PG-13

Where the Heart Is

Laughter is harder... Friendship is stronger... Trust is deeper... When it comes from the heart.

2000 • 120 min • Comedy · Drama · Romance

Join the Angel Guild Write your review Sign in to rate and review

Synopsis

Novalee Nation is a 17-year-old Tennessee transient who has to grow up in a hurry when she's left pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend on a roadside, and takes refuge in the friendly aisles of Wal-Mart. Eventually, some eccentric but kindly strangers 'adopt' Novalee and her infant daughter, helping them buck the odds and build a new life.

Our family guide

Best from age 13

Movie Knight Score

761 reviews

71 Audience · 761 · 100%

Abandoned and pregnant, 17-year-old Novalee rebuilds her life with the help of kind strangers in a small Oklahoma town. This heartwarming drama follows her journey through challenges and triumphs as she finds love and builds a family.

Violence & peril: 2/10
Language: 2/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 2/10
Romance & sensuality: 2/10
Scary moments: 3/10

Heads up

Teenage pregnancy is central to the plot
References to past child abuse
Brief depiction of a tornado

What it models well

Resilience and perseverance
Kindness of strangers
Building a chosen family
Motherhood and sacrifice

Talk about it after

Coping with unexpected challenges
Defining family beyond blood ties
The importance of community support

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Where the Heart Is. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.