‘HEARTS BEAT LOUD’

PG-13 1:37

The theme of longing fulfilled and denied comes to the fore in “Hearts Beat Loud.” The new movie centers on Frank (Nick Offerman), a widower and former musician who is coming to terms with the decline of both his livelihood — represented by the struggling, vinyl-only record store that he runs — and his mother (Blythe Danner). As the film opens, we watch the increasingly confused woman almost get arrested for shoplifting, as Frank is forced to confront whether it’s time to have Mom move in with him and his teenage daughter, Sam (Kiersey Clemons).

It’s father and daughter, not mother and son, whose relationship is the central driver of this charming and multilayered tale. “Hearts” zeros in on the bittersweet nature of Frank’s special bond with Sam, who has inherited his love of, and affinity for, music.

When the two, on a whim, spend a chunk of daddydaughter time noodling on instruments and scribbling down lyrics, they manage — much to their own surprise — to write a half-decent song. This leads Frank to rekindle his aspirations of rock stardom, and Sam, who is preparing to begin pre-med studies at UCLA in the fall, to question whether she has the heart to crush her father’s dreams as she pursues her own.

Adding layers of nuance and emotion is a supporting cast that includes Toni Collette, as Frank’s landlord and is-she-or-isn’t-she love interest, and Sasha Lane, who plays a young artist who develops a crush on Sam.

The heart, of course, and its yearning for human connection (whether though romance, family or friendship) is the true subject of “Hearts Beat Loud.” Using an eclectic array of music — both original tunes, written by Keegan DeWitt, and performed by Offerman and Clemons, and a carefully curated soundtrack featuring snippets of pop songs by Jason Molina, Mitski and others — the movie articulates a point: Love is love.

Starring: Nick Offerman, Blythe Danner, Kiersey Clemons (Contains some drug references and brief coarse language).