I had a friend over one evening and we were both going through a rough stretch. A member of my extended family had just died of cancer and I thought let’s watch a cheerful, light romance. So we searched through the movies on Netfix and found Listen to Your Heart. It had a couple on the cover. They looked happy and in love. Romances have happy endings—right? Unfortunately, this one didn’t, but it was still a wonderful movie.
The movie opens with the line, “Music is a powerful thing, a song could change your mood, make a memory.” Danny says this to his best friend as they stand at the storefront looking at a recording set Danny is saving up for to make a demo. His friend doesn’t understand or support Danny’s dream. The two young men work at café that has a piano in it that Danny can use to write music on.
Arianna and her mother come into the café where Danny works and he serves their table. He’s immediately attracted to Arianna. When she leaves, he gives her a piece of paper with his phone number on it, not realizing she’s deaf.
Two weeks later Danny expresses his disappointment to his friend that Arianna never called. His friend says if a woman doesn’t call in 48 hours forget her.
Finally Arianna shows up at the café and Danny discovers she’s deaf. Arianna communicate with Danny by writing notes to him. She never speaks. They start dating and quickly become deeply involved.
Danny’s friend tries to warn him that he’s too attached to Arianna, but Danny says, “I’m not going to miss out on something great because it’s also hard.”
Danny learns sign language so he and Arianna can communicate more easily and he shares with her his love of music. They sit at the piano and she puts her hand on it and can feel the vibration. She even plays notes on the piano as he plays a piece.
Arianna’s controlling mother wants her to be an accountant, which Arianna is currently studying in college. Danny encourages her to listen to her heart and take control of her life. He tells her she can even be a musician like her father was. Her father, like his, died when she was young.
When summer comes and Arianna returns home, her mother forbids he relationship with Danny.
Every romance has to have conflict, so I’m fine with this. I figure the young couple will somehow overcome this obstacle and find happiness. I was wrong; the movie takes an unexpected sad twist. I won’t spoil the movie by telling you what it is.
I recommend this movie because of the theme of listening to your heart and following your dreams. Don’t let obstacles get in your way. Even when it appears that you can’t do something, like being a musician because you’re deaf, there might be a way you never thought of. In this movie, Arianna is transformed into a more self confident person. At the end we see her walking down the street with a happy smile. The last line of the movie parallels the opening line. “Music is a powerful thing. One song could change your life.”
I also recommend this movie because music is the sound current, it is one of the ways God speaks to us. Listen to the music around you: the birds singing, the frogs chirping, the dog howling, the wind blowing through the trees, a baby cooing. Listen to music that opens your heart and connects you to something higher. It can transport you when you’re going through the challenging times like I’m going through to a higher place where there is love, beauty and light.
Here is a trailer of the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB5ag2hswmo
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Thanks for this recommendation Heidi. I have watched a few of the movies your recommended and found them inspiring.
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the films I’ve recommended. I try to find ones that are inspiring.
Thanks for sharing. I always appreciate a life lesson from what i watch and read. I love the picture of you and Laura.
Leslie