My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is a unique take on the vampire genre, bringing a powerful story about family and survival. Jonathan Cuartas’s 2020 film looks like a horror movie but tells a deeper, sad story about a family dealing with the dark reality of their lives.
This film follows three siblings who live together in a modest home, struggling to keep things together while dealing with their brother’s vampirism. The movie centers on Thomas, the youngest brother (played by Owen Campbell), who has a condition that requires him to drink blood to survive.
Jessie (Ingrid Sophie Schram), the older sister, has taken charge of the household and controls her brother’s life, while their older brother Dwight (Patrick Fugit) helps maintain the family’s routine in disturbing ways.
The siblings have a clear routine, but it’s far from normal. Jessie sends Dwight to find homeless people to kill so that Thomas has blood to drink. This routine is both horrifying and heartbreaking as it shows the extreme lengths they are willing to go to keep Thomas alive.
This is no glamorous vampire life; Thomas’s condition creates a difficult life for the family. Jessie and Dwight do what they can to survive, but the pressure builds and cracks form in the family dynamic.
The film has its share of blood and intense scenes, but what makes it truly haunting is the broken family dynamic. Rather than being about vampires in the traditional sense, My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is a look at addiction, abuse, and the strain these issues put on families.
The horror comes from watching the siblings’ twisted relationships with each other as they do whatever they can to survive. The film uses supernatural elements as a support to show its real theme, making it feel grounded and raw. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To does not try to dazzle the audience with flashy vampire elements but instead hits hard with emotional intensity.
A New Take on Vampirism and Addiction
Vampirism in fiction often represents addiction, and My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To builds on this idea in a way that feels gritty and real. Throughout film and TV history, vampires have often been shown to struggle with drinking blood in a way that parallels alcoholism or other addictions.
Examples include the character Dracula, Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Riley Flynn in Midnight Mass. In Twilight, Edward’s struggle with his vampire nature represents addiction in some way. Thomas’s condition in My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is treated similarly.
Thomas’s appearance gives clues about his condition. He looks very thin and pale, often wrapped in blankets or lying down. This look recalls the “heroin chic” style in a fashion that’s sometimes used to suggest addiction without words. The film uses this style to highlight Thomas’s need for blood, presenting it as an illness rather than something glamorous or desirable.
Unlike many vampire films, Thomas’s condition is not made to look cool or flashy. He wears plain clothes like sweatpants and rarely has anything fancy. In one scene, Dwight even shops for Thomas at a second-hand store. Instead of wearing designer clothes, Thomas looks sick and tired, with none of the elegance seen in other vampire characters.
In this film, vampirism is treated as a burden, and Thomas’s life feels more like a sad routine than an adventure. His condition adds to the family’s struggles rather than lifting them out of poverty or offering any kind of power. This approach makes it clear that vampirism here is a metaphor for addiction.
It shows how addiction, whether it’s to drugs, alcohol, or something else, can affect not only the person suffering from it but also their entire family. By stripping away any glamour, My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To focuses on the sadness and pain involved in the siblings’ lives.
The Setting Adds to the Realism
The setting of My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is simple and plain, which makes the story even more grounded. The family lives in a worn-out, small house, not a large castle or fancy apartment that we often see in vampire films. The colors inside the house are dull, mainly shades of brown and yellow.
Outside, the world appears gray and lifeless. The siblings are poor and constantly struggle to make ends meet. Unlike wealthy vampires such as Dracula or Lestat from Interview with the Vampire, these siblings live a harsh, humble life.
At Christmas, they give each other small, poorly-fitting gifts. They even have to sell items from their victims to get some money. This life is far from the glamorous, eternal life associated with vampires. By showing the vampire family as a struggling, working-class household, the movie turns the idea of vampirism on its head.
It isn’t something anyone would aspire to in this story; instead, it’s just a burden. This approach makes the viewer focus on the tragic effects of addiction, as we see how the family’s lives are limited and controlled by Thomas’s needs.
Owen Campbell’s Unique Performance as Thomas
Owen Campbell’s performance as Thomas brings something new to the portrayal of vampires. Thomas isn’t like the usual vampire in most horror stories. While many vampires are shown as troubled by guilt or regret over harming humans, Thomas’s sadness comes from his lack of freedom and the strict control his sister Jessie has over him.
Jessie’s rules keep Thomas inside most of the time, and he’s not even allowed to go outside for fresh air. Thomas isn’t upset about drinking blood or losing his humanity, as many vampire characters are. Instead, he feels lonely and frustrated by his isolation.
Thomas is desperate for companionship, but his sister doesn’t allow him to leave the house. In one scene, he begs Dwight to let him go outside just to feel the fresh air. Dwight eventually sneaks him outside, but only briefly.
In a heartbreaking moment, Thomas folds a paper airplane with “help me” written on it, showing just how trapped he feels. He may be a vampire, but he’s far from a powerful one. In his own home, Thomas is not in charge; instead, he follows Jessie’s orders.
