The Dove Take: Swirling with emotion, confusion, and hope, Hearts Beat Loud captures the raw messiness of life as a father and daughter connect and heal through music.
Hearts Beat Loud doesn’t shy away from how complicated life can be for a dad and daughter. Frank Fischer (Nick Offerman) is a nostalgic widower and owner of a failing record shop. He adores his daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons), who has big dreams of going to medical school. The two find joy in playing music together—one of the only interests they still have in common. When a song the pair records on a whim becomes a hit, they have a choice to make—a hard choice between two good things.
Frank and Sam discover a deep and beautiful connection as they share original songs with one another. Sam’s songs tell of confusion, love, grief, revealing a hole in her heart that she is desperately trying to fill. Frank’s songs reveal his insecurities as a father and give a peek into the conflicted soul of a sacrificial and cheerful dad. These songs tap into an undercurrent of pain and internal struggle that is covered by a facade of “everything’s okay.” Sam and Frank begin to see each other in a different light, bringing tears to the audience’s eyes.
Due to the mature themes of identity, grief, and sexuality (Sam’s search for fulfillment involves sexual confusion that manifests as lesbianism), Hearts Beat Loud is not Dove Approved. Still, this film is impactful and thought-provoking. It shows the importance of protecting the connection you have with those you love most, emphasizes how critical identity is, and how desperate life becomes without hope. Faith: 0 Integrity: 4 Emphasizes close family bonds, healthy grieving, and pursuit of dreams Language: 2 D–n, ass, d–k-head, and others Sex: 4 Sam (a girl) is in a romantic relationship with another girl. Numerous scenes of them kissing. Other characters kiss. A brothel is mentioned. Nudity: 0 none Violence: 0 none Drugs: 2 Smoking, drinking, and discussion of marijuana use Other: 0 none
