Where the Heart Is

Play trailer

2:24

Where the Heart Is

PG-13

Released Apr 28, 2000

2h 0m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

35%

Tomatometer

98 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After Tennessee teen Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) is left literally barefoot and pregnant in a Wal-Mart parking lot by her no-good boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), she manages to live within the mammoth megastore until her baby's abrupt arrival makes her a media darling. After this, Good Samaritan nurse Lexie (Ashley Judd) takes in Novalee and her newborn daughter. Before long, Lexie and Novalee form a life-changing bond of friendship and sisterhood.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Poor script and messy plot undermines the decent cast.

Read Critics Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: F

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

A chick flick that's as yummy as eating bon-bons.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 29, 2010

Full Review

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Not possessing much in the way of a character arc, saints are boring to watch and impossible to act.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 25, 2003

Full Review

Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 2/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

Betsy Bozdech

Reel.com

Predictable, schmaltzy, and knock-you-over-the-head obvious in its attempts to be endearingly offbeat.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 1, 2006

Full Review

Frank Swietek

One Guy's Opinion

Rated: B

Jul 24, 2006

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jason M D

I for one love this movie it is very good the cast was good the story was good

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/23/24

Full Review

Allexius W

I love this movie 🥰

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/23/24

Full Review

Lizzie E

I was surpisingly impressed by this movie. It dives into the concept of found family, and that won me over.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/01/24

Full Review

Audience Member

I read the book before seeing the movie, I thought it was a good rendition of the book without many differences.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/24/24

Full Review

Sofia P

One of my favourite movies growing up. I know it's not a masterpiece, but I have loved Natalie Portman unconditionnally ever since. Call it imprinting.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/05/23

Full Review

Loreto Es. T

I saw a critic's review that the plot is messy. Listen, Honey, that's just the way life is — messy and full of surprises. You can't sanitize it like a clearly plotted hero's journey. Love the "messiness" of the plot. The one clear thread, though, when seeds of kindness are planted in the lives of people, their lives change in the most unexpected ways. In the end, LIFE (Love in Full Expression — thanks, Suzanne Giesemann, for this useful acronym) wins.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/28/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Matt Williams

Director

Natalie Portman

Novalee Nation

Ashley Judd

Lexie Coop

Stockard Channing

Thelma 'Sister' Husband

Joan Cusack

Ruth Meyers

James Frain

Forney Hall

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Anywhere but Here

63%

55%

Anywhere but Here

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Anywhere but Here

28 Days

33%

50%

28 Days

Watchlist

Practical Magic

26%

73%

Practical Magic

Watchlist

Home Fries

31%

34%

Home Fries

Watchlist

Pieces of April

84%

73%

Pieces of April

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Pieces of April

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Kidman & Black Sign On for Baumbach’s Next Movie

Jason Patric Proves Himself a "Walker"

Where the Heart Is: Trailer 1

2:24

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

After Tennessee teen Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) is left literally barefoot and pregnant in a Wal-Mart parking lot by her no-good boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), she manages to live within the mammoth megastore until her baby's abrupt arrival makes her a media darling. After this, Good Samaritan nurse Lexie (Ashley Judd) takes in Novalee and her newborn daughter. Before long, Lexie and Novalee form a life-changing bond of friendship and sisterhood.

Director: Matt Williams
Producer: Susan Cartsonis, Carmen Finestra, David McFadzean, Patricia Whitcher, Matt Williams
Screenwriter: Billie Letts, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Wind Dancer Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 28, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $33.8M
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, DTS, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now