Director: Kerem Sanga
Writer: Kerem Sanga (Screenplay)
Starring: Jovan Adepo, Grace Van Patten, Lukas Haas, Mary J Blige, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Jahi Di’Allo Winston
Plot: Fifteen years after the murder of his older sister, Daniel finds himself falling for Cassie, a vivacious high school senior.
Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Violent Heart starts when a young Daniel sees his sister murdered, without the killer getting caught. 15-years-later Daniel (Adepo) is trying to find a place in his life after a prison sentence, wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps and joining the military.
When Daniel meets high school senior Cassie (Van Patten) the pair find themselves going on their own journey, as Daniel looks to fix his future, while Cassie starts to question her father’s integrity, leading to Daniel getting answers about what happened to his sister.
Thoughts on The Violent Heart
Thoughts – The Violent Heart is a mystery thriller that will see a young man looking to put his life back on track, while still living in the shadow of not knowing what happened to his sister. The Violent Heart will show how the lives of the people involved have changed, with not just Daniel living with the effects. The story will focus on mistakes made in life, ones that can haunt people for years, while never getting enough focus on why Daniel turned out the way he did through school. When it comes to the story, we could have had more if and buts, instead of just going for the big reveal in the final act. The performances in the film are great, with Jovan Adepo showing all the pain his character has been through and is facing because of his actions. Mary J Blige also shines, with the supporting role, which always needs to put on the brave face after what happened. The Violent Heart is a good little thriller, focusing more on the drama and consequences of a crime.
Final Thoughts – The Violent Heart is a drama highlighting the pain an unsolved crime causes a family.