Heart of the Matter (2022 TV Movie) User Reviews

Has a good deal of heart

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 19 January 2024]

'Heart of the Matter' (2022)

Opening thoughts: The 2022 Hallmark Movies and Mysteries output has varied, most of the previous films in the block actually being very impressive (especially 'North to Home' and 'The Presence of Love') with the only big misfire being 'Cut, Color, Murder'. Also saw 'Heart of the Matter' because of the premise, being someone who did connect with it even reading about it. Hallmark has not always succeeded when it comes to tackling serious themes and personal dramas, but they did do this very well quite a lot.

On the most part, the serious and very personal subject, with the themes of grief and loss, is handled very well in 'Heart of the Matter'. It didn't start off too great, but once it got going and the less the lead character frustrated me the more relatable the film became. For me, it is definitely one of the best 2022 Hallmark films not just up to this point but overall and a fine example of how to tackle serious subjects in a way that was easy to connect with.

'Heart of the Matter' isn't perfect. It is a slow starter, with it taking time to get going and with some of the dialogue not flowing very well. It did take me time to get behind the lead character, being another person to have moments of really disliking her with the film really overdoing her self-absorbed and self-indulgent traits.

Also did feel that the ending was a little too on the wrapped up in a neat little bow-like considering the behaviour of the lead character.

Good things: With all that being said, there is a lot to like here in 'Heart of the Matter'. Aimee Teagarden's performance is very sincere and moving, continuing to grow as an actress. Gail O'Grady has the more interesting and relatable character, one where her point of view was completely understandable and how most would feel in that situation, and plays her with class and every bit as poignantly. The supporting cast are fine, if not up to the same level as the two leads.

It is very professionally filmed and the locations are simply beautiful. A lot of Hallmark's films suffer from being over-scored, meaning being too constantly used and too loud. That isn't so big a problem here. The script is a lot less cheesy and schmaltzy than most Hallmark films and did find it very sincere, very affecting and that it mostly did not awkward, apart from to begin with. The story is predictable, but is very mature and poignant without being sappy or too melodramatic.

Closing thoughts: Overall, good but not great.

7/10.

Heart Of The Matter

[coloradoan · 8/10 · 17 May 2022]

Probably one of the most dramatic movies on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. Well cast. Aimee Teagarden is becoming one of my top favorite actresses on Hallmark channels. She plays a cardiologist, Andie, in tune with her patients, and personable. One of her patients was one of those "special" ones that she got to know. Tragedy strikes and Andie is having a challenging time dealing with it. Gail O'Grady plays the mother, and she's superb in the role. I encourage you to see the movie, as it ends teaching life lessons of love and forgiveness.

Adding: When you look at the whole picture, the mother was just as responsible for the outcome of the son driving. She could have told him to stay put and she would come and get him or call an ambulance. The mother should have known better, instead of blaming Andie. This is not brought out in the story.

It was decent

[hypzrkunt · 7/10 · 31 July 2022]

In my top ten hallmark Christmas movies Ms Teagarden has two. The Christmas miracle on, forget the name, and my Christmas Family Tree. She is great onscreen. This one misses a beat( pun intended).

I watch the other two over n over but will wait awhile before I watch this one again. It wasn't ad it was just kidding something always there in her previous movies.

Very happy hallmark signed her to a longer deal. Her movies and acting are usually spot on.

This is an excellent well acted movie

[nancycwelch · 9/10 · 19 May 2022]

I too love Aimee Teagarden. Her facial expressions and her acting in general are very good. The surprise for me was that the whole cast were excellent. The story line breaks away from the traditional romance comedy sometimes silly Hallmark movies into a well written drama with true to life characters with very real and relatable emotions. There is romance, sadness, struggles and of course a happy ending. It will go down as one of my favorites from Hallmark. The other one that surprised me this year was Presence of Love with Eloise Mumford. Give them both a try.

