Haunted Heartis a mystery, thriller and romance taking place in a romantic, picturesque locale. These types of movies used to be a mainstay in Hollywood but sailed away at some point, although the genre appears to be coming back to shore in recent years — think Glass Onion (2019), White Lotus (2021-2022), The Menu (2022). Euro director Fernando Tueba’s Haunted Heart diverges from these recent iterations by confidently leaning into, rather than eschewing, the tropes that makes media in this genre ripe for parody. It’s a honest attempt that starts strong but fails to sustain its tension and romance through its two hour runtime.
Haunted Heart‘s charismatic leads really do anchor this film, which wastes no time in introducing viewers to its strongest assets. Max (Matt Dillon) is a tough and peculiar American who clearly has something to hide. These qualities lend well to keeping his restaurant on a remote Greek island spinning, but he also has a suave and artistic side – he plays jazz and is great at chess, you see. He is stuck in a work-a-day, effusive state until the fun and flirty Alex (Spanish actress Aida Folch) imposes himself at this vacation spot. Alex is tough and quick-tongued — a euro drifter who falls into the role of server at our English speaking resort spot. Alex can’t help but be drawn to this mysterious man. She pokes, neggs and stalks poor Max until he reveals his lonely self to this beautiful, enchanting woman. These pair are perfect foils for each other, and the initial chemistry between these two are given an appropriate amount of time to build and develop that is charming to watch. Oh, and there is also Chico (Juan Pablo Urrego), a playful casanova who sheepdogs our leads into their situationship. Chico rules, and probably should have been given more time here, but what we get is charming, earnest and funny.
Thanks to Alex’s persistence and Chico’s skills as a pro-gossip, Max’s history is revealed and our lead romance enters into a state of tension. Alex seems ignorant to Max’s red flags, which he has hoisted quite high above this little villa, and so tension mounts as Max’s stoicism warps into obsession. As vacation season wanes, this island becomes desolate, and Max’s past becomes harder to hide from Alex’s affectionate inquiry. Drama ensues.
Look, the resort heartthrob-turned-mystery really isn’t my kind of movie, and I fully entered this film preparing to mock and giggle at shoddy depictions of romantic tension. But there is a quality of production here that broadens the appeal beyond typical romance-thriller audiences. In this film’s opening half, Max and Alex’s relationship evolve into a charming, romantic and sensual rapport; Aida Folch’s charisma and emotional range contrasts well with Matt Dillon’s all-American Stiff. And the cinematography — which takes its time to roam around the Greek oceanside and small fishing villages — gives viewers an appropriate sense of place and presence. The island’s villas and grottos, where most of this film takes place, are well designed and full of character. Our leads are given a lot to work with and, thankfully, don’t spoil the opportunity.
Unfortunately, Haunted Heart succumbs to mission creep after around an hour. The mid-film turn into thriller is natural and works in satisfying the slow pace of this film. However, it robs the film of what made it so endearing in its first half. We lose the fun banter, steamy romance and breathtaking views of Greek inlets as the film devolves into whispers, shadows and domestic abuse. The lack of a stronger supporting cast may have to do with this film’s botched landing. In lacking a dense cast, the mystery driving tension in the film’s final acts is kept narrower than it could have been. As our leads posture around a mystery the audience already knows the answer to, their actions are just frustrating to watch.
Fans of dramatic, winding classic cinema may find a lot to like here. This film is technically cohered and euro-romance die-hards are likely to appreciate the film’s steamy spins. Just know what you are sailing into.
Haunted Heart is playing now in select theaters and VOD.
