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Clara's Heart

PG-13 Released Oct 7, 1988 1h 48m Comedy Drama List
47% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
After her baby daughter dies, Leona Hart (Kathleen Quinlan) goes to Jamaica to mourn. She meets no-nonsense housekeeper Clara (Whoopi Goldberg) and brings her back to Baltimore to look after her son, David (Neil Patrick Harris). As Leona and husband, Bill (Michael Ontkean), grow apart and divorce, Clara and David become closer. Clara helps draw troubled David out of his shell, bringing him into the local reggae scene. As they bond, Clara gains the courage to confront her troubled past.
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Clara's Heart

Critics Reviews

View All (17) Critics Reviews
Peter Travers People Magazine Clara's Heart is just awful. Jul 16, 2020 Full Review Sheila Benson Los Angeles Times The surprises may not come quite often enough for some, but at all times there is Goldberg's glowing performance to keep us fascinated, or a nice salty bit of humor, or a great little character riff by Harris that's completely endearing. Jul 16, 2020 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Buoyed by a beautifully measured star turn by Whoopi Goldberg and a smashing screen debut for young Neil Patrick Harris, Clara's Dream is a powerful, unabashedly sentimental drama. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Herb Boyd The Crisis Boredom is the thing you'll have to endure if you follow Clara's Heart to its almost teary conclusion. Nov 14, 2023 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy The darker and far-flung aspects of the story are icky and unnecessary. But the relationship between Clara and David is beautifully delineated. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 22, 2020 Full Review Robin Karney Radio Times Goldberg is on top form, doing her Jamaican accent shtick. Rated: 3/5 Jul 16, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (38) audience reviews
Jeff M Director Robert Mulligan has the distinction of being the only director to have a film on my TOP FIVE of all time and a film on my BOTTOM FIVE of all time. It baffles me that the same man who made TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is responsible for this utter sanctimonious nonsense. From its treacly piano score to it's stilted dialogue and performances to its "shocking" revelations that make your average Lifetime movie seem subtle by comparison, this is an absolute mess and is solely responsible for making me hate Neil Patrick Harris for the first half of his career. There's not a genuine moment in its entire running time, and I'm sure this is tucked away toward the bottom of the resumes of everyone involved. Oi vey! Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Audience Member Of all the movies I've ever seen over the course of five decades, this was THE. ABSOLUTE. WORST. OF. THEM. ALL. It was predicable while trying to be emotionally manipulative, and I utterly hated it. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review steve d Incompetent besides the performances. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Heartwarming and memorable. Very underrated. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member A very touching, moving story about relationships. Some relationships in this movie are healthy; some are verging on divorce. either ay, Neil Patrick Harris' first movie role is one he will be defined by, and he surely set the bar high for himself. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member No explosions, no guns, no nudity, and they didn't even swear.....A simple, wonderful story Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Clara's Heart

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Cast & Crew

Men Don't Leave 83% 62% Men Don't Leave Immediate Family 54% 55% Immediate Family Mermaids 72% 70% Mermaids Parenthood 92% 76% Parenthood Hannah and Her Sisters 91% 90% Hannah and Her Sisters TRAILER for Hannah and Her Sisters Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis After her baby daughter dies, Leona Hart (Kathleen Quinlan) goes to Jamaica to mourn. She meets no-nonsense housekeeper Clara (Whoopi Goldberg) and brings her back to Baltimore to look after her son, David (Neil Patrick Harris). As Leona and husband, Bill (Michael Ontkean), grow apart and divorce, Clara and David become closer. Clara helps draw troubled David out of his shell, bringing him into the local reggae scene. As they bond, Clara gains the courage to confront her troubled past.
Director
Robert Mulligan
Producer
Martin Elfand
Screenwriter
Mark Medoff
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, MTM Enterprises
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 7, 1988, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.5M
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Surround
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