Shot in the Heart (2001 TV Movie) User Reviews

Quite interesting

[tributarystu · 7/10 · 9 February 2003]

This film brings some interesting aspects of modern life on our TV screen. The characters we see aren't really the strangest of all, they're actually quite what does result in such a family as the one we get to see.

SPOILERS

Four children, all boys. One of them not the result of the current marriage. Interestingly enough, the parents do not tell this to the person we are talking about, Frank. The childhood of the four Gilmore brothers differ from one to the other. Frank, he had to suffer most actually, but he complained least. Gary, as we are told, speaks a lot, is hated by his father but he has his mother on his side. We don't find much out about Gaylen...And the last is Mikal, the one who actually had the best/worst life of them all. He never got beaten, he never had to endure the pain his brothers had to...but he also never really knew his brothers. As it should have come, he is the only one with some success in his life out of the family.

He now actually meets his brother in prison. One week before his execution. A murderer who is the result of his family. This is what can become of boy who is not loved. Who is persecuted. Gary...

We don't really learn much about him, or about his "deeds". He never really answers Mikal's questions, "Why?" or "What if.." The one answer which kind of might disturb us is the one to the question "What if you had reached the airport"...Gary says he would've come and killed him. Why, the answer can be find out of the movie. Still, the way in which he tells it is quite spooky(as a matter of fact)...

Do the brothers really get close? I don't believe they do. You can't really learn a man in a week. I don't think so. They might've got to know each other, but time is a luxury which they do not have.

Actually, the idea of Mikal's visit to his brother is to learn if he wants to stop his execution, or if he might be able to convince him. Finally it seems that he can't...Gary has his reasons for it, of course. He wants to be free, not to live there in that rotten prison all his life..can't blame him for that, but can blame him for his actions.

What I found quite strange were the rules of the prison. Initially all seems very serious, but then people start singing, and a "one time only" visit becomes a "as many times as you want" visit. I was wondering if this is because it was his last week of life, or...I would've said something about the guards, but we don't really learn much about them. Only from Gary, who is not the most of reliable sources.

There is then Schiller, a guy who wants to get money after Gary's life by writing a book, and after that getting it filmed. Gary wants that, because his mother would then get the money she needed to live. It's a strange way to help, but it is all he could do.

The other character, Giaque is the one who is against this... the one things I regret is that we don't really get to know these characters, only superficially.

The movie as a whole is very interesting, despite having some wholes which should've been filled. Some unfinished characters...

But it does make you feel the atmosphere and the pain...strange in its way, and still so normal.

The performances of the actors are remarkable too. I especially liked Giovanni Ribisi, who always seemed like he was really living that life.

It's worth its time, I'd say. 8/10

Convicted and more than willing to die.

[michaelRokeefe · 6/10 · 9 May 2006]

This depressing, but interesting drama depicts dysfunction as well as perseverance. Gary Gilmore(Elias Koteas)was convicted of a double murder and set to be executed by the state of Utah in 1977. This would be of interest from coast to coast for being the first execution in America in ten years after a declared nix on capital punishment. This movie is based on Gary's estranged brother Mikal's(Giovanni Ribisi)book. Mikal would have several meetings with Gary during his final days with the attempt of a stay of execution. The two along with brother Frank, Jr.(Lee Tergesen)reminisce about the family's dysfunction, tragedy and the Mormon belief with its customs and circumstances.

Ribisi gives a moving performance. Koteas seemed to caricature a poor man's Robert de Niro. Supporting cast features: Sam Shepard, Amy Madigan and Eric Bogosian. This HBO Original has a soundtrack featuring: Fats Domino, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley.

Very well done but not very interesting.

[=G= · 6/10 · 28 October 2001]

"Shot in the Heart" is an excellent HBO flick with one huge, glaring fault. It is, in a word, boring. Granted, many will be absorbed by the human drama. However, in the final analysis it's still 75% conversation between a murderer on death row and his estranged brother in which they share perspectives on family matters, the Mormon church, personal perceptions, attitudes, etc. none of which are particularly interesting and much of which are yada-yada-yada about the turkey thing, the Mormon blood-letting thing, the book from Johnny Cash thing, the 1000 pushups thing, the 90 year old man thing, etc. Bravo for making an excellent film. Too bad the subject was Gary Gilmore. Recommended for the not so jaded who may find a rehash of a dysfunctional family's son-gone-wrong story of interest.

