My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (2021)
78%RT Audience Score: 58%
Awards & Nominations: 8 wins & 7 nominations
Unsettling and compelling in equal measure, My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To casts a visually striking and thought-provoking spell.
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is the perfect movie for those who want to feel like they’re watching a horror movie without actually being scared. It’s a slow burn that explores the complexities of family relationships and the lengths people will go to for their loved ones. Plus, it’s got vampires! But don’t expect any Twilight-style romance here, this is a dark and moody film that will leave you thinking long after the credits roll. Definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for something a little different.
Production Company(ies)
Cosmopolitan Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
Dark Sky Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2021
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
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Runtime:1h 30m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 25, 2021 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 25, 2021
Genre(s)
Horror/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Patrick Fugit, Ingrid Sophie Schram, Owen Campbell, Moises L Tovar, Judah Bateman, Katie Preston, directed by Jonathan Cuartas, written by Jonathan Cuartas, horror, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Randy Myers, Richard Whittaker, Peter Sobczynski, Lena Wilson, Dennis Harvey, Meagan Navarro, Dolores Quintana, Audrey Fox, Scott Weinberg, Matt Brunson, Michelle Swope, produced by Jesse R Brown, Patrick Fugit, Anthony Pedone, Ian Peterson, Kenny Riches, MPAA rating, vampire, family, sacrifice, chronic illness, blood, secret, private, close-knit, visually striking, thought-provoking
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Ingrid Sophie Schram – Jessie
Owen Campbell – Thomas
Moises L. Tovar – Eduardo
Judah Bateman – Turner
Katie Preston – Pam
Director(s)
Jonathan Cuartas
Writer(s)
Jonathan Cuartas
Producer(s)
Jesse R. Brown, Patrick Fugit, Anthony Pedone, Ian Peterson, Kenny Riches
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (1)
Cuartas is an astonishing talent for horror connoisseurs who like their films classy and textured.
July 9, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Randy Myers
San Jose Mercury News
TOP CRITIC
In this rusted nowhere, options are truly limited, and writer/director Jonathan Cuartas leaves their story open-ended at the beginning.
June 25, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
A grimly fascinating low-fi debut from writer/director Jonathan Cuartas.
June 25, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Peter Sobczynski
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
This may be dark fodder for a family project, but the result is a visually striking meditation on obligation and complicity.
June 24, 2021
Lena Wilson
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
While “My Heart” could have used a more assertive ending than the director’s screenplay comes up with, its sad, furtive characters still linger in the mind well after the blood they’ve spilt has dried.
June 14, 2021
Dennis Harvey
Variety
TOP CRITIC
It’s an entire meditative, brooding feature that centers on the question of how far you would go in the name of family. Cuartas captures that in the form of personal sacrifice and ruination, in the most bittersweet and devastating way.
June 13, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Meagan Navarro
Bloody Disgusting
TOP CRITIC
The film as a whole is shot through with a sickness of the mind and the heart. It’s a corruption of the family unit that is sadly much more normal and widespread than you might think it is.
December 31, 2021
Dolores Quintana
Dolores Quintana
Cuartas has created a bold statement piece, reconfiguring the vampire mythos to explore the devastating ennui of burdensome, co-dependent relationships that stifle any hope of forwarding momentum.
August 21, 2021
Audrey Fox
We Live Entertainment
worth a look if, like me, you enjoy gloomy “drama” movies that use the horror genre in subtle, humanistic ways.
August 18, 2021
Scott Weinberg
Thrillist
It’s just the ticket for those who don’t always need their horror hardcore.
August 13, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Powerful performances from the entire cast and the captivating use of vampirism as a metaphor for chronic illness and the toll it takes on families make this a must-see horror movie.
July 13, 2021
Michelle Swope
Dread Central
The year’s best horror film.
July 13, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Charles Koplinski
Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam…
Plot
Dwight prowls the streets at night, searching for lonely and forlorn people who won’t be missed, in order to feed his fragile young brother Thomas. But each death takes a larger toll on Dwight, threatening to crack his spirit and burdening him with the weight of his crimes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Patrick Fugit, known for his role in Almost Famous.
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