'Playing' by Rote By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, January 22, 1999

Jon Stewart tries to cook up some romance with Gillian Anderson in "Playing by Heart." (Miramax) Director: Willard Carroll Cast: Gillian Anderson; Ellen Burstyn; Sean Connery; Anthony Edwards; Angelina Jolie; Jay Mohr; Ryan Phillipe; Dennis Quaid; Gena Rowlands; Jon Stewart; Madeleine Stowe Running Time: 2 hours For sexual scenes and profanity

"Talking about love is like dancing about architecture," says Joan (Angelina Jolie), who is one of the characters discovering the l-word in this ensemble drama. It's the kind of comment that sounds promising and always ends up in the advertising trailer for the movie. In fact, it was the title of the movie until recently. But in the end, the canned aphorism just sits there, somewhat unsupported by the drama it finds itself in.

Joan's comment – which is clearly supposed to be the central wisdom of the story – doesn't stop anyone talking about love or making nonverbal discoveries that particularly blow the mind.

"Playing by Heart," clearly influenced by Robert Altman's multiplotted technique in "Short Cuts" and "Ready to Wear," rarely reaches the powerful heights Carroll had in mind. Mostly, it hovers in that dissatisfying altitude between modestly engaging and downright innocuous.

Herewith a description of the various story lines, followed by my unceremonious scorecard results. Hannah (Gena Rowlands) and Paul (Sean Connery), a married couple, try to live with the news of Paul's recently diagnosed brain tumor. I gave this one 5 out of 10 simply on the strength of Connery's Scottish-accented sibilants and fricatives, which make almost any role enjoyable.

Lively spirit Joan meets Keenan (Ryan Phillippe), a sullen, good-looking man who dances alone and refuses to date, despite their growing attraction. They have an all-too-cute first-time meeting in which Keenan overhears Joan breaking up (adorably, of course) with an off-screen boyfriend on a pay phone in the hustle and din of a dance club. (How did he even hear what she was saying, I wondered?) Jolie is an effervescent performer and Phillippe, who was the central character in "54" and starred in "I Know What You Did Last Summer," has a memorably sexy petulance. I handed them a 6 for their watchable dual presence.

Hugh (Dennis Quaid) displays potentially dangerous behavior, by adopting false identities, going to bars and discussing his fictitious problems with other patrons. It's pleasing to see Quaid at work. He's always much better than I expect. But this film was hardly the reason for Quaid to take quality time away from Meg Ryan and his children.. A measly 2.

Theatrical director Meredith (Gillian Anderson) tries to get through life without having another painful relationship, but meets Trent (Jon Stewart), a very interested, almost-too-good-to-be-true suitor who slakes her cynicism with persistent patience and irreducible availability. This subplot smacks of TV – just about enough to reach a person munching chips or swigging beers in the living room, but not enough for a real movie. 4.

Roger (Anthony Edwards) and Gracie (Madeleine Stowe) are conducting a nonromantic, sex-only, adulterous affair. But one decides to find out more about the other. I didn't believe this thing for one measly second, nor was it even pleasurable to watch them get physical. 2, you goony lovebirds, and that's just because I was in a good mood at the time.

Mildred (Ellen Burstyn) stays bedside with her son, Mark (Jay Mohr), who's dying of AIDS, only to discover a new, refreshing honesty between them. "I never loved your father, not for one minute," she confesses. It's a nice breakthrough revelation, but the story never recovers from a sort of television-ish poignancy. 3 (because I was glad to see Burstyn getting work).

In all of these stories, there are interesting complications, setbacks or shock discoveries that put the particular relationship in a new light. One woman discovers a photograph that raises questions about a 40-year romance she used to believe in. Another woman learns the man she loves is beset by a seemingly insurmountable hurdle, which prevents his reciprocation. And as with most films like this, the individual connections among the characters lead to a far bigger picture that includes all of us.

But Carroll, who directed "Tom's Midnight Garden" and "The Runestone," has more purpose and ambition than the actual material can reflect. These characters are moderately likable, in most cases. But they're not dynamically special. Carroll never licks the central problem faced in movies like this: how to build meaningful relationships and create memorable characters in a big cast, given the slim time share everyone gets on-screen. While Carroll tries to cook a magnificent human bouillabaisse, he ends up with a mere potboiler.