Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Cold Around the Heart is an interesting movie that will appeal to some for the same reason that it will annoy others.  It's far more "character study" than "action" even though it centers around your typical cat and mouse chase.  So those looking for thrills, chills, or action should look elsewhere.  But if you're looking for a movie that examines people, motives, and underlying goodness and evil, this movie might appeal to you.

David Caruso and Kelly Lynch are Ned and Jude, two rather successful jewel thieves.  They love each other.  In their own ways.  But when their latest caper goes horribly awry, she ends up killing three people.  And just when it seems they'll be caught for their deeds, she manages to escape with the loot, leaving him to take the fall. 

He escapes from the police, with a vow to hunt her down and kill her.  But along comes Bec (Stacey Dash), a hitchhiker Ned picks up along the way.  Bec is running from her own problems, and manages to tug at Ned's heartstrings just a bit.  The two actually bring out the best in each other, even though Ned never really lets go of his main goal.

The rest of the movie is a chase.  Jude's chasing fortune.  Ned's chasing Jude.  And Bec's chasing any life at all away from her real one back home.  Along the way, some other characters will join in the various chases.  And there will be some double-crosses.  But mostly we'll see people just being people.  With all of their inner goodness, as well as their flaws.

Ned's an interesting fellow.  He likes to think of himself as tough.  He claims he'd kill anyone who gets in his way.  But he also shows that he does have a heart.  He is offended by the thought that anyone should harm an innocent woman, and will jump through all kinds of hoops to make sure that doesn't happen.  But he's not above beating a woman if she crosses him.  So, don't get on Ned's bad side.

Jude is even harder to understand.  She'll kill anyone who gets in her way.  But she'll also kill people who don't get in her way.  Killing people comes as natural to her as breathing.  How did she get this way?  We have no idea; we're never told.  I wish we were given more background on her.  Not so that we'll necessarily like her, but it would have been nice to be able to understand her.  At least a little bit.

On the other hand, Bec was a real pleasure to watch.  We're given enough background on her character that we can understand where she's coming from.  She's not perfect, she has her flaws like anyone else, but she's also capable of real growth.

Chris Noth has a small role - a man who interacts with both Jude and Ned.  He played this role brilliantly, I thought.  John Spencer has a very small role, as does Richard Kind.  Kind brings the only humor there is in this movie - it's a shame he's only around for about five minutes. 

This movie held my interest, but didn't "wow" me.  The characters were interesting, but not well-defined.  There are a few twists in the story, but most are obvious before they're revealed.  There's a huge amount of violence, and a very high body count.  But there isn't any gore or anything overly graphic.  Just a bunch of people doing some very bad things, all in the name of greed.   Overall, I enjoyed this movie, and give it a slight recommendation, with the caveat that despite its premise, this is not a thriller or an action flick.

Recommended: Yes

Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age