and the short 35 Aside.) I was very saddened to discover that it has not had, and will probably never have any kind of wide release.

It is the story of Colin, a sweet, bumbly darts enthusiast who embarks on a trip across the British Midlands in search of his girlfriend and his life.

I thought it was a beautiful and captivating film that broke my heart and lifted it all at the same time. I have never felt so empathetic for a protagonist before and the experience is one I'd love everyone in the world to have.

The word on the street is that a certain Miramax executive has decided to sit on this gem of a film indefinitely and I think that is beyond wrong. It is totally sublime and should get it's day in the sun!

What a lovely, warm film

[pdelsey · 8/10 · 31 December 2006]

To be honest I only got this film (on my Xmas list!!) as I have become somewhat of a Kate Rusby anorak over recent months!! Knowing that the beautiful Barnsley lass featured in a cameo and contributed to much of the soundtrack (along with her hubby the incredibly talented John McCusker) was enough for me to get the film, expecting everything else to be incidental. The music is wonderful (as you would expect from Ms Rusby!) and to see the lady herself singing was an added bonus.

However, the film itself surpassed all of my expectations and left me sitting there at the end just thinking "what a really lovely film", yet without being twee. In many ways it came across to me as an example of what British film can do best; quietly humorous, great characters and a rolling story that gently unrolls from a simple plot. Man loses wife, man sets out to find wife, man finds wife.

I genuinely warmed to the main character Colin (especially after he got his hair cut!!) which was superbly acted by Michael Sheen as he set out on his moped to win back his wife. The scenery (and music!) were wonderful and the simple but real characters he came across during his quest added up to a superbly crafted film. The Eric Bristow obsessed darts playing newsagent seemed an unlikely character to warm to but this film achieved that with ease.

A lovely, warm, amusing film that far exceeded my expectations and one that I would recommend to anybody that appreciates good quality British films.

simple , nice english drama with somehow Good ending.

[afterdarkpak · 7/10 · 1 September 2020]

Its a low budget british movie, performance is somehow is decent. i actually watches alot "cheating wife" movies last few months, and i found this is really nice, because of its Ending. because most of such movies in that "adultery" category are very worst.

No matter how great it is.. "adultery /cheating" always ends bad , sad n harsh.

a story of very simple husband who try to make his wife happy best but he caught her cheating / her being unfaithful. and when he confronted her, instead she sorry , she left husband and goes for lover. then things gets interesting when husband felt bad about it and goes to win her back..

i gave the extra star for good ending. -------------------spoilers------------------------------------

the ending is good. but not that good. i almost feel bad about the movie when husband almost starts to take her back in the end. but its kinda stupid end , when husband offer her shop and she took the keys in seconds and left him. wtf? ..she was really a bad wife.

i wish he could leave her with nothing. but i guess British people wanna make sure they are gentleman .so gives a good gentle gestures to women.

Warm,friendly film

[skelly-4 · 6 December 2004]

I was recommended this film by a chap who doesn't watch a lot of films, so i expected it to be not great. However I really enjoyed it,the film reminded me of a book that i read called the alchemist, which was about a boy who is searching for something and realises at the end that he had already found through the journey what he was looking for.

This film has a very similar premise and thats what the film is about the journey to blackpool, how you can change your life in a small amount of time and how you can learn things from other people.

All the characters in the film are warm and all have a different perception on life. The main character also seems to learn something from each of them. Its quite a clever little film. If you've seen everything you want to see then give this film a chance I reckon you'll like it

A gem of down market 'real' England

[Drifteral99 · 7/10 · 29 December 2005]

I took a chance on buying this DVD after hearing that Kate Rusby featured heavily on the soundtrack. I like her English folk music style, and as a bonus she actually appears as 'the turn' at a motor-bike rally.A gathering of bikers , camping next to a pub as happens every spring and summer weekend somewhere in Britain.

The film is set around South Yorkshire, I think at first, or perhaps even North Nottinghamshire. A faded pit town, somewhere Mansfield or a dozen others.

The action moves on to places like Castleton in Derbyshire, and the area around Penistone, between Barnsley and Manchester. Ranging from quite bleak moorland to softer more rolling hills and trees.