Emotional

[Jackbv123 · 9/10 · 18 May 2022]

This is a powerfully emotional movie. It is not a romance movie. The story of the main couple is totally secondary to the main thread of the movie which is about a doctor who breaks several conventions, and ignores common sense self-protection.

I love Aimee Teagarden. This is the fourth Hallmark movie I've seen her in and they all touched me. I would love to see her in many more.

It's true that Doctor Andie does some stupid things in response to her guilt. It is because for her, being a doctor is not a job. It's a responsibility and an honor. And she loves her patients. Toward the end of the movie, a lawyer of all people says that we need more doctors like her. That is partly gratuitous and totally true.

Some of the issues in the movie, especially the legal ones, pushed buttons for me that made it impossible to sit through, so I used the FF button, but I did watch most of the climax and end.

Serious, superb adult drama about grappling with one's seemingly insurmountable lapses in judgement

[david-thor · 28 May 2022]

Like others, I'd watch any story with Aimee Teagarden ever since I first saw her in "Once Upon A Christmas Miracle", and she'd done some work that would never air on Hallmark, yet this movie was quite different from what I expected from the previews. This was almost pure drama, and the romance was incidental to the story. The overriding message is how one can be one's own worst critic, and potentially forfeiting a promising future over tragic lapses in judgements, and yet one can rise above that by being open and honest with those who care, and even with those who have every right to hate them, if only they are brave enough to rise to the challenge. At the time of this writing, Hallmark is barely airing this story at all, and that seems like such a bad idea.

So Frustrating

[skpn123 · 1/10 · 8 June 2022]

Portraying a 'great Dr' as a narcissistic, immature and non professional flake who does not have boundaries, seriously ignores both professional and legal advice - all to make herself feel better was beyond insulting to the profession and to the intelligence of the audience. Shame on you Hallmark!

One of the best movies ever! I watched it twice in a span of 2 days.

[eltonmenezes · 10/10 · 9 July 2022]

The acting by every single person was absolutely outstanding. Seriously hallmark really did great. It feels like a Hall of Fame movie.

I watched it twice with my family.

We watch non-hallmark and hallmark and this is just a spectacular.

Hallmark should make more productions like this.

Incredibly sad and a departure from the usual Hallmark film.

[cgvsluis · 4/10 · 24 May 2022]

This is the film about a cardiologist who makes an error in not telling her developmentally disabled patient not to drive and he gets into a car accident which results in his death. Our cardiologist blames herself and grieves, gets blamed by her patients mother, deals with the legal ramifications as well as the medical review board.

I wish I could rave about this film...the acting was good and the story was good, but when I come home from the hospital the last thing I want to see is a sad real life story. They may have wrapped it up nicely in a hallmark way at the end (although a little rushed) but the story was a little sad for escapist television.

Finally a Hallmark movie about real life

[patriciagliozzo · 9/10 · 15 July 2023]

I love the silly romances around the holidays fun to watch perfect in every way including all the snow and twinkle lights. It's always Hallmark time to set the stage for Christmas. But, this movie was different a real life drama that a huge part of the population deals with! A mother taking care of her disabled adult child, the trials of letting go, the humanity of a caring doctor. I throughly enjoyed each character and felt it was beautifully real. And a little sweet romance too.

I am so pleased I came upon this movie. I hope more people watch it. It will stay with me. The message was clear life isn't perfect, we all deal with challenges and it can be ok in the end.

Heart of the Matter

[allmoviesfan · 8/10 · 5 May 2023]

Well, colour me completely and absolutely surprised! A deep, complex Hallmark movie where romance isn't the main plot? What is going on!

What's going on is Aimee Teegarden - one of my favourites, right back to her Friday Night Lights days - playing the role of a doctor who is responsible for the death of her patient. The decisions she made and the fallout deeply affect her life and she faces further complications when she approaches the dead patient's mother (well played by Gail O'Grady of NYPD Blue fame - remember the Rangers-obsessed receptionist Donna Abandando?) to try and apologise, leading to disciplinary action.