Magnificent! POSSIBLE SPOILERS

[fanaticita · 15 April 2005]

I am a Giovanni Ribisi fan, and this film has to be one of his best. It didn't dawn on me that this was a film about THE Gary Gilmore of the 1970s. Surprise, since I wasn't really into reading newspapers back then. Contrary to other posts, there is a LOT going on in this film. Relationships are clearly defined. The Gilmore parents, Sam Shepard and Amy Madigan have a love/hate relationship. The brothers are all products of a very dysfunctional family. For the most part the plot focus on the relationship between Gary and his youngest brother Mikal. They barely know each other, but become acquainted in gut wrenching prison visits by Mikal. The prison scenes between Gary and Mikal are riveting. Using a prison phone and talking to Gary for what might be the last time Mikal (Ribisi) gives the performance of his life -it's all in the eyes as he soaks in his brother's soul and being, agonizing over what might have been. This tore me up.

Well acted but boring

[stefan899 · 2/10 · 10 September 2002]

I agree with other users comments in that the two main roles were well acted, that being the guy that played Gary Gillmore and Giovanni's role. Too bad the story was so boring. Not hearing about the story I knew nothing of Gary Gillmore before the movie so I didn't know what to expect. I thought it would be something like Dead Man Walking or The Chamber but how wrong I was. The whole movie was just talking, talking and talking about their mom and dad. The only cool scenes were the flashbacks where the dad would lose his temper. That was the only interest I got from this borefest.

A powerful and poignant story

[Argive · 10/10 · 13 October 2001]

Shot in the Heart is wonderful. It brilliantly illustrates the plight of Gary Gimore, a convicted murder who requested death. Shot in the Heart shows the ordeal that Gilmore's family, torn up by hatred, went through. This movie is an incredible psychological study, and is wonderfully depressing and uplifting. 10/10

I thought it'd be an OK film, but I was blown away

[samshobbits · 8/10 · 7 July 2005]

The acting- fantastic. The story- amazing. The script- wonderful.

Just a few ways to describe this movie. Yes, it's slow and it has mostly talking, but the whole story of all of their lives and how it's told with the flashbacks thrown in and out makes you want to listen to every little thing to learn more about this haunting and tragic story. I, myself, am reading the book that the movie is based off of and it has shown me even more light into this story and answers some questions that were left unanswered in the movie. I'm also to read the Exectioner's Song, which is the 'other' half of the Gilmore story. This movie made me think so much about the phrase "piering into the other side of the looking glass". You hear a song in the movie called Gary Gilmore's Eyes, which is by a punk band that wrote a song about what it'd be like to have Gary Gilmore's eyes(which is one of the things Gary gave as a transplant when he died) and as you listen to it, which is after the last time Mikal ever sees Gary, you look at the whole situation a little differently if you were to only here the song itself. This movie opened my eyes in that way and in many others. I recommend this movie(and the book) very very much.

A brilliantly acted non-addition to the Gilmore pantheon

[aussiechick · 27 August 2002]

Shot In The Heart tells the familiar Gary Gilmore story from a slightly different perspective, that of his estranged brother Mikal. Those familiar with Gilmore's tale will find this an interesting take on his story, reminding us that the victims he left behind included his own family as well as the families of the men he murdered so senselessly. Gilmore himself (played by Elias Koteas in a fantastic performance) is all here, from his cod philosophy (trust him to have read Nietsche and only quote the bits that suit him) to his complete lack of understanding of his own motives.

The star of the show is, however, Giovanni Ribisi as Mikal. He has a rabbit-in-the-headlights quality, looks fragile and vulnerable and you can't believe the two are related, never mind brothers. Since Gary has been in jail pretty much continuously since the age of 14 you can see why they don't know each other, but when the movie starts you also can't see how they ever will. However blood will out ... and they find enough shared memories to build something between them that transcends the time and place in which they do it.

