The Valley of Hearts Delight

The Valley of Hearts Delight follows a young man fresh out of high school, Tyler (Taj Cross), on his way to Silicon Valley to start an internet company circa 1997 to sell cars. As regret begins to loom over him, a good Samaritan helps him find his spirit and drive to move on. The narrative adopts a road trip approach as Tyler embarks on a journey of self-discovery and longing in his quest to fulfil his dreams. The piece focuses on the relationship between Tyler and his girlfriend through flashbacks, as it slowly reveals his ambitions through the people who had a profound impact on him throughout his journey.

Firstly, the viewer is placed directly in the wilderness of the California desert with a lack of context provided to Tyler’s characterisation or direction, an almost fish-out-of-water scenario as the narrative switches from current events to flashbacks to heighten Tyler’s purpose. This aspect is a positive and a detriment to the experience, as you can always appreciate filmmakers not spoonfeeding their themes to the audience; however, the short runtime and lack of thematic flair certainly impact the emotional resonance and investment within the story. The formal elements of the piece soar, however, as the musical score is almost immediately endearing with its low-key themes that fit the coming-of-age tone superbly. Mike Timm’s direction is another major standout as it is engaging, and the use of blocking is a sight to behold in the film's more intimate moments. There is very little to critique in its edit as it flows incredibly smoothly into scene changes, allowing dialogue or moments of stillness to play out suitably for audiences to admire the steady pacing.

The central performance from Taj Cross is serviceable at best, sadly, thanks to the screenplay not giving him much to showcase in his acting chops alongside the supporting cast. However, his chemistry with the supporting players, such as his girlfriend Julie (Claire Hinkley), is natural and provides the audience with more insight into his desire. The actor who portrays younger Tyler (Caz Sumner) is a standout of the cast as the narrative explores the relationship between Tyler and Elbert the Janitor (Matthew Blood-Smyth) in his elementary school. The narrative feels aimless and ultimately meanders to an abrupt conclusion; an extended runtime would have aided the overall experience substantially, with there not being much to chew on at all outside of the formal prowess. While the use of flashbacks is commendable and does enrich the thematic drive, some further context to Tyler’s past would have amplified the conclusion, as this almost feels like a third act to a feature-length narrative. The premise is refreshing and original; it just desperately requires deeper characterisation to further draw the viewer into the life of Tyler after high school and what motivates him to want to sell cars.

The Valley of Hearts Delight is a solid road trip piece anchored by its terrific formal choices and a solid central performance from Taj Cross. Although the narrative does conclude abruptly, and the fulfilment is minimal, there is a suggestion of hope for Tyler’s character arc, which may leave the viewer satisfied as he ventures into the road ahead in his journey; it's just a shame the buildup to the conclusion leaves a lot to be desired for the conclusive moments to feel more earned.