This article is about the 2000 film. For other uses, see Where the Heart Is. Show
Where the Heart Is is a 2000 American romantic drama film directed by Matt Williams and starring Natalie Portman, Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, and Joan Cusack with supporting roles done by James Frain, Dylan Bruno, Keith David, and Sally Field. The screenplay, written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, is based on the best-selling 1995 novel of the same name by Billie Letts. The film follows five years in the life of Novalee Nation, a pregnant 17-year-old, who is abandoned by her boyfriend at a Walmart in a small Oklahoma town. She secretly moves into the store, where she eventually gives birth to her baby, which attracts media attention. With the help of friends, she makes a new life for herself in the town. Plot[edit]17-year-old and seven-months-pregnant Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) and her boyfriend Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno) are moving from Tennessee to California. Willy Jack abandons Novalee at the local Walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, when she uses the restroom and buys new shoes. There, she meets Thelma "Sister" Husband (Stockard Channing) who presents her with a buckeye tree, and Moses Whitecotton (Keith David), a local photographer who advises her to give her baby a strong name. A sickly and homeless Novalee is forced to live in the Walmart undetected. Novalee also becomes acquainted with surly librarian Forney Hull (James Frain) who cares for his alcoholic sister Mary Elizabeth (Margaret Hoard). During a thunderstorm, Novalee, alone at the Walmart, goes into labor. Forney, who had followed Novalee to the Walmart, smashes through the Walmart window to help deliver her child, whom she names Americus. Novalee instantly becomes a media darling, and while in the hospital, is befriended by Nurse Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd). Her estranged mother, Mama Lil (Sally Field), whom Novalee has not seen in over 12 years, visits her after seeing her on television but disappears with the money donated by well-wishers. Sister Husband arrives and offers to take in Novalee and Americus. While Christmas tree shopping with Forney, Novalee is reminded that it is Americus' five-month birthday. Realizing this, Novalee races to Sister's house to find that Americus has been kidnapped. A couple (Mark Vogues and Angee Hughes) from Midnight, Mississippi, who had previously written an ugly letter to Novalee saying that Americus was an abomination because she was born out of wedlock, kidnapped Americus and left her at the church in the nativity scene. Three years pass and Novalee, with Moses' help, learns to be a photographer. After a spell in prison and traveling to Nashville, Willy Jack becomes a one-hit-wonder after a slow start with "Beat of a Heart," a song he wrote in jail, collaborating with cranky music agent Ruth Meyers (Joan Cusack) who gives him a makeover and the stage name "Billy Shadow." When a tornado blows through Sequoyah, Sister Husband is killed. In her memory, Novalee shoots a picture of Americus and the still-standing buckeye tree amidst the damage from the storm. After the funeral, Novalee finds out that she is the beneficiary of Sister's estate, totaling around $41,000. Novalee builds a new home for herself and Americus on Sister's land. At first Novalee is reluctant, believing Sister Husband's companion Mr. Sprock is entitled to the estate, until he assures her he is only interested in the kitchen table. Novalee arrives in Las Vegas, Nevada, to accept an award for a photo contest she has won, narrowly missing Willy Jack who happens to be in the same hotel (They cross paths but he does not recognize her). As Willy Jack sneaks a groupie into his hotel room, Ruth breaks in to inform him that his old cellmate Tommy Reynolds has filed a lawsuit, claiming that he, not Willy, wrote "Beat of a Heart". Willy Jack tries to explain to Ruth that he really did write the song and got beaten up by Tommy for it, but Ruth does not believe him and she drops him as a client. Willy Jack follows Ruth to the elevator, begging her not to leave him, nearly flirts with her, then she punches him in the face just before the elevator door closes. Upon her return to Sequoyah, Novalee discovers Lexie has been attacked by a new love interest who molested her two eldest children, nearly beating her to death as she attempted to protect them. Lexie's injuries hinder her nursing job, and she and her children have to move in with Novalee and Americus. Lexie breaks down, feeling guilty and angry, tearfully regretting her choice in men. Forney's sister, Mary Elizabeth, later passes away. When Forney does not appear at