Unfortunately there are a few things wrong with this movie. It doesn't purport to tell the whole story of Gilmore's life but that's OK, it doesn't have to. I'm pretty familiar with the source material though, so my boyfriend called on me to answer a seemingly endless run of questions: What happened to Galen? Who's Nicole? How did the two murders happen and how did he get caught? And when the younger Gilmores first appeared ... Who is everyone - which brother's which? Now I don't think a movie has to tell you everything and its sometimes better to leave things hinted at rather than explained, but there is an unnecessary level of confusion here that distracts a neophyte viewer from the action. But I'm nitpicking ... the acting alone is more than worth the price of admission.

High points? The two main performances, the slimy, self-interested supporting cast, the theme of white horses, and the mysterious stranger with the sandwiches. Mikal's last meeting with Gary will make you cry ... and if it doesn't, it darn well should.

I don't believe this movie got a cinema release in the UK but it is out on video this week so go get it. Highly recommended.

Chic Prison Blues

[EdgarST · 8/10 · 30 January 2004]

An interesting TV movie based on true fact, betrayed by the description of one of the leading characters, that of a prisoner. Giovanni Ribisi plays his younger brother, who has the delicate mission of deciding if he will appeal to the courts for his brother's death penalty. But when he goes to visit him and enters Elias Koteas, the problem starts. It has nothing to do with Koteas' acting ability. He just looks like the version of a prisoner of proletarian roots according to "G.Q." magazine, with a language too sophisticated for someone who has spent most of his life behind bars. This realization came to me after meeting again an old friend, whom I had not seen for almost 15 years, which he spent in several Panamanian jails. The young man I used to know is gone, not only because he is older, but due to his exposure for a prolonged time to the penal system. There are jails and there are jails, one must say, but this one prisoner in "Shot In the Heart" is definitely out of this world.

A great film on family tragedy

[Jasonlrdg4 · 10/10 · 28 June 2013]

I read the book this film was based on by Mikal Gilmore and the movie really surpasses it many times over. This is only because of the visual representation that it translated from book to film. For those who haven't seen this film, I would definitely read the book first!

The performances by Giovanni Ribisi and Elias Koetas were terrific. You can tell just by their body language that these characters are authentic. Lee Teregsen also gives a superb job as the oldest brother Frank Jr. Even those this story is supposed top be about the final days of Gary Gilmore's life and its overall significance in American history, "Shot in the Heart" is ultimately about the different levels of relationships between brothers and their overall relationship with their parents. Mormon superstition also plays much into this film, giving the story a very Gothic, depressing, but vivid dimension.

Etraordinarily acted film

[Gatorhank · 16 October 2001]

Shot in the Heart is another of HBO's gems. They make the films that Hollywood generally ignores. Shot in the Heart is a film that takes its time to tell the story of Gary Gilmore and his most dysfunctional family in an intelligent, quite un-mawkish manner. The acting is nothing short of superb. Forget Norman Mailer and savor what must surely be a true story of this very sad event.

Low budget, great film!

[smeghill · 9/10 · 17 August 2002]

Wow, I loved this film. It may not have had the funding and advertising that the latest hollywood blockbusters get but it packs twice the emotional punch. The tale revolves around this one family from Utah and it's the connections between the people in the family that provide the film with its punch. The main lead (Giovanni Ribisi) plays his part very well, at no time does he leave you to believe that he's acting all his feelings. It's his brother (Elias Koteas) who stole the show for me though. When the two were in scenes together they bounded their lines off of each other, giving fantastic performances. Great cast, great film.

Less is Gilmore

[NoDakTatum · 8/10 · 22 October 2023]

