Playing by Heart is a 1998 American comedy-drama film, which tells the story of several seemingly unconnected characters. It was entered into the 49th Berlin International Film Festival. It stars Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards, Angelina Jolie, Jay Mohr, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Quaid, Gena Rowlands, Jon Stewart and Madeleine Stowe. Playing by Heart is an ensemble work that explores the path of love in its characters’ lives. Plot In Los Angeles, the lives of intertwining characters are shown. Among the characters are an older couple, who are about to renew their wedding vows; a theatre director and architect navigating a new beginning; a young woman looking for a good time; a gay man dying of AIDS and his mother who had not been close; a couple having an affair and her husband who is exploring ways to break through the staleness of their marriage. As the stories evolve, the connections between the characters become evident. Hugh is an unhappily married man who regularly hits on other women with an array of lies, one being that he killed his wife and son in a car accident. Another is that on the same day he's fired, his wife and kids left him. In a bar with a drag queen show, he tells one he'd cheated on his wife with his brother. With Valery from his improv class, Hugh runs into in a bar and tells her he does improv better in his life than in class. Hannah and Paul are planning their 40th anniversary party and renew their vows, although he's got a brain tumor. She keeps wanting to address he's dying but he's determined not to. Hannah thinks she should stop her televised cooking show, but he won't let her. When she confronts Paul over a picture of another woman in his desk, he admits he never slept with her because he was in love with her. Lonely theatre director Meredith dates architect Trent. They go to dinner, and later for a walk. He still wears his wedding ring although is four years divorced. She's also divorced, but also scalded many times. He talks her into making them dinner, but once there she first tells him they will not be having sex, then asks him to leave. She says it's to avoid the inevitable heartache. He gets a do-ove, and they connect at his place. Gracie meets her