sol1218
**SPOILERS** Bittersweet romantic comedy that takes place in Utah with love-struck civil servant Charles, John Heard, who gets stung by the love bug and almost ends up going out of his head because of it. Charles falls literally heads over heels in love with his fellow worker the just separated from her husband Ox (Mark Metcalf) Laura,Mary Beth Hunt.Catching Laura on the rebound from her breakup with her estranged husband Ox, who at 6 foot three and all muscles is an ox of a man, has Charles go completely bananas over her to the point where Laura agrees to share an apartment, as well as sleep, with him. As times goes by with Laura starting to get a bit tired of Charles' possessiveness and pandering to her she decides to leave him and go back to Ox and her stepdaughter, from Ox's previous marriage, nine year-old Rebecca, Algela Philips.It's then that Charles start to lose it with Laura out of his life and him now being pressured by his constantly threatening to kill herself mother Clara, Gloria Grahame, and unemployed live-in best friend Sam, Peter Reigert.It's Charles attempt to win Laura back that really drives him off the edge but in a harmless sort of way. Charles, together with Sam, goes so far as to used the excuse to see Laura that he goes to her home where she's living with Ox and Rebecca to have him, a carpenter, build Charles some wall panelings. It's then, to Ox's both shock and anger, that Charles risking getting his arms twisted out of place pledges his love for Laura who's, embarrassingly, there with him!As Charles' efforts to win over a very reluctant Laura goes nowhere he starts to turn nasty towards those at his job who try to be friendly towards him. Charles really turns off Betty, Nora Haflin, who he's been, without her knowledge, using as a go between himself and her best friend at the job who just happens to be Laura. It's out of hurt and frustration that Charles becomes down right nasty to Betty, who seemed to have fallen in love with him, in that she can't bring him and Laura back together. Charles also takes his frustration out at his very kind and accommodating boss Mr. Patterson, Jerry Hardin, who wants him to help his immature son get his head, and love life, on straight.As it turned out the person who could, and in the end did, help Charles out of his pressing problems with Laura is the blind man, Allen Joseph, who has a newspaper & candy stand in the lobby of the building that Charles works in. Always taking Allen for granted and at the same time spilling his heart out to him, about his love Laura, Charles gets the best advice about straightening out the mess that he's got himself into. And sure enough by the time the movie ends Charles finally acts on it. Charles finally gets over his obsession with Laura and at same time gets himself back to sanity.Lovely story about love and how it can drive one crazy if he, or she, can't-when it turns sour-let go of it. A very important lesson in life which took Charles almost the entire movie to figure out. ***SPOILERS*** Allen's advice did help but in the end it was Charles who had to take the first step, running what looked the hundred yard dash in less then 10 seconds, to finally have him get over his illogical and almost destructive, to himself and those close to him,love for Laura.P.S The novel "Chilly Scenes of Winter" whom the film "Heads Over Heels" is based on was written by Ann Beattie who has a cameo role in the movie as a waitress.
fertilecelluloid
Original title is "Chilly Scenes of Winter" and it's an appropriate one. Described by some (fancifully) as a romantic comedy, it is actually the uncomfortable story of a creep ( the excellent John Heard) who becomes obsessed with a married woman (Mary Beth Hurt). Hurt's reluctance to commit to Heard causes him to become unstable and angry. The film is a very real study of delusion, obsession, low self esteem, and the selfishness of love. In one unexpected scene, Heard and Hurt are having a heated discussion. He has upset her and she doesn't want him to be there. As she exits frame, he mumbles: "I want to rape you." After this, I decided that this is definitely not a romantic comedy. Did anybody who described it as such actually hear this line of dialog? The Heard character has mountains of anger and is close to sociopathic. Watching him embarrass himself and act inappropriately in his pursuit of Hurt's commitment makes for an uncomfortable viewing experience similar to Martin Scorses's "The King of Comedy". In the version I caught, Heard does not end up with Hurt. Lucky for her, I say. She dodged a bullet.
Fire-WalkWithMe
I couldn't find this anywhere to rent, so I bought it. I wasn't going to MAKE myself like it, just because of John Heard, but I actually turned out to love it. It took another watching to really like it though. It's not that exciting, it's laid back. The plot isn't really unique, but Heard does GREAT with the role. I think it's his best to date. The movie is cute, but serious at the same time. I'm now convinced, that if he was young today, he'd be as popular (should be more) than people like Tom Cruise. He had it all! Mary Beth Hurt was good in the other role, too. Well, good movie, it's not for everyone though. 8/10.
sullivanjoseph
I am a huge movie fan, and usually am a huge fan of John Heard, but this movie was one of the most depressing I've ever seen. Heard plays a semi-psychotic stalker type character that is extremely unnerving. They need to lock this up and throw away the key. I still think John Heard did a wonderful job of capturing the insanity and depression of the main character though.