Colin is well portrayed as a simple man of relatively few words. The ones which spring from his lips invariably involve darts. His passion.

The villain of the piece is a nasty copper, again well acted and the conniving Constable is after Colin's missus.

Mrs.Col, and the copper take off to Blackpool,the 'Las Vegas of the North' and our hero sets off after them on his trusty Honda fifty (step-thru motorbike). The people he meets along thew way, from a predictably friendly group of bikers (the slightly mickey taking reception he got here was overstated)to a letcherous pub landlord really form the heart of the plot. He stumbles across a pack of Brownies on a camping trip, and , rather unlikely is instantly accepted.

The scene where Col's bike is 'taken out was brilliantly shot & totally believable. Though having done a lot of motor-cycling myself his attire was less than adequate for his 'epic' trip.

All the characters, with just one or two exceptions were very likable. From Mandy the overweight barmaid, disillusioned with her lover, and a mother of a cheeky wee actress who brilliantly captured a rebellion in the making, to Colin's wife. She had made a mistake in leaving him, and admitted it, would he have her back?

I should have known anything involving Rusby's music would have a northern English flavour. The essence of the region, from stark beauty, to down at heel urban industry is here for all to see.

Blackpool, the tacky town with such a proud heritage was filmed sympathetically, yet realistically.

All in all a film which improves the more I think about it. I shall watch this several times I think. I really, and heartily recommend it to anyone with a soft spot for working class Brtiain.

Fantastic fun

[filmmad · 7/10 · 3 December 2002]

I attended the Northern Ireland premiere of this film at the Foyle Film Festival and I can honestly say the crowd of Filmmakers, Actors, sponsors and general public all enjoyed this inoffensive road movie.

The gags were simple and the story easy to follow yet it still left a warm glow in everyones thoughts.

Lets hope it gets a world wide release so all can enjoy its message of hope and self-discovery.

Bitter-sweet British Road Movie

[hardcorr-1 · 10/10 · 29 May 2005]

At first sight this seemed to be one of those cheapo, feature-length, depressing British films that I have grown accustomed to over the past few years.

I could not have been further off the mark. The characters were lovable, even if they weren't very realistic. The acting was very natural, and each scene was shot beautifully.

I had not seen the Hero's Journey narrative used in this context before, but it worked well. Aided by the original Folk music score by Kate Rusby and John McCusker, the beautiful montages, and the unexpected resolution, this film brought a few tears to my eyes, and made me feel content.

The road goes ever on and on

[The_late_Buddy_Ryan · 6/10 · 17 March 2014]

Decked out in a goofy hobbit wig, Michael Sheen plays Colin, a Sheffield candystore owner who sets off for the bright lights of Blackpool in pursuit of his runaway wife. The opening scenes show promise, but the local accent can be hard to parse and Colin's adventures on the road are pretty low impact—he gets a haircut from a friendly biker, chats with a Brownie troop leader, marvels at a windfarm and some gorgeous rolling hills… Funded with lottery money, this film was meant, I guess, to celebrate the joys of the old-fashioned simple life in the North—darts and trad music at the pub, garish seaside resorts and such. I'm usually a pushover for this kind of thing, but despite an expert cast (including the fabulous Ruth Jones of "Gavin and Stacey"!) and a great soundtrack (esp. Kate Rusby, a Maddy Prior–type folksinger), I just wasn't feelin' it most of the time. Full disclosure: I put this on because my wife wanted "something quiet" to help her get to sleep. It worked.

Wonderful movie

[Apiary · 10/10 · 16 December 2004]

Heartlands is wonderful. It is beautifully shot and, as I have come to expect of Mr. Sheen (Colin) at least, remarkably well acted. The movie made me laugh out loud - twice - without having to resort to potty jokes or sloppy slap stick humor. It also made me cry, not because it is an intrinsically sad film, but because it is in part the story of Everyman. Unless a person is remarkably dull or a recluse, there will be moments in this film that could have been taken from the pages of anyone's life. Granted the characters and situations are a bit larger, if not more colorful, than one might typically expect to encounter, it is Mr. Sheen's ability to humanize them that touches.

