You are here:

Crooked Hearts

Name: Crooked Hearts
Director: Michael Bortman
Released: 1991
Duration: 113 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

1991

Director

Michael Bortman

Runtime

113 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Crooked Hearts is a period drama that emphasizes psychological realism over diverse representation. It excels in dismantling the stability of the mid-century domestic unit by focusing on the active roles of its female characters and the shortcomings of the patriarch. However, the film is constrained by its narrow focus on a homogeneous Anglo-Saxon context, lacking representation for LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, or those with disabilities. Ultimately, while the film offers a nuanced look at evolving social norms, its reliance on traditional casting limits its broader social scope.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Crooked Hearts have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on heterosexual relationships and does not include any LGBTQ+ identities or perspectives in the main characters' stories.

How does Crooked Hearts portray gender?

Fair

Women play key roles in driving the narrative through complex power dynamics and emotional intensity. However, the film does not pass the Bechdel test due to a lack of meaningful conversations between female characters.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Crooked Hearts?

Minimal

The cast is exclusively white, reflecting a homogenous 1950s Washington state setting. There are no characters of color with significant roles.

How does Crooked Hearts represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story examines the traditional Western family unit by highlighting patriarchal failures and infidelity. It explores moral ambiguity without addressing broader societal issues.

Does Crooked Hearts include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no visible or invisible disabilities among the main characters. Disability is not used as a character trait or plot device.

Present on Screen

Offers a nuanced exploration of women's roles in a restrictive era.
Challenges traditional domestic archetypes through complex character interactions.
Provides a psychological critique of the stability of the traditional family structure.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or perspectives.
Does not include characters of color or racial diversity.
Provides no representation or inclusion of characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

An upper-middle class family in Washington state deals with failures, infidelities and troubling secrets. Charley is 26 and still lives at home, despite his simmering anger at his father, Edward. Charley's younger brother, Tom, just dropped out of college and returned home to live. Tom's unstable new girlfriend, Marriet, has designs on joining the family, but she's hardly a calming influence on the crumbling home.

How are these scores produced? →