Film: The Heart Knows
Cast: Benjamín Vicuña, Julieta Díaz, Peto Menahem, Gloria Carrá, Julia Calvo, Yayo Guridi, Bicho Gómez, Facundo Espinosa, Verónica Hassan
Writer/Director: Marcos Carnevale
Rating: * * 1/2
Runtime: 89 min

This Argentinian Spanish language film, dubbed in English, is more of a family drama than a heartfelt romance. The story is about Juan(Benjamín Vicuña) , a hard-hearted, money-minded businessman, typically inhuman and unconcerned about the world. But when he gets a much-needed heart transplant, everything changes, and he becomes a totally different person.
 
The donor, Pedro, hails from the working-class neighbourhood of El Progreso, and El Progreso is under the shadow of demolition, targeted for redevelopment by none other than Juan Manuel’s construction company. 
 
Juan’s personality transformation resembles that of the donor, and as is the case in such hackneyed situations, he also develops feelings for the donor Pedro’s widow, Valeria(Julieta Díaz), once he finds the donor’s family and helps them and the neighbourhood. 
 
This should have been a deeply emotional connection, but we don’t feel it. The transformation doesn’t come across as real. The central tension should have been about the new Juan’s moral sensibility and the battle with his ingrained capitalist instincts. But there’s no real fight within, and the transformation feels like a product of narrative convenience. 
 
There’s a distinct lack of conviction in the screenplay and performances. The plot is thinly drawn. The woman who supposedly lost the love of her life doesn’t express much emotion. The story told in a fragmented style doesn’t feel organic. It offers hope, but there’s little emotion felt. 
 
The performances lack emotional heft. The characterisations don’t feel true, and the dubbing lacks passion. The underwritten script fails to make things interesting enough. The runtime, though, at an hour and 29 minutes, makes it passably interesting.