Mikal Gilmore wrote a nonfiction book detailing his family's drawbacks, especially his brother's- infamous murderer Gary Gilmore. The book was fascinating and hard to forget. The film has great merit, but the film makers should have doubled the running time in order to do Gilmore's work justice. Taking place in 1976, Giovanni Ribisi is the youngest son Mikal. He and his brother Frank Jr. (Lee Tergesen) go to visit their brother Gary (Elias Koteas) in a Utah prison. Gary will be the United States' first execution in a decade, and he is doing nothing to stop it. Gary shot two men in cold blood in Utah, and is completely unapologetic, cashing in on his infamy. Frank and Mikal go to see Gary at the request of their mother Bessie (Amy Madigan), who wants the boys to sign a protest and delay the execution. The book and film's title draws from the family's pain, as well as Gary's choice of execution. Mikal is not close to his brothers, being the youngest, and the older boys see him as never suffering as much as they suffered at the hands of their mother and father, Frank Sr. (Sam Shepard). Mikal observes the media circus surrounding the coming execution, and meets with writer Lawrence Schiller (Eric Bogosian), who seems to be using Gary to his own gain. The majority of the film takes place in the prison, with Mikal desperately trying to understand his older brother's murderous intentions, as well as getting to know this brother who spent twenty two years in prison before he died. Frank Jr does not handle the stress well, and disappears, leaving Mikal to deal with Gary alone. The film is punctuated with childhood memories that are easily defined as dysfunctional. Frank Sr. Was a horrible man who beat his children, including a brother who died young- the victim of a stabbing. Mother Bessie was not much better. She was wrapped up in a mystical form of Mormonism, seeing ghosts and knowing her family was doomed to fail. Everyone seems to humor the put-upon Bessie, who even threatens to slit Frank Sr.'s throat in front of the kids. As we know, Gilmore is executed, the story covered by the book (by Norman Mailer) and film "The Executioner's Song" with Tommy Lee Jones as Gary. The remaining Gilmore brothers try to get on with their lives, never having children, not chancing a repeat of their father's behavior.

If you get a chance to read Gilmore's book, do so. It is shattering, and difficult to get through because of the pain that is evident on every page. You will feel remorse for these damaged children and adults, and wonder how Mikal seemed to survive and deal with tragedy. As a film, the story is translated well to the screen. The mystical paranoia surrounding the family is played well without being silly. The few ghost scenes are creepy, but this is not horror. The flashbacks are also kept to a minimum, with the audience getting a sense of the family's pain without numbing to it after violent act upon violent act is recreated. I think this is also a drawback. Gilmore's book is so rich in detail, delving into his parents' lives and uncovering events that had profound and evil influences on both of them. Here, at ninety seven minutes, the film can only touch on these events, and leaves the viewer not "wanting" more, but not understanding what the big deal is. Gilmore's book should have been turned into a four hour mini-series made for pay cable or streaming (the film debuted on HBO), where the violence and debauchery could be shown, and more importantly, understood. Gary's horrific reform school days are not touched on, neither is the fourth brother (except briefly). Holland does many interesting things with her camera. She plays with the actors' placements during dialogue scenes, and keeps her camera moving without taking away the power of the actors. Ribisi is always good in comedy or drama, and he is good here. He is the right age at this time in Mikal's life, and plays well off of his cast members. Lee Tergesen, who I have only seen in comedies, is also good as Frank Jr. The pain on his face is so real, he makes this character seem effortless. Amy Madigan and Sam Shepard are good in their brief flashback roles, and the makeup people age Madigan well without applying two inches of latex to her face. As I wrote, I wish more could have been done in the film, giving Shepard and Madigan more to do. Eric Bogosian, who deserved an Oscar for "Talk Radio," is good as Lawrence Schiller in an underwritten role. I got the feeling his best scenes are on a cutting room floor, his Schiller appears long enough to ask Mikal some philosophical questions Mikal is asking himself anyway, then disappears. Finally, Elias Koteas. This actor has had a varied career, but so far, his Gary Gilmore is the highlight. He resembles the killer closer than Tommy Lee Jones did, and his performance seems more real. Mikal was there, and his scenes with Gary resonate with a quality that seems eerily realistic. Koteas also makes his pain effortless, and he never screws up or makes a bad move. I appreciated what the film makers tried to do, capturing the feel of Mikal Gilmore's book. Unfortunately, all they captured was a feel. They never went into the pain, the meat and potatoes of the book, opting instead to get to the surface and nothing more. The actors are not at fault, nor the director, but hopefully deleted scenes, a longer version, or a remake will someday do Mikal Gilmore's words justice. There is a great story here, a true story that can shake people to their core, and I am still waiting for that story to be filmed. "Shot in the Heart" is fine film making, but stick with the book.

Heart Wrenching

[idgeet · 13 October 2001]

This movie affected me in more ways than I can express. It tore my heart out to see how the brothers went from strangers, to brothers. The performances were excellent, especially, the extraordinary Giovanni Ribisi. I am definitely running out to get the book tomorrow.