''A Change of Heart'' is a 2017 American comedy film directed by

Kenny Ortega Kenneth John Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American filmmaker, touring manager, and choreographer. He is known for directing the films ''Newsies'', '' Hocus Pocus'', ''The Cheetah Girls 2'', '' High School Musical'', '' Michael Jackson's T ...

and starring

Jim Belushi James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom '' According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include '' Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security' ...

Virginia Madsen Virginia Gayle Madsen (born September 11, 1961) is an American actress and film producer. She made her film debut in ''Class'' (1983), which was filmed in her native Chicago. After she moved to Los Angeles, director David Lynch cast her as Pr ...

Kathy Najimy Kathy Ann Najimy ( ; ar, كاثي ان نجيمي ; born February 6, 1957) is an American actress and activist. She is best known for her roles in the films ''Soapdish'' (1991), ''Sister Act'' (1992), '' Hocus Pocus'' (1993), ''Hope Floats'' (1 ...

Eduardo Yáñez Eduardo Yáñez Luévano (; born September 25, 1960) is a Mexican actor. Biography Yáñez was born in Mexico City, Mexico. He lived with his mother. He never met his father. Career Producer Ernesto Alonso saw his potential and gave him his fi ...

Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan (; born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García; born 1 September 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has bee ...

and William Levy.

Plot

Discouraged with cards that life has dealt him, Hank (Jim Belushi) is a man whose circumstances have steered him to fear change, but his town is adhering less to traditional white man and wife partnerships of which he is comfortable. After suffering a heart attack, Hank's life is saved by a transplant from a Puerto Rican drag queen. What will Hank do? Embrace a diverse society or continue to fear change? Tackling sensitive issues that need to be addressed in today's society, ''A Change of Heart'' is a feel-good movie that reminds us that even the most stubborn and hardened souls among us can still change and learn to let love in.

Cast

as Hank *

as Deena *

as Ruthie *

Aimee Teegarden Aimee Teegarden (born October 10, 1989) is an American actress, model, and producer. She starred as Julie Taylor in the NBC drama '' Friday Night Lights'' (2006–2011). In 2014, Teegarden starred as Emery Whitehill in The CW's short-lived scienc ...

as Josie *

Cody Horn Cody Harrell Horn is an American actress and model. She has appeared in films such as '' Violet & Daisy'' (2011), ''Magic Mike'' (2012), and ''End of Watch'' (2012), and guest starred on the NBC sitcom ''The Office'' as recurring character Jordan ...

as Teddy *

Dawn Olivieri Dawn Orienne Olivieri (born February 8, 1981) is an American actress. She played Lydia in '' Heroes'' and Monica Talbot in '' House of Lies''. Career Olivieri appeared in the Showtime series '' House of Lies'', starting in 2012, playing the co ...

as Laurie *

as Cousin David *

as Dr. Farjado * William Levy as Carlos * Mauricio Sanchez as Corky *Roberto Escobar as Tio Ruben

Production

The film was shot in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

Release

''A Change of Heart'' premiered on March 10, 2017, at the Miami International Film Festival. It premiered in Europe at the 2017 Parool Film Fest in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It has never been released theatrically or on home video/streaming.

References

External links

* American comedy films Films about racism in the United States Films directed by Kenny Ortega Films shot in Miami 2017 comedy films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films English-language comedy films {{2010s-comedy-film-stub