Desert Hearts

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Desert Hearts

R

1985

1h 36m

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

92 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A New York professor (Helen Shaver) divorces her husband and has an affair with another woman (Patricia Charbonneau) in 1959 Reno.

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Sight & Sound Staff

Sight & Sound

The film deftly explores tensions in the traditional family, and in heterosexual relationships: life, it suggests, is full of positive alternatives, platonic, romantic and sexual.

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

The movie is all for risk, in the name of attraction; for all its love of risk, it is a remarkably old-fashioned, cliché-ridden work.

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

Mike Clark

USA Today

A monotonous comedy-drama, though the setting is a plus.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

Steve Warren

Bay Area Reporter

If you’ve been thirsting for a good lesbian love story, Desert Hearts is a real oasis. It may just reach in and put a string of lights around (your) heart.

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

David-Elijah Nahmod

Bay Area Reporter

[Deitch] has made a simple coming-out-of-the closet story, and has laced it with wit, humor, and intelligence.

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Donna Deitch's Desert Hearts was a rare thing in 1985 and, sadly, still a rare thing in 2017; it's a grown-up drama about two flawed, intelligent women who fall in love, and maybe get to be happy in the end.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 36 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $2,500,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

Sarah G

Really wanted to like this one, but boy did it ever drag.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Stumbled across this movie when I was fifteen, fell deeply in love with it and craved a romance depicted in it. Years and Years later; still in deep love with it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/27/24

Full Review

Daniele R

One of my favorite movies of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/15/24

Full Review

Debra B

Loved it. Haven't seen this movie since the 80s and it really holds up.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/23

Full Review

PridePosterStudios

Let’s clear something up: calling Desert Hearts the lesbian Brokeback Mountain is an INSULT to this beautiful film. Thank you.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

Full Review

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Donna Deitch

Director

Helen Shaver

Vivian Bell

Patricia Charbonneau

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Synopsis

A New York professor (Helen Shaver) divorces her husband and has an affair with another woman (Patricia Charbonneau) in 1959 Reno.

Director: Donna Deitch
Producer: Donna Deitch
Screenwriter: Natalie Cooper
Production Co: The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Rating: R
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 16, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.5M
Runtime: 1h 36m

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