A Stranger's Heart

Rating NR Formats DVD Genre drama Starring Samantha Mathis, Peter Dobson Directed by Andy Wolk Publisher Genius Products Inc External Links Official Stranger's Heart Website

“A Stranger’s Heart” invites you through a touching journey of tragedy, romance and the struggle to fill that empty space in one’s soul with something (or someone) meaningful. Callie, Samantha Mathis, faces a life-threatening illness in conjunction with the dark, lonely life she has lead since childhood. As Callie is admitted into the hospital for her wait for a new heart, she’s forced into a new community where she doesn’t quite fit in.

The other patients use practical jokes and laughter as a means of coping. When Callie’s roommate shows off her IV decorated with angel’s wings and a halo, I couldn’t help but be haunted by the image. These patients really don’t have control of what’s happening to their bodies, so the IV looms over like a guardian angel. The peculiar music in the background of the hospital scenes in addition to the hospital gowns and sick people actually made me feel like I was there. I never get that feeling from watching Grey’s Anatomy (because I’m usually caught up in the scandals of Meredith and McDreamy), but as I was watching this I could smell the antiseptic and death…mmm!

If I were the other actors, I would have certainly wanted Peter Dobson’s (Jasper) hair and makeup guy. While all of the characters appeared to actually be living in a hospital with pasty sallow faces, thinning hair, raspy voices and fearfully weary eyes, Dobson looked like he was always ready for a party rather than withering his days away waiting for a donor. Anyway, Callie cannot seem to understand why everyone is laughing all the time. Callie particularly has issues with Jasper the practical jokester of the group. She finds his inflatable wife, Lila, inappropriate, but all he wants to do is make her laugh.

There is a change in tone after Jasper and Callie undergo surgery and receive hearts. The once eerie, haunting background music progresses to a jaunty tone as the two make progress in their recovery. As Jasper and Callie grow closer, she can’t help but to cling to the loneliness she has grown so accustomed to feeling. Something stronger than physical attraction brings these two together, and you can’t help but cheer on Callie as her new heart brings her courage.

I have to admit I found myself verklempt during various parts of the movie. But it wasn’t the sort of choked up you feel in “Love Story” where days later you’re beating yourself up for ever watching such a heartrending movie. Rather, I found myself emotional in a hopeful, inspirational way. The ending happened a little too quickly for me, as an unexpected ‘change of heart’ occurs (pardon the cheesy pun).

This Hallmark Original movie has not reinvented the wheel with the plotline; organ donations and transplant stories filled with unexplained feelings have been done before. Nevertheless I felt the relationships and characters were extremely engaging and believable, which is what kept me connected to the plot. This movie is appropriate for the people the Hallmark programs are targeted towards. So grab your mom and a box of tissues while you let “A Stranger’s Heart” fill you with its somewhat predictable, yet perfectly sappy inspirational story.