Torn Hearts (2022)

Torn Hearts is a wicked little country-gothic fever dream that takes the glossy mythology of Nashville stardom and drags it, kicking and screaming, into a candlelit mansion where ambition starts to smell like blood. Brea Grant directs with a sharp, stylish hand, letting the tension build through barbed, funny dialogue and the kind of intimate unease that comes from watching creative partners realize they may want different things. Katey Sagal is magnetic as the reclusive legend at the center of it all—warm, frightening, and heartbreakingly human in the same breath—while Abby Quinn and Alexxis Lemire give the duo a spark that makes every crack in their friendship sting. It’s violent and profane, and it doesn’t flinch when things get ugly, so it won’t be for the squeamish, but if you like your thrillers with bite, atmosphere, and a darkly entertaining sense of showbiz cruelty, this one hits a mean, memorable note.

Torn Hearts wants to be a nasty little fairy tale about ambition in the country-music world, mixing backstage envy with isolated-mansion horror. The setup is genuinely promising and Katey Sagal brings a sly, unsettling presence, but the script often feels like it’s skipping steps, so the character turns and big violent beats can land as more abrupt than earned. Once it pivots into full-on bloodshed, the pacing gets choppy and the finale can feel rote instead of escalating into the campy, go-for-broke madness the premise teases. If you’re here for a tight psychological thriller with clean motivations and a satisfying build, you may leave annoyed; if you’re okay with a messy, mean-spirited mood piece with bursts of gore and a strong central performance, it’s an acceptable one-night watch.