Don't watch Heart of the Matter if you want the usual family-friendly, tropey Hallmark movie. This definitely isn't one of those...but it is one of the best Hallmark films ever made.

Most horrible Hallmark movie ever

[philc-44580 · 1/10 · 2 January 2023]

I created an account specifically to give this movie a review. No way the 9 star reviews are legit. Most infuriating, narcissistic, I know everything, ridiculously written character ever created by Hallmark. I feel terrible for Aimee Teagarden getting stuck with having to try and make this character redeemable. Impossible task. And this from someone who has watched A LOT of Hallmark movies. She never learned anything during this movie which makes sense for her character because she believes she doesn't need to listen to anyone else. As reflected by the fact she makes one bad decision after another despite the fact that everyone around her is giving her excellent advice.

Infuriating, frustrating, stupid and long

[aeszeki · 2/10 · 1 April 2023]

The premise was idiotic. In what world would something like this happen??! I don't know if a person who is visibly mentally challenged can get a driver's licence and what the criteria are. I don't mean to be insensitive but how can somebody have a license, who can't discern when it's OK to get behind the wheel and when it's not?! Such a person would be dangerous.

I can't imagine a cardiologist to be so naive and immature. It is a tough job and you can't afford to be so easily perturbed and do stupid things as a result. She is bound to lose patients throughout her career. Is she going to stop working and go into solitary every time? Is she going to track down the family to apologise?

The sick guy does have the intelligence to ask if he can walk but doesn't ask if he can drive, doesn't even mention it?!

The mother talks to her son when he gets sick, realises that this might be serious but doesn't think of telling him to get an ambulance and make sure he doesn't drive. She does know that he has a license. She knows more about the way he thinks, right? But no, why do that when she can blame the doctor for assuming that the patient isn't driving, for not knowing the criteria for a driver's licence and for not asking the guy if he has a license. Really?!

All these are examples of how far fetched this is.

Additionally, the lead actresses are whiny and unpleasant. The characters they played were unrealistic. The story and dialogue made me cringe and wish it was over, because you can see where it is going. I skipped through it to see if there were any surprising turns and it was still too long.

Don't waste your time.

Get Off the Cross...We Need the Wood

[edward-05254 · 5/10 · 18 May 2022]

Ridiculously frustrating. An exercise in self-indulgence. Ugh...what a ridiculous woman. Why does Hallmark consistently make their female characters so pathologically enfuriating. The omission committed by this doctor in question pales in comparison to the daisy chain of bad, hurtful decisions she proceeds to make, even harming a young boy, in her self-indulgence. Ugh. Pitty-pot time, anybody?

A very different story line.

[drbreakwell · 4/10 · 5 June 2022]

Although the story line is somewhat plausible story; however, how a person with a an intelectual disability, who is slow to react, received a driver's licence is way beyond comprehention. A doctor would have pulled his licence, but that alone may not have stopped him from driving. As such, his mother firstly should have told him not to drive. She was just as responsible. The hospital is not standing behind her at all, even her boss is not supporting her the way he should. Putting that story libe aside, the moral story has made Hallmark movie quality step up a couple of notches. Hopefully the rest of the Summer movies are much better. Thus movie us worth watching to the end just to see how the doctor can grow beyond her troubles.

OVERPLAYED

[jrhtarkus-1 · 3/10 · 12 June 2022]

Had a hard time getting through this because the main character spends the ENTIRE movie feeling sorry FOR HERSELF! Hard to believe someone who has gotten to this level of medicine is this delicate to difficult times. She acts like she stabbed the patient to death. ENOUGH!!!!

Another Predictable Hallmark movie

[tracy_sunley · 1/10 · 20 May 2022]

I remember when I would look forward to the new Hallmark Hall of Fame movies. The only reason I watch them now is bc my elderly mother likes them.

Same actors, same stories, recycled plots...