Heart Parade is a wholesome film about a career-focused woman, determined to win back her job after her life gets turned upside down when her boss’ dog escapes.
Story
Anticipating a promotion after organising a party for her boss Zula, Magda is shaken when an unfortunate incident with Todd, Zula’s dog costs her her job. Moreover, she catches her fiance cheating on her and gets broken up with.
Determined to get her job back, Magda plans on impressing her boss by infiltrating and exposing the Dachshund Parade, an organisation that Zula has held a grudge against ever since Todd lost their contest.
Meanwhile in Krakow, Krzysztof, organiser of the annual dog parade, has begun preparing for the event. His son, Karol, posts an ad online, hoping to find someone for his dad who is a widower.
Magda applies to the ad and sets off for the laid-back city of Krakow where she learns to loosen up and bonds with Krzysztof, Karol and their dog, Trombone.
Performances
The main character, Magda, is played by Anna Próchniak, an ideal choice for the ambitious go-getter. However, certain emotions such as her feelings for Krzysztof and her fear of dogs lack intensity.
The supporting cast does a laudable job playing their roles in the movie. However, the “villains” of the movie fall short on the presentation of their cunningness in spite of the actors trying hard.
Positives
Lifted up by the shine of its warm characters, Heart Parade is a movie that allows its viewers to bond with the characters, although lacking in some aspects.
The movie features a talented cast, including the supporting characters who offer realistic advice that presses the audience to reflect upon it. The maternal bond developed between Magda and Karol is depicted beautifully, owing to the chemistry between Anna Próchniak and Iwo Rajski.
Featuring several moments that touch the viewer’s hearts, the short film follows the conventional path of plot progression. It rarely brings in conflicts big enough to stray from this path, making the movie feel familiar and reliable to the audience.
Negatives
Regardless of being well cast, Heart Parade deprives its viewers of a deep and profound relationship between Magda and Krzysztof, despite the actors’ best efforts. The affectionate scenes shared by the couple seem elementary at best.
In contrast to the protagonists, the movie features two poorly written antagonists whose decisions seem uncalculated and, at times, plain dumb.
Heart Parade’s idea of comedy seems to be jokes on the contrast between Krakow and Warsaw, which delivers at first but soon gets uninteresting.
As mentioned earlier, the film goes along the same plotline seen in several rom-coms through the years. This dullness might dishearten those looking for something fresh.
Although the movie aims to remind viewers of the beauty of taking it slow and revelling in the moment, it seems to rush to an end, cutting out characters abruptly and speeding towards the expected outcome.
Verdict
Sticking to the tried and true paths of rom-coms, Heart Parade is a feel-good movie with lovable characters portrayed by a capable cast. It is a relaxing watch that delivers on its promise of entertainment but is unlikely to stir up emotions after its short duration of 108 minutes is up.
Rating: 2/5
Also Read: Heart Parade summary and ending explained