Release Date: February 5th, 2008
Running Time: 85 minutes

The Film

If a film premiere on the Hallmark Channel you know what you are in for: a film so sweet and contrived it will rot your teeth out. OK, that’s a bit harsh, but convenient plots and ultra-happy endings aren’t exactly representations of the real world. A Stranger’s Heart is certainly uplifting enough but the implausibility and at times inappropriate nature of the story will leave you wondering how to feel about the whole experience.

The film stars talented actress Samanta Mathis as Callie Morgan, a woman with a sad past that has led her to become emotionally isolated. To tug on your heartstrings (pun absolutely intended) a little more, she has a bad heart to match her grim persona. While in the hospital awaiting a transplant she finds herself in a group of incredibly positive patients, including a sly hunk named Jasper (Peter Dobson) that she cannot stand. Eventually Callie and Jasper are both lucky enough to get heart transplants.

This is where is turns unrealistic and strange. Against the advice of her doctor, Callie researches her donor and it turns out she received her heart from a woman who died with her husband in a car crash. A little girl survives her parents, and guess what, she lives in Callie’s town! To make things even stranger, Callie starts to hang around her school, leading the girl to believe that Callie is some sort of savior. Now lets make one more uncomfortable connection—guess who has the heart of the girl’s father? Jasper! Callie and Jasper start to fall for each other, bringing the little girl in the mix. Aw, a brand new family with the hearts of the old one.

I’m sorry but I can’t describe this film as anything other than inappropriate and weird. It’s a forced family unit and sets a bad example for grieving children. You don’t want them hoping they will get a new family with their dead parents’ hearts.

The DVD

The video is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is crisp and shows off some gorgeous location shoots, maintaining a solid level of detail while keeping grain and other minor problems to a minimum.

The audio is presented in English Dolby Digital Stereo with no subtitles. The dialogue-heavy film doesn’t make use of any major surround effects with the exception on an occasional atmospheric sound. The mix is balanced ensuring you won’t have to tweak your volume levels while watching.

The Extras

None.

Final Thoughts

A Stranger’s Heart is a Hallmark card put to film. It’s sugar sweet, but borders on inappropriate with much of the plot considering the topic, making it an odd and unbalanced film.