Without spoiling things for people who haven't seen the film, there is a scene in this movie that will stick with me forever. It is so full of simple, unburdened joy that anyone who sees it will be instantly both amused and completely charmed.

Call me Quixote, as I am off in search of windmills.....

Low-budget road movie wins hearts with darts

[rowmorg · 7/10 · 16 September 2013]

Col, a nobody played by Martin Sheen, loves darts and lives a boring life minding his corner store with his spoiled wife, played by Jane Robbins. She runs off to Blackpool with Col's darts team captain, who throws Col off the team. Col follows them to Blackpool on his Honda moped and has various rewarding adventures on the way. The whole picture is very low-key and undemanding, but yields many charming moments at the hands of Sheen, who is a gifted actor. At no point does Sheen look at all like his well- known movie impersonations of Tony Blair. He is almost unrecognizable as himself in the first reel with his huge mop of tousled hair that gets cut off during his road-trip. Playing this insignificant character was a sharp swerve for an actor known for his emotional and rage-filled roles hitherto. A thoroughly entertaining and humane picture that wins over any thoughtful audience. Strongly recommended.

I need a good hammer for my skull

[settdigger · 4/10 · 4 February 2006]

I love a good independent film, and I love England.

Loving those two things was not enough to love this film.

The line between quaint and catatonic, between heartwarming and smarmingly saccharine, is rather fine at times.

This director hasn't quite figured out how to keep his feet on the kosher side of the line.

He has a good eye, and the pacing isn't bad, but it isn't good either. He lingers 10 seconds too long on just about every shot, 2 minutes too long on every scene.

I love a good movie about nothing. But this is merely a mediocre one.

Beauty and Truth

[talltale-1 · 9/10 · 5 June 2005]

There is a real and wonderful visual artist behind HEARTLANDS, but I am not certain if it is the director--or his director of photography. This movie is so beautiful to view in terms of composition, clarity and color that I found myself trying not to blink for fear of missing something. (Even the beginning, set in a heavily "industrial" neighborhood, manages to look interesting. Then, two-thirds of the way through, there is a "grainy" section in an amusement park, and damned if THAT isn't beautiful, too!) I don't recall director Damien O'Donnell's "East is East" as being anything special visually, so perhaps the beauty is due to the photographer. Whatever: "Heartlands" is utterly lovely to look at--and more. It's that rare movie in which kindness takes a front seat, and you find yourself increasingly joyful due to the simple, caring things that one person does for another.

The main character here is a poor schlub who wife soon leaves him. Played beautifully by Michael Sheen (of the OCD-driven "Dirty Filthy Love"), this guy seems borderline feeble (particularly when he tries to tell a certain story/joke and can't begin to manage it: the writer and director go a bit too far here). But as he begins to re-order his life, he--and the movie--just gets better and better.

In its quiet and thoughtful way, this one left me feeling buoyant--on some non-drug-induced "high"--as any film I can remember in a long while. I hope it'll have the same effect on you.

An underrated gem - probably......

[arthurdaley69 · 7/10 · 7 July 2010]

'Heartlands' is a British made bittersweet tale of an ordinary guy, Colin, who is abandoned as his wife runs off to Blackpool with a copper (Colins local darts team captain and best mate to boot).

The tag line reads - an epic journey......on a small scale - and thats quite apt.

Michael Sheen is really good as Colin, very different role from Clough in 'The Damned United' or Frost in 'Frost/Nixon'. Loads of well known actors involved including Mark Addy (Dave in 'The Full Monty' & more recently Friar Tuck in 'Robin Hood') Ruth Jones (Nessa from 'Gavin & Stacey'), Celia Imrie ('Dinnerladies' etc etc), and another from 'Gavin & Stacy' - a very young looking James Corden is a member of the darts team although he has practically no lines.

The wife and her lover are a right pair of selfish creeps and while he was making his epic journey to win her back - on his Honda 50 - I had the sinking feeling of an inevitable cheesy happy ending. Much to my surprise about half way through, the film shifted in tone a little and a variety of possible endings appear. I think the one they went with works as it wasn't the one I feared but neither was it the one I expected.

