- Directed by Brea Grant
- Written by Rachel Koller Croft
- Stars Katey Sagal, Shiloh Fernandez, Joshua Leonard
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 33 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQdyAC9F4-A
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
Torn Hearts, starring Katey Sagal, is now available On Digital and On Demand. A horrifying tale set in Nashville’s country music scene, two rising artists’ visit to their idol’s mansion turns into a twisted series of mental and physical torment. Buy or rent Torn Hearts and watch it today. Unrated. From Paramount Pictures.
Synopsis
We watch an interview from 1993 about two sisters, Harper and Hope Dutch, who are breaking into the country music business. “We made it to the top and that’s right where we’re gonna stay!” Then we hear arguing, gunfire, and see blood pouring out from under the door…
We shift to the present, where Jordan and Leigh are on stage singing more country music. The two of them are “Torn Hearts.” Their manager, Richie, points out the artist who was in the audience. Richie says things are done a certain way in Nashville, and the girls aren’t playing nice. He calls over the musician, Caleb, who is a big star. Jordan stays late and has drinks with Caleb and tells him her story, which leads to inevitable sex.
Elsewhere, Richie warns Leigh that Jordan is a liability and that she’s gonna screw things up for all of them. Jordan notices that Caleb has a photo of him with Harper Dutch, who is her idol. Harper Dutch hasn’t performed much since her sister tragically died. Caleb warns Leigh about Harper; she’s a whacko. Leigh thinks it might be worthwhile to meet Harper and talk her into doing a trio. Caleb gives her the address.
Leigh talks Jordan into going over to Harper’s house and introducing themselves. Harper’s house is way out in the woods, and the tall wall around the place is all overgrown and creepy looking. Harper buzzes them in, and they finally meet their idol. It’s awkward. They all have a drink and talk about their music.
They all go into Harper’s studio and do a demo song. Harper agrees to do a song with them and then smashes her guitar to celebrate; it’s very exciting for all three of them. Harper talks to Jordan about duos with unbalanced talent. She might be trying to sow a little dissent. The topic comes up, and Harper explains that Hope killed herself right in front of her a few years ago. They drink a lot more.
Both girls wake up later in different clothes, and their phones are missing. Harper took their keys because they drank so much. Harper wants to work on their song. They try to make breakfast, but the food is all rotten; Harper is not appreciative. They all go into the basement and we see the door has bars.
Harper wants to see the two girls fight each other; to take their hostility out on each other. It seems ridiculous, but it takes surprisingly little prompting to get them to go at it. Harper turns on the disco ball and watches the wrestling match. Are they really best friends?
Richie comes to the door, and Harper and Leigh go upstairs to deal with him. Jordan finds a secret room full of the dead Hope’s stuff, including body parts in jars. She uses the severed finger to open the locked door and goes upstairs, just in time to hear Richie and Leigh throw her under the bus.
Jordan explains the secret room and body parts to Leigh while Richie talks to Harper, who picks up a knife and mutilates a pie. The pie isn’t the only one who gets mutilated.
Harper gets Leigh and Jordan back in the studio, and they finally start to record their song, “I’m Gonna Die with Your Name on my Lips.” The girls bicker on between themselves afterwards, trading insults both professional and personal. Then Harper pulls out a shotgun and really starts messing the place up.
The girls find Richie’s body and the bars on the doors and windows. Jordan hands a gun to Leigh. “Don’t make me kill my hero,” Leigh says. There’s a fight and some gunfire, and the two girls get the drop on Harper, but Harper’s not done yet.
Harper says that she still needs to atone for what she did to Hope. Hope wanted to break up the act and go solo, and Harper couldn’t deal with that, so she shot her. Harper wants Leigh to walk away from Jordan and be a big star. Leigh is all in on the new, twisted plan. Jordan shoots Harper; Leigh shoots Jordan. Now she has a story to tell and use the fame to catapult to stardom. Except Jordan isn’t dead yet.
The reporter interviews Caleb on the news, since he knew all the victims. He plays some of their music to boost his own career…
Commentary
I can’t say I’ve seen many “country music horror films,” but here we are. The two girls are both horrible singers, but it’s not a musical, so whatever (Kevin’s note – they were NOT horrible singers. They pulled it off). Katey Sagal, as Harper, is suitably creepy and unhinged, and the others are just along for the ride.
This one is slow. The middle hour is pretty talky and dull. There are some awkward scenes where we waited for someone to say something relevant. Show business is tough, what more needs to be said. The ending is good, but it took an awfully long time to get there.