Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

35% Tomatometer 98 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings

After Tennessee teen Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) is left literally barefoot and pregnant in a Wal-Mart parking lot by her no-good boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), she manages to live within the mammoth megastore until her baby's abrupt arrival makes her a media darling. After this, Good Samaritan nurse Lexie (Ashley Judd) takes in Novalee and her newborn daughter. Before long, Lexie and Novalee form a life-changing bond of friendship and sisterhood.

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Critics Consensus

Poor script and messy plot undermines the decent cast.

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Critics Reviews

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Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: F Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Nell Minow Common Sense Media A chick flick that's as yummy as eating bon-bons. Rated: 3/5 Dec 29, 2010 Full Review Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Rick Groen Globe and Mail Not possessing much in the way of a character arc, saints are boring to watch and impossible to act. Rated: 2/4 Apr 25, 2003 Full Review Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review Rated: 2/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Betsy Bozdech Reel.com Predictable, schmaltzy, and knock-you-over-the-head obvious in its attempts to be endearingly offbeat. Rated: 2/4 Sep 1, 2006 Full Review Where the Heart Is | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Frank Swietek One Guy's Opinion Rated: B Jul 24, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jason M D I for one love this movie it is very good the cast was good the story was good Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Allexius W I love this movie 🥰 Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Lizzie E I was surpisingly impressed by this movie. It dives into the concept of found family, and that won me over. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/01/24 Full Review Audience Member I read the book before seeing the movie, I thought it was a good rendition of the book without many differences. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/24/24 Full Review Sofia P One of my favourite movies growing up.I know it's not a masterpiece, but I have loved Natalie Portman unconditionnally ever since.Call it imprinting. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/05/23 Full Review Loreto Es. T I saw a critic's review that the plot is messy. Listen, Honey, that's just the way life is — messy and full of surprises. You can't sanitize it like a clearly plotted hero's journey. Love the "messiness" of the plot. The one clear thread, though, when seeds of kindness are planted in the lives of people, their lives change in the most unexpected ways. In the end, LIFE (Love in Full Expression — thanks, Suzanne Giesemann, for this useful acronym) wins. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Matt Williams Director Natalie Portman Novalee Nation Ashley Judd Lexie Coop Stockard Channing Thelma 'Sister' Husband Joan Cusack Ruth Meyers James Frain Forney Hall
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Where the Heart Is

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Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is (2000) Where the Heart Is (2000) Natalie Portman and Stockard Channing in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Natalie Portman and James Frain in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman and James Frain in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Dylan Bruno is Novalee's boyfriend Willy Jack, who ditches her to embark on an ill-fated music career, in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Stockard Channing is Sister, a one-woman welcoming committee, in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Novalee (Natalie Portman) ponders her future with her new baby in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd in 20th Century Fox's Where The Heart Is View more photos

Synopsis After Tennessee teen Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman) is left literally barefoot and pregnant in a Wal-Mart parking lot by her no-good boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), she manages to live within the mammoth megastore until her baby's abrupt arrival makes her a media darling. After this, Good Samaritan nurse Lexie (Ashley Judd) takes in Novalee and her newborn daughter. Before long, Lexie and Novalee form a life-changing bond of friendship and sisterhood.

Director
Matt Williams

Producer
Susan Cartsonis, Carmen Finestra, David McFadzean, Patricia Whitcher, Matt Williams

Screenwriter
Billie Letts, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel

Distributor
20th Century Fox

Production Co
Wind Dancer Productions

Rating
PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language|Thematic Elements)

Genre
Comedy, Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 28, 2000, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 25, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA)
$33.8M

Runtime
2h 0m

Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, DTS, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR

Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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