“Sweet Hearts Dance” presents itself as a study in human relationships, much like a scientist’s experiment with the primordial soup, hoping to spark life from inert elements. While not a dance movie in the traditional sense – lacking elaborate choreography or a focus on professional dancers – it captures the delicate and often clumsy dance of love, commitment, and change within two intertwined couples. Set against the picturesque backdrop of a small New England town, the film delves into the emotional complexities of its characters as they navigate the shifting rhythms of their lives.
The narrative centers around lifelong friends, Wiley Boon (Don Johnson) and Sam Manners (Jeff Daniels). Wiley, married to his high school sweetheart Sandra (Susan Sarandon), finds himself inexplicably wanting more, disrupting the established harmony of their long-term relationship. Simultaneously, Sam, a pillar of the community as the school board president, experiences the exhilarating yet unsettling tremors of new love with a teacher, played by Elizabeth Perkins.
The catalyst for upheaval arrives when Wiley abruptly declares his dissatisfaction with his marriage. His reasons are vague, stemming from a deep-seated, undefined unrest. This sets off a chain reaction, profoundly impacting Sandra and their three children, as Wiley seeks refuge in a mobile home, a stark symbol of his emotional detachment. The film then traces the fallout of Wiley’s impulsive decision, exploring the raw emotions and strained dynamics that emerge.
Despite the seemingly organic storyline, “Sweet Hearts Dance” adopts a somewhat stylized approach. The film is segmented into titled sections, often named after seasonal changes or plot developments. This literary structure, while perhaps intended to add depth, feels somewhat artificial, imposing a sense of deliberate artistry onto a narrative that might have benefited from a more natural flow. These titled sections unfortunately highlight a certain looseness in the screenplay’s construction, giving the impression of a meandering narrative driven more by fleeting inspiration than a cohesive plan.
However, the film is buoyed by compelling performances. While the acting prowess of Sarandon, Daniels, and Perkins is expected, Don Johnson delivers a surprisingly nuanced performance as Wiley. It stands as a career highlight, revealing a capacity for depth and vulnerability. His portrayal of confusion and nascent loneliness is particularly poignant as he grapples with the unexpected consequences of his desire for “freedom,” discovering it to be a hollow substitute for genuine connection.
“Sweet Hearts Dance” evokes echoes of other films exploring similar themes of midlife introspection and relationship turbulence, such as Alan Alda’s “The Four Seasons” or indeed, much of Alda’s filmography. Crafted by a sensitive, perhaps slightly removed, perspective, the film exudes a sense of nostalgia. Yet, at times, the characters’ desires seem less about profound love and more about the comforts of a curated New England lifestyle. The film risks allowing its picturesque setting and wholesome activities to overshadow the underlying emotional drama, creating a sense that even suffering is presented with an aesthetically pleasing veneer. A scene featuring the two men skating on a pristine frozen lake encapsulates this feeling, hinting at a world where even hardship seems sanitized and unrealistically idyllic.
In conclusion, “Sweet Hearts Dance,” while not a traditional dance movie, attempts to capture the delicate choreography of relationships with varying degrees of success. It assembles a talented cast and explores relatable themes of love and change, but its stylized presentation and somewhat aimless narrative prevent it from fully resonating. Despite its flaws, the film offers moments of genuine emotional insight, primarily through its performances, making it a worthwhile, if somewhat sentimental, exploration of life’s intricate steps.
