Heartless (film)
 | This page needs visual enhancement. You can help All The Tropes by finding a high-quality image or video to illustrate the topic of this page. |
Jamie Morgan is an aspiring photographer who has very prominent birthmarks on his face (which is shaped like a heart) and arm. He tries living a normal life, but is continually stared at and teased by various people. He receives a summons to a dilapidated flat block and given a chance by the sinister Papa B to be rid of his marks for a price. Jamie takes it and feels much more confident and happy in his life, getting a chance at a relationship with aspiring model Tia. However, he must hold up his end of the deal with Papa B and is forced to cut out a man's heart and place it on a church's steps or suffer the consequences.
A very well done indie film and star turn by Jim Sturgess. While having a simple story, it's very well written and acting and can be genuinely frightening at several points.
Not to be confused with The Heartless.
- Apologetic Attacker: Jamie when he cuts out the heart of the prostitute.
- Beat Still My Heart: Jamie's end of the bargain is for him to cut out a man's heart and leave it on the steps of a church on the night of a full moon.
- Bury Your Gays: For his sacrifice, Jamie finds a gay prostitute on the streets to kill.
- But Your Wings Are Beautiful: Invoked when it's revealed that Tia still slept with Jamie despite him still having his birthmarks.
- Deal with the Devil: Done between Jamie to get rid of his birthmarks.
- Disappeared Dad
- Do-It-Yourself Theme Tune: The film's major songs were written by director Phillip Ridley and his friends in order to save money.
- Fate Worse Than Death: "Unhappily ever after, mate!"
- Gainax Ending
- Hey, It's That Guy!: Jude makes a deal with the Devil. His friend is Mickey Smith and his dad is Peter Pettigrew
- Jerkass: Perfection.
- Lizard Folk: The demons.
- Louis Cypher: Papa B.
- Man On Fire: Happens three times during the film.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
- Morality Pet: Jamie's father and girlfriend.
- Start of Darkness: subverted
- Tear Jerker: Jamie's mom being killed by a gang of hoodies early in the film.
- Through the Eyes of Madness: At the film's end, it's revealed that Jamie imagined all the supernatural elements of the film, meaning that he never lost his birthmarks.
- Or did he? Maybe the Devil was just being a jerk who doesn't keep his promises but gives the illuson that he has in order to mess with people.
- What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic: After immolating himself with a Molotov cocktail, Jamie peels off his burnt flesh to reveal himself to be healthy and birthmark-free.