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Act of the Heart

Play trailer Poster for Act of the Heart PG 1970 1h 43m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Zealously devout Christian Martha (Geneviève Bujold) arrives in Montreal to assist widowed mother Johane (Monique Leyrac) with the care of her ailing young son, Russell (William Mitchell). Martha lives with a monastic simplicity, spending her free time singing with a church choir, despite being surrounded by wealthy people. Life becomes more interesting when she develops a crush on handsome priest Ferrier (Donald Sutherland) -- but a spiritual crisis pushes her to make a dangerous confession.

Critics Reviews

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Mark Goodman TIME Magazine Actress Bujold is incontestably a beguiling martyr, alternatingly childlike and womanly. But the force of her radiance is blunted by the conventionality of her role. Jan 31, 2011 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times There is no grand tragic logic in The Act of the Heart. When I left the theater I simply felt that I'd seen a terrible accident. Rated: 2/5 Jan 31, 2011 Full Review Film4 Staff Film4 While the story is scrappy, leading to a hugely disappointing denouement, the central message is conveyed through some superb acting. Jan 31, 2011 Full Review TV Guide This is a bleak, mundane story which nevertheless stays in the mind, and which ends on a note of high drama. Rated: 2/4 Jan 31, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Very unusual and different movie, Sutherland and Bujold make what could be an ordinary story memorable. I suppose at the time I had not seen a movie where somebody was so self-conflicted. The end was totally unexpected and shocking. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Act of the Heart

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Act of the Heart

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Movie Info

Synopsis Zealously devout Christian Martha (Geneviève Bujold) arrives in Montreal to assist widowed mother Johane (Monique Leyrac) with the care of her ailing young son, Russell (William Mitchell). Martha lives with a monastic simplicity, spending her free time singing with a church choir, despite being surrounded by wealthy people. Life becomes more interesting when she develops a crush on handsome priest Ferrier (Donald Sutherland) -- but a spiritual crisis pushes her to make a dangerous confession.
Director
Paul Almond
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 43m