Stereotypical tosh!

[ard-1 · 1/10 · 30 May 2003]

I am the only one that hates seeing anyone North of London represented on screen by dim witted bear guzzling slobs that sit around all day in pubs and working mens clubs saying right lad, how's thee doing screwing each others best mates wifes! Complete stereotypical yarbles, dated as an episode of Coronation street from the seventies. Come on mister writer catch up the decades lad!

A hidden gem

[andybannister · 10/10 · 4 June 2005]

One of the best movies I've seen in a long-time! (We rented it purely on the off-chance (there was nothing else that caught our eye).

Beautifully acted and well-directed, what really made this film for me was the cinematography; the film is beautiful shot. From the grim cityscapes of Sheffield, across the scenic Peak District, to the garish tourist-trap that is Blackpool, the film brings northern Britain to life.

The soundtrack, by British folk legends Kate Rusby and John McCusker is haunting.

A wonderful, under-rated movie that helped restore my faith in the power of cinema after one too many Hollywood CGI-fests.

Enjoy.

Enjoyed every minute

[Galad · 10/10 · 25 April 2003]

I enjoyed every minute of this warm human story. An off-beat variation on the standard road-movie, the film reached the heart of the audience with a series of small but quirky and touching adventures. To make us care about such an unlikely hero is quite a feat, but O'Donnell succeeds 100%.

For bikers, folkies, rollercoasterophiles, ex-Brownies, and low-budget filmmakers

[John K.-2 · 9/10 · 18 February 2005]

You should like this film if you are a motorbike fan, if you liked seaside resorts as a kid, if you like gentle folk music, or if you were in the Brownies. In some ways it's a typical British film: understated humour, overstated contrasts between the good and the bad in English landscapes, various characters who overdo British stereotypes, and a hero who's a wimp; but it also carries the usual themes of a road movie, albeit more slowly than many road movies. It's also about "heart", in the figurative sense, which is about the only relevance the title has to the film ... except that the road trip goes across the central hills of England. It's obviously a low budget film, but it shows what can be achieved without big special effects.

Overlooked road movie with moped, folk and Blackpool

[iain-mclean · 2 July 2004]

Story: Cuckolded shopkeeping darts enthusiast, Colin, sets off cross country to win back his wife. Out of his routine life and familiar home town and passing through the beauty of the Peak District to the brashness of Blackpool, Colin meets with a series of people and incidents that shape his new life. Funny and very human.

How this film got zero publicity (apart from a few dismissive reviews) at the time of its cinematic release and is still not available on video/DVD is a mystery. It is witty, charming, beautifully shot, with excellent performances. The seven day structure to the story, in which a simple man's simple life is utterly transformed, underlines the foregoing monotony of the lives of all of the characters. The fabulous cast play their roles for all they are worth with out hamming it up. There are grotesques, but overall it is a subtle portrayal. The Northern setting allows for drab urban to glorious country to kitch seaside backdrops, and the provincial anonymity is used to indicate the everyman nature of the protagonist, not to present him as a local curio. The are any number of excellent cameos, not least Kate Rusby's set of folk songs, and the red moped!

Absolutely Brilliant!

[derbypride · 10/10 · 21 May 2005]

This is one of the most beautifully shot movies I have seen. Whoever was behind the camera should be very proud of producing such breathtaking shots. I loved every minute. The characters really draw you in. To me it was the perfect mix of northern life in the pubs playing darts, juxtaposed with a moped winding through the northern countryside emblazoned with bright colored leaves. The story was so well paced and believable. The pacing reminded me of "The Station Agent", mixed with the comedy of "Brassed Off" with cinematography similar to "The Motorcycle Diaries" I found it to be so original, and not at all stereotypical of the north. I would have loved some extras on the DVD so I had some information about where the movie was actually shot. I'm thinking Derbyshire?

Heartlands brings joy to even the coldest of hearts.

[demdemon · 10/10 · 18 October 2004]

Why has this film only been released on DVD now, I never heard of this movie until I saw the cover sitting on a videostore shelf where are part-time.

