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Created Apr 24, 2011 09:08AM PST • Edited Apr 24, 2011 09:08AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   OK 2.5

   Based on a collection of Stephen King short stories, Hearts in Atlantis tells a tale of an older gentleman named Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) who moves into a house and befriends 11 year old Bobby (Anton Yelchin). Bobby is having a summer to remember, hanging out with his two best friends, including his first love Carol (Mika Boorem). Ted has special abilities, which he shares with Bobby, helping the young man overcome some demons in his life.

   Set in 1960, the movie has elements of a coming-of-age film, but never reaches the zenith of bonding we saw in other films, such as Stand by Me. It has elements of suspense, and a bit of a monster in Bobby’s mother (Hope Davis), a narcissitic woman who is more interested in her own follies than in spending any meaningful time with her son.

   In the end, we have a movie that can’t seem to decide what it wants to be. While it has elements of many genre’s, it fails to fulfill any of them beyond a cursory taste, leaving the viewer to want more than a buffet of Stephen King stories with no meaty main course. Stephen King fans would probably be frustrated because of the lack of continuity between his original stories, while the rest of us are just left somewhat confused.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

5. Male Stars Good 3.0

   Hopkins is good as the kindly old man who seems to have all the answers. His warm and soothing voice bolsters his image as a beacon of safety for the young man he befriends. Yelchin is ok in his role as Bobby, but never reaches an emotional depth or range we needed.

6. Female Stars Good 3.0

   Hope Davis is good as the Mom who is trying to ‘work her way up the corporate ladder’. Her unwillingness to spend time with her son is unnerving.

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

   Mika Boorem was a delight as the young love interest of Bobby. Her youthful energy and exuberance brought some much needed energy into the film.

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

10. Film

    OK 2.5

11. Direction OK 2.5

    Director Scott Hicks seems to have his hands full, trying to bring all the elements of multiple stories together into something that’s cohesive. He manages on some elements, but misses the mark on others.

12. Play OK 2.5

    Works at a decent pace, but it takes a while to understand everything that is going on.

13. Music Good 3.0

    Nice snippets of music from the late 50s and early 60s.

14. Visuals OK 2.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.0

17. Sex Titillating 2.4

    A young gril is molested, and a woman is raped. No nudity.

18. Violence Fierce 2.1

    People are beaten with a baseball bat.

19. Rudeness Polite 1.5

    PG-13 type swearing

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0