John Swihart (Napoleon Dynamite, How I Met Your Mother, Youth in Revolt, Switched at Birth) has been tapped to score the upcoming coming-of-age drama The Violent Heart. The film is written and directed by Kerem Sanga and stars Grace Van Patten, Jovan Adepo, Mary J. Blige and Lukas Haas. The movie is set in Nashville, Tennesse and follows a college-bound senior on the cusp of graduation, and her budding relationship with a local mechanic who dreams of becoming a Marine. Shawn Levy & Dan Cohen (Stranger Things, Arrival) are producing the project for 21 Laps Entertainment, alongside Jen Dana, Mark Roberts & Ross Jacobson (Brigsby Bear) for 3311, Matthew Plouffe & Tobey Maguire (Brittany Runs a Marathon, Z for Zachariah) of Material Pictures, and Ed McDonnell (Sicario, Insomnia). Swihart has previously scored Sanga’s last two features, The Young Kieslowski and First Girl I Loved and also composed the music for 21 Laps’ Table 19. The Violent Heart is expected to be released next year.
The composer’s other upcoming projects include the indie comedy Dinner in America written and directed by Adam Rehmeier and starring Kyle Gallner, Emily Skeggs, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Pat Healy, Nick Chinlund, Hannah Marks, Griffin Gluck, Lea Thompson, David Yow, Jennifer Prediger, Ryan Malgarini, and Nico Greetham. The movie follows two misfits who unexpectedly fall in love and go on a journey together through America’s decaying Midwestern suburbs. Ben Stiller & Nicholas Weinstock (Escape at Dannemora) are producing the project for Red Hour, alongside David Hunter & Ross Putman (In a Relationship) for PSH Collective, John Covert for Covert Creative Group, and Sam Slater (Hearts Beat Loud, Support the Girls) for Burn Later Films. A release in 2020 is expected for the film.
