American Heart

Director: Martin Bell Martin Bell

Overview

"Jeff Bridges stars in the 1993 family drama American Heart, released on DVD from Artisan. The film is presented with a standard full-frame color transfer and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Sound. Closed captions are accessible. There are no subtitles or special features on this disc."

Product Details

Release Date:	02/18/2003
UPC:	0012236136156
Original Release:	1993
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[Dolby Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:54:00
Sales rank:	45,167

Special Features

Closed Caption;Full-screen version; 2.0 Dolby Stereo Surround; Scene index; Interactive menus; Digitally mastered

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jeff Bridges	Jack Kelson
Edward Furlong	Nick Kelson
Lucinda Jenney	Charlotte
Tracey Kapisky	Molly
Don Harvey	Rainey
Jayne Entwistle	Monique
Melvyn Hayward	Normandy
Kit McDonough	Landlady
Shareen Mitchell	Diane
Christian Frizzell	Rollie
Maggie Welsh	Freddie,Freddie
John Boylan	Janitor
Greg Sevigny	Young Jack
Willie Williams	Gospel Fireball
Roosevelt Franklin	Gospel Fireball
Wren Walker	Lis
Cristine McMurdo-Wallis	School Administrator
Charlotte London	Flo
Loyd Catlett	Vernon the Bartender
Marcus Chong	Terry Cosmos
Barbara Irvin	Nicole
Burke Pearson	Jack's Bum
Apollo Dukakis	Steve
Shareen J. Mitchell	Diane
Todd Jamieson	Suburban Father
Lucinda Jenny	Actor
James Newton Howard	Composer

Technical Credits

Peter Silverman

Martin Bell	Director
Peter Silverman	Screenwriter
Cecily Adams	Casting
Jeff Bridges	Producer
Cary Brokaw	Executive Producer,Producer
Rosilyn Heller	Producer
Bob Riggs	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

Not every documentary can spawn a successful feature, but then there is the case of director Martin Bell's Streetwise giving birth to his American Heart. Bell and his wife, photographer Mary Ellen Mark, collaborated on both films; it was her pictures of Seattle's street kids which inspired the documentary, and she and Bell wrote a screen story for writer Peter Silverman to fashion into a drama about a teen in danger of being lost to the streets. Jeff Bridges co-produced American Heart and anchored it with one of his strongest performances. His Jack Kelson is that familiar ex-con who's torn between going straight and falling prey to the lure of his former life. Kelson, with raggedy mustache, flowing hair, and a body sculpted by prison-yard workouts, is all swagger until he comes up against Nick, the son he barely knew. Edward Furlong and his clenched face exude alienation, and when he and Bridges square off, it's a showdown between two males who won't admit how badly they crave affection. Bell sees all of the down-and-out characters in this story with the same clear eye; they are neither colorfully eccentric nor pathetically damaged, just people trying to get by, often one day at a time.