the funeral, Novalee finds him in a hotel and comforts him. They act on the feelings they have denied for so long and spend the night together. Forney confesses his love for her, but Novalee confides in Lexie that she has never considered herself good enough for Forney and is confused about her feelings for him. Her continued feelings of unworthiness become overwhelming when he says that he intends to stay with her rather than resume his studies at Bowdoin College in Maine. Believing that his life would be a dead end with her in Sequoyah, Novalee struggles to lie to Forney, saying that she does not love him. Heartbroken and rejected by Novalee, Forney returns to Bowdoin. Novalee learns that Lexie is seeing Ernie (Bob Coonrod), an exterminator who does not possess the physical attributes that have attracted her interest in the past, but she falls in love with him after learning that he gave his ex-wife his restored 1967 Chevy Camaro in exchange for custody of his stepdaughter, whom he adopted as his own. The couple marry, and Lexie tells Novalee that she's pregnant. Severely depressed at his ruined career following the lawsuit, Willy Jack becomes a depressed alcoholic while driving across the country with a woman. He wanders off drunk and collapses on a railroad track where he is unable to move as a train approaches. On Americus' fifth birthday, Novalee picks up a newspaper and sees an article about Willy Jack having lost his legs four months earlier and recently being robbed of his wheelchair. Novalee visits Willy Jack in the hospital and he confesses that his whole life would've been different if he had not abandoned her. She sees how Willy Jack is a changed man and is able to finally forgive and let go of him, but warns him to never contact Americus. After driving Willy Jack home in Tennessee upon his release from the hospital, Novalee realizes that her lies are similar mistakes with Forney. She then drives to Maine to find Forney at Bowdoin. Novalee tells him that she really does love him and they return to Oklahoma and marry. Lexie is seen carrying her new baby, her first with Ernie. The final scene is of their wedding, which takes place in the Walmart. Cast[edit]
Jim Beaver had a part in the film as Clawhammer, but his scene was deleted. Differences between novel and film[edit]
Music[edit]Original music for the film was produced by Mason Daring. A soundtrack of the original music was released by RCA Records, as well as a music compilation soundtrack featuring songs used in the film by artists such as Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Martina McBride, and John Hiatt. The song "That's the Beat of a Heart" was performed by The Warren Brothers and Sara Evans. A music video was made for the song, which is included as a bonus extra on the DVD release, and features a number of scenes from the film. Reception[edit]Critical response[edit]The film received mostly negative reviews. Metacritic gives it a score of 30% based on reviews from 28 critics.[1] Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 35% approval rating, based on reviews from 97 critics, with the sites consensus stating that the film's "poor script and messy plot undermines the decent cast."[2] Box office[edit]The film opened in theaters in the United States on April 28, 2000. Where the Heart Is accumulated (USD)$8,292,939 in its opening weekend, opening at number 4. The film went on to make $33,772,838 at the North American box office, and an additional $7,090,880 internationally for a worldwide total of $40,863,718.[3] References[edit]
External links[edit]
Was Where the Heart Is filmed in a real Walmart?The Walmart used for this movie was in Lockhart, Texas.
Where was Where the Heart Is filmed movie?The series was filmed in the Colne valley of West Yorkshire, mainly in the villages of Marsden and Slaithwaite, and the town of Meltham. The production team would also use Huddersfield Town Hall as an occasional filming location.
Was Where the Heart Is based on a true story?To the film's credit, it's based on a book of the same name (that was an Oprah book club pick) by Billie Letts, who is said to have based her book on the story of a woman who gave birth in a Costco. So all that melodrama is inspired by actual events, but it didn't impress critics.
How long did Novalee live in Walmart?Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman), a pregnant teen, goes on the road with her dreamer boyfriend, Willie Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), who abandons her in a Walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma. Left alone with virtually no money, she hides out in the store for six weeks until her baby, Americus (Mackenzie Fitzgerald), is born.
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