Country: USA
Movie Review: First-time writer/director and film critic, Zachary Wigon, has an engrossing debut with “The Heart Machine”, a contemporary tale about two online lovers who never met in person before. New York’s Bushwick dweller, Cody (John Gallagher Jr.), becomes paranoid after seeing a woman, in the city subway, that looks exactly like Virginia Walker (Kate Lyn Sheil), his long-distance girlfriend who’s finishing a project in Berlin. After telling her this strange encounter through one of their regular skype conversations, and observing closely her reaction, Cody starts to suspect that Virginia might be lying to him, actually believing she has never left East Village, neighborhood where she said to have an apartment. Obsessed and confused, Cody comes to Manhattan, determined to find the whole truth. While trying to find her apartment, he admits that the distance is breaking him apart. She, in turn, reveals that her return is about to happen. The mystery grabs us and the film conveys effectively the emotions of its characters. Wigon’s quiet, almost floating style, worked very well, which in addition to the technical simplicity and direct plot, makes the story so believable. Moreover, the interaction of technology with the matters of the heart is not so uncommon nowadays, and “The Heart Machine” creates a story over that matter and gives it space to breath. I found myself wanting so badly that Cody could put an end to his suffering and frustration. The couple eventually meet face-to-face, and motives, fears and expectations, even if not totally tenable, will be frankly discussed. Will the relationship survive or is it forever doomed? A twisted, worth watching romance.