The usual power dynamic of vampires and humans is reversed here. Jessie makes decisions for Thomas and controls his life, while Dwight goes along with Jessie’s wishes. Thomas does not come across as a threat.
Owen Campbell’s portrayal of Thomas shows his helplessness, as he keeps his eyes down and his shoulders slouched. His posture and expressions make Thomas seem weak and submissive, unlike the typical confident, fearsome vampire character.
The film also reinforces this image by avoiding scenes where Thomas drinks directly from his victims. Instead, Jessie and Dwight store blood for Thomas in a large sweet tea dispenser. Thomas then drinks from bowls and cups, making the act of feeding less monstrous and more like an everyday routine.
This detail adds sympathy for Thomas, making him appear more like a sad figure trapped in a bad situation than a dangerous predator.
Family Tension Creates the Real Horror
Despite the presence of blood-drinking and violence, the most disturbing part of My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is the tension within the family. The relationships between the siblings are strained and often dark.
Thomas, Jessie, and Dwight each have their own personalities and motives, leading to constant friction. In one scene, Thomas shyly asks if he can go outside, maybe for a short drive, only for Jessie to slam the table and snap at him. Jessie also uses her power over Dwight by choosing the targets he has to kidnap, showing how far she is willing to go to protect Thomas’s survival.
Jessie’s actions can be cruel, yet she dedicates herself to caring for Thomas. She acts as his teacher since he cannot attend school and spends most of her time looking after him. Despite her cold behavior, Jessie is fiercely committed to her brother’s well-being.
She takes on the responsibility of Thomas’s survival without ever hesitating, showing both her harshness and her loyalty. Jessie’s character is complex, keeping the viewer uncertain of her true intentions and emotions. Each scene she’s in feels tense, as it’s hard to know if she will act as a caring sister or a ruthless figure.
Dwight, on the other hand, is caught between loyalty to his family and his own desire for freedom. He frequently expresses his wish to leave, yet he remains, helping Jessie feed Thomas out of a sense of duty.
Still from My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (Credit: Dark Sky Films)
Dwight’s character may seem simple at first, but he has depth. Like Jessie, he loves his brother but also feels the weight of their situation. The siblings’ conflicting feelings make them feel real, as they balance love, duty, and personal needs.
The film doesn’t separate the scenes of blood drinking from scenes of family tension; instead, both aspects are presented with the same tone, creating a powerful emotional impact. This combination of horror and family drama gives My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To a unique place among vampire movies, making it a memorable and haunting story.
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is available to stream on Pluto TV.
Michael Keaton has amazed audiences countless times over the years with his versatility, but one of his most notable returns was in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, where he reprised his iconic role as the mischievous ghost.
Despite being 73, Keaton remains timeless in his ability to transform into any role, whether it’s a comedic character or a dark, complex hero. The actor, known for his ability to fully immerse himself in characters, continues to be a favorite in Hollywood, and his recent work in the film Goodrich is no exception.
In this movie, Keaton offers yet another memorable performance, proving that he can still bring depth and heart to any role, even when the story doesn’t quite live up to his potential.
Keaton is, of course, famous for his role as Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman and his brilliant portrayal of a washed-up actor in Birdman, which earned him an Academy Award nomination. But what’s truly remarkable about Keaton is his versatility.
While he is often recognized for larger-than-life characters, he is also an accomplished dramatic actor capable of portraying ordinary people facing complex, emotional situations. This ability to be both larger than life and grounded makes him the perfect lead for a film like Goodrich, a simple, heartfelt story that deals with aging, family, and personal growth.
Goodrich, written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, is not a superhero movie or a supernatural thriller. Instead, it focuses on a man in his 70s facing the difficult realities of life, relationships, and his role as a father and husband.
The film is not a groundbreaking work of cinema, but Keaton’s performance brings depth to a story that might otherwise feel predictable. The film offers a cozy, familiar vibe, with a storyline you can see coming from a mile away. However, it’s the moments of sincerity and emotional depth, highlighted by Keaton’s performance, that give the film its heart and make it worth watching.
The Plot of Goodrich
The story of Goodrich centers on Andy Goodrich (played by Michael Keaton), an art dealer whose life seems to be falling apart. At the start of the film, Andy is woken up by a phone call from his wife, Naomi (Laura Bentani).
He is shocked to learn that she has checked herself into a 90-day rehab facility to treat a prescription pill addiction, something he had no idea she was struggling with, despite everyone else around him knowing.
Naomi also tells Andy that she wants a divorce because he hasn’t been attentive to her, which further blindsides him. This moment sets off a chain of events that forces Andy to reevaluate his life and relationships.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Andy is not only dealing with the collapse of his marriage but is also struggling with being a temporary single father.
Naomi’s time away means that Andy must take care of their nine-year-old twins, Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Mose (Jacob Kopera), while trying to balance his career and personal life. The strain of taking care of his kids, while also trying to salvage his art dealership, adds further pressure on Andy, who is clearly overwhelmed.
