Untamed Heart *** (1993, Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei, Rosie Perez, Kyle Secor, Willie Garson) – Classic Movie Review 4866

Co-producer/ director Tony Bill’s 1993 romantic tearjerker is an agreeably warm-hearted if vacuously entertaining love story for the Nineties. Marisa Tomei plays – delightfully – the clichéd role of a spunky but spurned waitress from Minneapolis. Sweet Caroline is unlucky in love, the very kind of young woman men just want to love and then leave.

One night she is followed home after her café closes by a couple of louts, who set about trying to rape her in a park, when nice Adam (Christian Slater) appears and beats off the bad guys. The pair fall blissfully in love, but unfortunately it turns out that Slater’s Adam has a dicky ticker, a diseased heart.

Tom Sierchio’s screenplay and Tony Bill’s direction are nervous at the big moments and the disappointingly trivial romantic story lets down a couple of pleasing, hardworking stars. However, before the frankly ridiculous dénouement, there are some real pleasures to be found along the way.

It is certainly worth while for the untamed, hearty playing of Tomei and for Slater, who gives her appealing, loyal support. Vincent Kartheiser appears in his debut, aged 14, as an orphan boy.

Also in the cast are Rosie Perez, Kyle Secor, Willie Garson, James Cada, Garry Grooms, Claudia Wilkens, Pat Clemons, Lotis Key, Vanessa Hart, Charley Bartlett, Wendy Feder, Nancy Marvy, Paul Douglas Law, Joshua Schaefer, Marquetta Senters, Joe Minjares, Joe Schmit and John Beesley.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 4866

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