Col, a nobody played by Martin Sheen, loves darts and lives a boring life minding his corner store with his spoiled wife, played by Jane Robbins. She runs off to Blackpool with Col's darts team captain, who throws Col off the team. Col follows them to Blackpool on his Honda moped and has various rewarding adventures on the way. The whole picture is very low-key and undemanding, but yields many charming moments at the hands of Sheen, who is a gifted actor. At no point does Sheen look at all like his well- known movie impersonations of Tony Blair. He is almost unrecognizable as himself in the first reel with his huge mop of tousled hair that gets cut off during his road-trip. Playing this insignificant character was a sharp swerve for an actor known for his emotional and rage-filled roles hitherto. A thoroughly entertaining and humane picture that wins over any thoughtful audience. Strongly recommended.
Review of Heartlands
