The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things; Asia Argento's latest directorial effort is an unapologetically brutal retelling of some of J.T. LeRoy's disturbed autobiographical writings. Much like the original work it's based on, the film is choppy, uneven...basically all over the map. But at the same time, gut wrenchingly effective, and in the end, a fine film to boot. After the abysmal, egoistic Scarlet Diva, one could only imagine if Asia even had it in her. Well she does. And while not without its problems (honestly, which films don't have their share of problems?) The Heart Is...Is a gritty, honest portrayal stemming from the works of a writer who whole-heartedly approves of this translation to film. Could we even ask for anything more?

The gist here centers on Sarah (played by Asia herself, yeah...a bit self-indulgent, I'll admit) and her (for lack of a better way of describing it) on again, off again relationship with her son Jeremiah. Jeremiah is portrayed in two stages of life. Age 7, by Jimmy Bennett and age 11 by twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse (who are most memorable from their appearance alongside Adam Sandler in 1999's laugh riot of a flick, Big Daddy). The film opens as Sarah has just reclaimed Jeremiah from his (apparently) loving foster parents and has transported him to the squalid hellhole that she calls - home sweet home. Living conditions are the least of Jeremiah's problems when Sarah embarks on a road trip from hell with her reclaimed son that takes them across the Midwest and beyond. Sarah, who is a self-proclaimed junkie and whore, keeps Jeremiah's best interests in the backseat of her mind (while she hangs out in the backseat of a car). Often, Jeremiah is abused (both physically and mentally) especially when Sarah encourages his beatings, often delivered by her 'boyfriend' Johns. In addition, here are some of the other atrocities that the young boy is put through: Jeremiah is forced to sleep in stranger's bathtubs, do drugs, dress up like a girl (at one point he even seduces one of Sarah's 'boyfriends,' and is left alone for an extended period of time with only some cheese singles in the fridge, so his mother can go on an Atlantic City 'honeymoon.'

The Beautiful People?

Sarah (played by Asia Argento) and her current 'beau du jour' (played by Marilyn Manson) share some cuddle time in the corner

The film itself is extremely gritty in its realism, and even though Asia at times comes across as a late night Courtney Love impersonator, her performance is beyond effective (this includes her accent, which is a combination of her original Italian upbringing and a phony southern drawl). Next up are the youngin's who portray Jeremiah, and all across the board, they deliver equally impressive performances. Including the haunting portrayal from the Sprouse twins, whose lengthy appearance seems to command the majority of the films' running time.

In addition, the film boasts a heapin' helpin' of cameos, some of which pull you out of the action just a bit as these famous faces make their onscreen appearances. Expect to see Peter Fonda as Jeremiah's devout catholic grandfather, Jeremy Sisto and Brian Warner (aka Marilyn Manson) as just two of Sarah's many 'love interests,' Winona Ryder as a child psychologist, a brief appearance by all around underground fave Lydia Lunch and many more!

For all of its purposes, the film is extremely effective, and at times, very difficult to watch. A bizarrely compelling (and recurring) theme at this year's Philadelphia Film Festival. With no sugar coating and absolutely nothing here to bring the audience 'back up,' I can completely understand why some audience members would be completely turned off. However, when push comes to shove, life ain't always pretty and as a consumer, I want (dare I say need?) to see that dark side of society. Asia delvers, in what can only be describes as a wildly upsetting and entertaining journey.

It's pretty obvious that this is a production that is (pardon the pun) held very close to several hearts. Kudos goes out to Asia for handling the writings from which these stories originated so close and portraying them with an honesty that often seems unmatched in cinema today. Editor's Note:One of the films producers read a note from LeRoy himself before the film started. While the note was long-winded and a bit pretentious, there was one very important point that was made to the audience. Leroy himself, is absolutely pleased with the final product here, and he fully endorses the film. As do it, highly recommended.

Thumbs Up I knew ya had it in ya Asia! Bravo!