Fans of The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption will feel a similar affection for Hearts in Atlantis, a Stephen King adaptation that again finds the horror writer in more mainstream waters, with a bit of dabbling in the supernatural. When mysterious out-of-towner Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) moves into the boarding house that 11-year-old Bobby Garfield (Anton Yelchin) shares with his self-involved mother (Hope Davis), Bobby jumps at the chance to befriend an adult who talks to him straightforwardly. Ted enlists Bobby to read him the newspaper daily--and to keep an eye out for the "low men" bent on capturing Ted, who possesses a strange mind-reading power. Hopkins is in fine form, ably matched by the phenomenal young Yelchin, but director Scott Hicks (Shine) more often than not flattens out the dramatic arcs of the story, despite all the intriguing turns the film takes. Thankfully, though, the schmaltz factor is kept to a minimum, making Hearts in Atlantis a heartfelt coming-of-age drama. --Mark Englehart
Directed by: Scott Hicks Written by: William Goldman Produced by: Michael Flynn, Kerry Heysen, and Jodi Zuckerman Original music by: James Newton Howard
Cast: Anthony Hopkins .... Ted Brautigan Anton Yelchin .... Bobby Garfield Mika Boorem .... Carol Age 10 David Morse Will Rothhaar .... Sully Age 11 Dierdre O'Connell .... Mrs. Gerber rest of cast listed alphabetically Rachel Brewer .... Smooth Operator Hope Davis .... Elizabeth Garfield Eric Eggen .... Coast Guardsman at Carnival Bourke Floyd .... Lowman Kathie France .... Rider at Carnival Sara Hamilton .... Hot Dog Vendor at Carnival Jim Hild .... Lowman Wes Johnson (I) .... Sports Announcer Kristina Lash .... Carousel Rider at Carnival Steve Little .... Lowman Timothy Reifsnyder .... Harry Doolin David Rivitz .... Shady Vendor Joseph M. West Jr. .... Checkers player (uncredited)