At the same time, Andy’s relationship with his first family is also strained. His first wife, Annie (Andie MacDowell), had a daughter, Grace (Mila Kunis), with whom Andy has a distant relationship. Grace, now married and pregnant, has been affected by her father’s absence when she was younger.
However, when Andy needs help with his kids, Grace reluctantly steps in, and their relationship begins to evolve as they are forced to spend more time together. This situation grows even more complicated as Andy’s art dealership faces potential bankruptcy, adding to the already high emotional stakes of his life.
The Strengths of Goodrich
While the premise of Goodrich is not groundbreaking, it taps into themes that are relatable for many people, particularly older viewers. The film shows the idea of personal growth later in life, the consequences of neglecting relationships, and the challenges of raising children when you’ve already made many mistakes in the past.
Andy’s journey is a coming-of-age story for someone in his 70s, which makes it unique. In the final years of his life, Andy is forced to confront the choices he’s made and try to mend the relationships that have been damaged along the way. This scheme of regret, redemption, and growth gives the film emotional weight.
What really upgrades the movie is Michael Keaton’s performance. Andy is not a typical character you see in family dramedies. He is flawed, human, and often makes mistakes. However, he is also deeply loving and committed to trying his best for his family, even when it feels like everything is falling apart around him.
Keaton plays Andy with such depth that you can’t help but root for him, even when his actions sometimes frustrate you. Keaton doesn’t rely on over-the-top gestures or melodramatic speeches. Instead, he conveys Andy’s pain, love, and regret with subtlety and nuance, making his performance feel incredibly real.
The supporting cast is also excellent, with Mila Kunis bringing depth to her role as Grace. Kunis plays a daughter who is trying to find her own way while grappling with the emotional baggage of her relationship with her father.
The chemistry between Keaton and Kunis is palpable, and their scenes together are some of the most emotional in the film. The young actors who play Andy’s children, Billie and Mose, also do an excellent job, with Vivien Lyra Blair standing out as Billie, a wise-beyond-her-years little girl who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.
One of the film’s most touching moments comes during a scene between Andy and Grace. Grace is pregnant, and there’s an emotional tension between the two of them that boils over in a conversation about their past.
Andy, who has been emotionally distant for most of his life, finally opens up in a way that is both heart-wrenching and healing.
The film handles these moments of reconciliation with care, never feeling too forced or overly sentimental. It’s a testament to Keaton’s skill as an actor that he is able to play these emotional beats without feeling like he’s trying to manipulate the audience into feeling something.
The Flaws of Goodrich
Despite its strengths, Goodrich does fall into some familiar tropes of family dramedies. For example, there is an entirely predictable subplot involving a friendship that Andy forms with Pete (Michael Urie), a gay single father.
While this friendship provides some lighthearted moments and offers a chance for Andy to reflect on his own life, it sometimes feels like an easy way to move the plot forward.
Pete often serves as a sounding board for Andy to talk about his feelings, and their friendship sometimes feels more like a plot device than a fully realized relationship.
The film also leans heavily on familiar musical cues to tell the audience how they should feel. Soft piano and guitar music underscore many of the film’s most emotional moments, sometimes tipping into the territory of emotional manipulation.
While the film’s sentimentality can be effective at times, there are moments when it feels like it’s trying a bit too hard to tug at the heartstrings. The Christmas setting in the final act, complete with Christmas music, further enhances this feeling of predictability. While this may work for some viewers, it might come off as formulaic for others.
Keaton’s Timeless Appeal
One of the things that keeps Goodrich from falling into the trap of being a forgettable family dramedy is Michael Keaton’s performance. Keaton’s ability to play a character with such emotional depth is what makes the film work. He doesn’t need to rely on grand gestures or heavy-handed dialogue.
Instead, he can convey so much with just a look or a subtle change in expression. This quiet mastery of his craft is what has made Keaton a beloved actor for decades, and Goodrich is just another example of his ability to upgrade a film.
In fact, the movie might not have worked nearly as well with another actor in the lead role. Keaton’s grounded approach to the character of Andy gives the film a sense of authenticity that it wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Still from Goodrich (Credit: Ketchup Entertainment)
Even though the story is predictable and filled with family drama clichés, Keaton’s performance keeps it from feeling like a paint-by-numbers story. He makes Andy’s journey feel real, and his ability to convey pain and vulnerability without resorting to melodrama is what makes Goodrich worth watching.
Conclusion
While Goodrich may not be the most groundbreaking film of the year, it is a heartfelt, sweet story that works largely because of Michael Keaton’s exceptional performance.
The film’s plot may be predictable at times, and it does rely on a few familiar tropes, but Keaton’s portrayal of a man facing the final chapters of his life gives the film a depth that makes it stand out.
If you’re looking for a feel-good movie with real emotional moments, Goodrich is worth seeing. It’s another reminder of just how lucky we are to witness an actor like Michael Keaton, who can make even the most familiar of stories feel fresh and meaningful.
