American Heart (1992)

Review by Erin Walker

Jeff Bridges may be the American film actor with the most unseen great performances to his credit. Near the top of the list of Bridges's most overlooked films is this one. Bridges plays Jack, an ex-con fresh out of prison and back in Seattle, where he is joined by Nick (Edward Furlong), a teenage son he barely knows. Nick wants nothing more than to spend time with Jack, to feel like a family. But Jack can barely cope with the concept of holding a job and staying out of trouble; he can hardly take care of himself, let alone be responsible for a teenager. Streetwise and antisocial, the dad dreams of a new life in Alaska, taking his son with him through the dream. Yet the harsh despair of the streets, poverty, and society's underbelly tug against the two, struggling to have a life and learn who each other is.

This film is a perfect study on the barriers which society and economics put before an ex-offender in American society. I recommend this film for anyone looking for an intense story of a father and son by two actors that were perfectly cast in their roles.

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Trivia:

This was Edward Furlong's second movie, coming on the heels of 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day, in which he starred as the young John Connor. He's made 12 movies since (as of 7-7-00).

At least three key actors in this film have only this film on their resume: Greg Sevigny (Young Jack), Jayne Entwistle (Monique), and Roosevelt Franklin (one of The Gospel Fireballs). Wren Walker made only one movie after her debut as Lisa in American Heart (1994's The Beans of Egypt, Maine).

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