Stop the Pounding Heart

Stop the Pounding Heart is an intimate and tender film from 2013, written and directed by celebrated filmmaker Roberto Minervini,. The film features a largely non-actor ensemble including Sara Carlson, Colby Trichell and Tim Carlson. Throughout this moving masterpiece, Minervini’s flawless direction lets us dive deeply into the folds of an American story rarely portrayed on screen, successfully casting a light on the intersection of youth, belief, love, and the struggle for individuality amidst a tight-knit community.

The narrative of Stop the Pounding Heart is rooted in the heartland of Texas, where we are introduced to the world of Sara Carlson, a thoughtful and introspective young girl from a devout Christian family of goat farmers. Her experience is contrasted with that of Colby Trichell, a young cowboy and bull rider who dares to dream about a world beyond the boundaries set by their shared rural Southern community.

In the quiet intimacy of their family ranch, Sara and her eleven siblings are taught to be compliant and God-fearing by their mother LeeAnne and father Tim. Their rugged daily life is dictated not just by the light of the day but more potently by the teachings of the Bible and their unfaltering faith. Schooling at home, manual farm work, praying, singing hymns, and constant internal reflection are what fills their days, thereby strongly perpetuating their bond to their land, faith, and to each other.

Sara's tranquil world is perturbed when she meets the slightly older and yearning cowboy, Colby Trichell. His liberal ideas and adventurous spirit become a stark contrast to the belief system Sara has been adherently following. His world is driven by dreams of the rodeo, big bucks, and perhaps some fame. All the values and constructs that the young girl had been hold onto start slowly unraveling, leading to confusion, self-doubt, and an awakening of self-consciousness.

What makes Stop the Pounding Heart shine is the impeccable direction and non-judgmental observation of Minervini. The film is a testament to his ability to capture the cadences of everyday life with a surprising depth of sensitivity and naturalism. While it vividly discloses the ins and outs of a rural, religious, conservative American lifestyle, the narrative is neither critical nor praiseful. It merely observes, making it an accurate exposition of an unfamiliar yet very real American lifestyle, dealing with universal themes of family, faith, identity, and love.

Furthermore, the performances of the largely non-professional cast are remarkably moving and authentic, especially those of the Carlson family who play the roles of themselves. Sara Carlson gives a heart-wrenching, reflective performance, her internal struggle evident in her quiet expressions, making her character's arc believable and relatable. Similarly, Colby Trichell delivers an earnest portrayal of a young man caught between his dreams and reality.

The film is beautifully shot with a lot of attention to gritty detail, from the dust on the Texan fields to the sweat on the brows of the characters, from the goats wandering on the ranch to the violent bull-riding sequences. The cinematography is one that uses natural light and environmental sounds to its advantage, giving a sense of raw realism to the proceedings.

Altogether, Stop the Pounding Heart is an intelligent and thoughtful film that defies easy categorization. It is a hybrid, straddling the lines of documentary and traditional narrative film, stirring a sense of realism that not many films dare to touch upon. Most importantly, it allows us a unique window into the American South and to ponder about these lives from an intimate perspective.

It's a film that patiently takes its time to breathe, living in its details and drawing us in with its quiet, powerful charm, and in turn, encouraging the audience to question and reflect upon the beliefs, conventions, and lifestyle choices that they might otherwise take for granted. A must-see for those who appreciate cinema that uncovers the depths of the human spirit.