From the first scene to end of the credits I sat mesmerised by this film, the hapless hero Colin (Michael Sheen) travels to Blackpool on a moped to reclaim his wife Sandra (Jane Robbins) so simply a plot line done many times before but blows all attempts out of the water. The reason why he travels there wasn't why I loved this film, it was the journey, the people he meets along the way, the desire everyone has to just run free but are tied down by a 9-5 life. Colin's naivety is almost childlike that I smiled when he came across the fan turbines (sorry the name escapes me). It was shot beautifully, with superb acting and the soundtrack magnified it sheer brilliance.

I put the DVD in expecting...well I didn't expect anything, road movies are usually repetitive and fail to keep you interested as the end closes in, however this film didn't do that it continued to amaze me until the end. This film is 100% fun.

A sweet, charming movie anchored by a strong lead performance

[lexy_dupont · 9/10 · 26 January 2005]

A character study about a man who has to rebuild his life after his well-ordered and rather narrow world falls apart, Heartlands is charming and poignant, if a little slow-paced. The movie looks beautiful, with richly colored shots of some absolutely gorgeous bits of the countryside of northern England, and has a brilliant soundtrack that is mostly English folk music, with a few well-chosen exceptions. (Look for the cameo by folk singer Kate Rusby.) There are good performances by all the cast members, lead by Michael Sheen as the good-natured but naive Colin, who comes into his own after leaving his dull, stifling home town (and the "friends" who take advantage of him) behind.

A nice little story, well told

[tomweeks · 12 December 2004]

I am an American, so I guess I missed the stereotypical treatment of the "hero" and his small town friends. I thought this was a charming little movie about a simple man who discovers some simple truths about himself and the world around him. The northern English countryside was beautifully presented.

Since I live in a small town in the southern U.S., I am sensitive to stereotypical treatment of us provincial folk, but this movie seemed to be genuine in its affection for its protagonist and the denizens of the "north country".

This well told little story shows us that life constantly takes strange little detours, and that sometimes it's best to go with the flow, and it does it without beating us over the head with the "message".

seriously, IMDb?

[cahisi · 10/10 · 16 November 2012]

The average rating for this movie causes me to reassess how I use IMDb, as generally I've found ratings to be reliable before and in this case am finding that average upset. This is a great movie. I don't usually go for "road trip" movies in the modern sense - this has a touch of that (wacky adventures on the road) but there's no slapstick crap, or incredible fantastical tripping - just a lovely sort of bumbling along that takes the path as it comes.

Colin is brilliant. Sandra and Jeff as "Mark and Cleopatra" are too awful, Jeff's character lurching into the ridiculous, Sandra becoming harder but less brittle. All the characters have wonderful embellishment, peculiarity and I guess whimsy, though it's sometimes charm. That is, the charming characters are exceptionally charming - but there are some serious stinkers done very well. If you like that sort of thing!

Full Monty-esque road trip through the Peak District

[andymarriott27 · 8/10 · 18 August 2012]

This was a real treat for a couple of homesick Brits living in Australia. As good as The Full Monty for capturing Englishness in all its wonderful oddness; our obsession with hobbies, beer, and seaside holidays. Michael Sheen mirrors his Cloughy accent from the also excellent The Damned United. He overdoes the role slightly - a bit too tragi-comic for my taste - but the whole movie carries you happily along on its road trip through the beautiful Peak District on the road to ghastly Blackpool. Highlights for me were seeing the awesome Kate Rusby pop up as a pub singer and also a comment from one of the bikers when Sheen arrives at the said pub on his knackered moped: 'Look, it's Carl Fogarty'. Very English, funny, charming and somehow poignant. The ending does not disappoint.

An unexpected delightful movie

[Nglynnen · 8/10 · 21 October 2006]

I borrowed this DVD from a mate who bought it for a pound as an ex rental.

Not expecting much (especially as Paul Shane from Hi de Hi is in it) I was surprised at how much I loved this film.

It gives you a good feeling inside and there are some genuinely touching moments as well as some funny ones.

The swing incident and the toothbrush incident especially.

Great performances from Michael Sheen,Mark Addy(great wig) and Mark Strong.

I would recommend anyone to see it especially if you are Northern.