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America's Heart and Soul
Walt Disney Pictures


5.3

based on 24 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 13 votes
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Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG for mild thematic elements

A celebration of a nation told through the voices of its people. (Walt Disney Pictures)

GENRE(S):	Documentary
DIRECTED BY:	Louis Schwartzberg
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: February 1, 2005 Theatrical: July 2, 2004
RUNNING TIME:	88 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

Harbors some indelibly arresting images and characters whose stories, even at their most superficial, manage to be authentically inspiring.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

This is Disney at its live-action best and brightest.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

This is an undeniably gorgeous film, with tremendous sweep and a great feel for vast landscapes and glittering cityscapes. Schwartzberg has captured a sense of the country's grandeur.

USA Today Claudia Puig

An old-school documentary that is both non-controversial and uplifting, America's Heart & Soul could be subtitled the Anti-Fahrenheit 9/11.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

Schwartzberg sees the homegrown innovativeness and grit still standing beneath the glossy media version of the American personality.

The New York Times Dave Kehr

A feel-good documentary.

Variety Ronnie Scheib

Features 20-odd valiant souls treasuring their freedom and overcoming obstacles while skycams soar over purple mountains' majesty and an acrobatic pilot does loop-de-loops over fruited plains.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Its overall impact is soothing and reassuring without being overtly manipulative, propagandistic or flag-waving.

Entertainment Weekly Gregory Kirschling

The travelogue cinematography is often gorgeous, and the movie's folks, however hastily presented, are winning.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

A pumped-up, plotless montage of extraordinary landscapes, colorful wildlife, and interesting people performing feats of derring-do.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

There's no denying the beauty of Schwartzberg's landscapes, or the power in many of his chosen stories - from the Texas oil well fighters to the Boston father who helps his handicapped son win marathons.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Schwartzberg does stumble upon some pretty fascinating people.

Village Voice Laura Sinagra

When ditching the mawk to follow his daredevil muse, the director delivers stunning shots of cliff dancing and stunt pilotry.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

The film would make a better fit on television or at one of Disney's theme parks. In cinemas, Heart & Soul is an odd duck, out of sync with the current generation of documentarians whose films dig deep into stories and issues the media generally overlooks.

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

To call it a conservative or Republican film would be inaccurate: For one thing, it celebrates (gasp!) multiculturalism and diversity. For another, the closest it ever comes to expressing a political viewpoint is when a metal sculptor advocates more art education in schools.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

This is supposed to be a testament to the nation's diversity, but it's so complacent that you'd never imagine said diversity is one of the greatest social challenges of the new century.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Working within the limitations of the star rating system, I give four stars to the subjects of this movie, and two stars to the way they have been boiled down into cute pictures and sound bites.

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

If Schwarzberg had chosen to concentrate on eccentrics, rural artists or people like his New York bike messenger, female aerobatic champion and California cliff dancer, "Heart and Soul" would have been a much more interesting film.

TV Guide Ethan Alter

It's all beautifully photographed and Schwartzberg tries to capture the country's diversity despite notable omissions, as there always will be in any movie that attempts to "define" America.

LA Weekly Jon Strickland

Despite some exciting visuals...Schwartzberg intercuts his segments with clichéd swooping helicopter shots of city skylines and desert mesas...undermining the quirky individuality he seeks to celebrate.

San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer

Pretty and vague, the kind of film that might play on a loop at a county fair's Americana exhibit.

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

The real shame in the storytelling is that the people in this film are interesting and inspiring enough to warrant a real film about them.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

This shameless cheerleader of a documentary is the sort of propaganda you might expect in a Republican campaign ad or perhaps featured at a small theater located somewhere in Fantasyland.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Represents apple-pie mythmaking at its most insidiously thoughtless.

The average user rating for this movie is 5.3 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jocelyn S. gave it a 0:
This film is like a Bush campaign ad minus the Kerry bashing. The whole movie glosses up America with national parks and little untouched areas in the West and showing the stories of people who made it in America and shunning those who found misfortune. Avoid this ethnocentric sludge pile and go see Fahrenheit 9/11.

Bob D. gave it a 9:
The Onion is a cynical piece of tripe. The film IS inspiring. It's just that some of you have become so jaded by popular culture that you have forgotten (or never knew) what makes America great. A fine piece of film-making. It's a shame that Disney didn't stand behind it to give it the promotion it deserved. We need more inspiring films and media like this to counter the endless barrage of bad news and cynicism in this country.

John R gave it an 8:
No, The Onion got it wrong. Surprisingly, I agree with the Baltimore Sun's Sragow, who's reviews I usually find hard to finish. The treatment of the film's real subjects may be hasty, but unlike the artsy vignettes in Coffee and Cigarettes, you don't wish for the participants to die a painful death before their five minutes are up. My popcorn rose a bit during the soaring bald eagle symbolism, but that has to do with my distaste for ritualized BS. And I could have done without the Creede, CO crackpot, the cliff ballet, and the Indian spiritual nonesense. Peculiarities and all, this is the best movie I've seen this year.

Enkydu gave it a 10:
Excellent. It really makes you experience the diversity of this countrys citizens and appreciate the freedom that makes this diversity possible. Theres nothing flashy about the filmno catch or cool insight. Its just strait documentary filmmaking that allows people to tell their stories. Unless you're exceedingly cynical, youll be glad you went. Is it an important film...probably not. It's only getting bad reviews because some people equate positive view of America with Republican. I doubt most of the people portrayed in this film live lives greatly influenced by the President for better or worse.

Gilbertmulroneycakes gave it a 2:
Errol Morris would have made good stuff out of these people. They're all great. It's just that they're in a documentary with little purpose other than to chant "YOO ESS AY! YOO ESS AY!" over and over again into your head and brain. We get it. These people are interesting. Do something intelligent with them. Give them time to breathe. The other problem is that this smells vaguely Republican: "isn't America great with a Republican president!" - which wouldn't be a problem if it was upfront about it. If anyone actually does vote for George W Bush just on the basis of this movie, I'll kill them myself, with my bare hands.

Michael W. gave it a 10:
If you are cynical, if you are a Michael Moore fan and hate America like he does, then this film isn't for you. If you want to remember why our country ISN'T europe, if you want to remember why our country is unique and the best in the world, see this film. Bottom line, quit your whining, get up off the couch and chase your dreams. You can fulfill them in this country and it may be the ONLY place on earth where that is possible. Tired of the Moore half truths? I am and this film was the anadote.

Peter C. gave it a 0:
Oversimplistic tripe suitable only for people who equate mindless jingoism with patriotism. This is a movie that doesn't want to offend anyone, and ends up offending by its condescending shallowness.

America's Heart and Soul Walt Disney Pictures

America's Heart and Soul
Walt Disney Pictures