Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie (1998) (aka: Don't Die My Love) Beth Broderick, Scott Vickaryous, Katie Gratson, Malcolm Stewart Movie Review

Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie (1998)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Scott Vickaryous and Katie Gratson in Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie (1998) (aka: Don't Die My Love)

Walking on Alone

Julie Ellis (Katie Gratson) and Luke Muldenhower (Scott Vickaryous) are teenagers head over heals in love which doesn't go down too well with Julie's mum Patricia (Beth Broderick) as she wants the best for Julie and that means going to an Ivy league college which Luke won't be able to get in to on a sports scholarship. But college becomes less important when after a couple of fainting spells Luke visits his doctor and it is discovered that he has cancer. A tough young man Luke goes through treatment and all is looking good for a while until he collapses and they discover the cancer is back and this time there is no cure and Luke as well as those around him are going to have to face the fact he is dying.

When you are grown up watching someone you know die is hard enough but as a teen dealing with your high school love dying must be shattering and even worse if you have parents who have forgotten what it is like to be a teenager in love. That is what the heart of "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" is all about, about two teens who are head over heals in love and who should be enjoying life but having to deal with the fact one of them is dying and there is nothing that they can do to prevent it.

Katie Gratson in Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie (1998) (aka: Don't Die My Love)

It makes "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" an interesting and moving story as first we see how Luke deals with cancer and the fact he is dying and how people feeling sorry for him makes things a whole lot worse causing to push those closest to him away. But that in turns leads to him understanding that for those closest to him especially Julie need to do this to make it right for her. There are more of these elements and they also include the relationship which Julie has with her own mother when it comes to understanding what Julie and Luke had.

Now I could go on and discuss the various positives because there are many in "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" which all in all is a touching movie for some right reasons. But "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" is also a melodrama which is just as much about the romance between Julie and Luke with scenes which turn an emotional drama into something close to being cheesy. The dialogue has that crafted unnatural feel to it and sometimes, often at the worst times, the delivery of it ends up forced with people saying things which in real life they don't say.

This sense of "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" being a romantic melodrama is backed up by the actors because they all look too good. From Scott Vickaryous looking like one of the healthiest cancer patients going through chemo you will ever see to Katie Gratson (Harrod) who has the most killer eyes. In fairness if you watched this because someone told you it was a romantic melodrama with a hint of the Nicholas Sparks about it the actors look is spot on, but end up a bit wrong for those who are sold on this being a drama which touches on cancer.

What this all boils down to is that "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" when approached as a melodrama works and I am sure those who enjoy the movies based on Nicholas Sparks novels will enjoy this. But for those who come to "Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie" due to the cancer storyline may find the melodrama off putting.


LATEST REVIEWS