Watch My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To
- 2021
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6.0 (3,340)
My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To is a slow burn horror drama that premiered in 2020. The movie is written and directed by Jonathan Cuartas and stars Patrick Fugit, Ingrid Sophie Schram, and Owen Campbell. The movie is set in a small town and focuses on the dysfunctional Parker family. The Parkers are a strange and isolated family living in a rundown house on the outskirts of town. The family consists of the parents, Dwight (Fugit) and Karen (Schram), and their adult son, Thomas (Campbell). However, they are not an ordinary family; their lives revolve around keeping Thomas alive.
Thomas suffers from a mysterious and incurable disease that requires daily blood transfusions to keep him alive. The family cannot afford to pay for his treatments, so they resort to abducting people and using their blood for Thomas's transfusions. They also keep him confined to the house and away from any potential threats.
Dwight is the mastermind behind the family's dark secrets. He is a control freak who forces Karen and Thomas to do his bidding, no matter how gruesome it may be. Karen is a loving mother but is also complicit in the family's activities due to her love for her son. Thomas, meanwhile, is a lonely and sickly young man who yearns for nothing more than freedom.
The movie deals with themes of isolation, codependency, and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. As the movie progresses, the tension between the family members builds, and their facade of normalcy begins to crack.
My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To is a character-driven movie that does not rely on gore or jump scares to frighten its audience. Instead, it focuses on the psychological trauma of the Parkers and their desperate attempts to keep a dark secret hidden.
The movie features beautiful cinematography that captures the bleak and desolate landscape of the setting. The score by Ariel Marx adds to the movie's haunting atmosphere, amplifying the tension and sense of unease.
Patrick Fugit and Ingrid Sophie Schram give excellent performances as the tormented parents. Their characters are complex and layered, making their motivations and actions all the more interesting. Owen Campbell is also impressive as Thomas, capturing the character's fragility and desperation.
Overall, My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To is a slow-burning horror drama that audiences looking for something dark and thought-provoking will enjoy. Although the movie's pacing may be a turn-off for some, those who stick with it will be rewarded with a haunting and unforgettable experience.
My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To is a 2021 drama. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0 and a MetaScore of 70.