Is The Heart Knows Based on a True Story?

Originally titled ‘Corazón Delator,’ Netflix’s ‘The Heart Knows‘ tells the story of Juan, a self-centered CEO of a construction company whose life is turned upside down when he suffers a cardiac arrest. After undergoing a heart transplant surgery, Juan’s personality goes through a radical shift as he begins to question and reevaluate his life choices. Determined to find answers, the protagonist embarks on a quest to find out more about his heart donor, a journey that exposes him to a different side of humanity. As time progresses, he grows closer with the donor’s wife, Valeria, promising new beginnings for the two of them while also navigating the challenges of their community. Helmed by Marcos Carnevale, the romantic drama movie is a heartfelt piece about stretching one’s horizons beyond their comfort zone and enjoying the whimsical nature of life.

The Heart Knows is an Exploration of Post-Traumatic Growth

Written and directed by Marcos Carnevale, ‘The Heart Knows’ is a fictional tale of resilience and redefining identity, especially after a life-changing ordeal. In the movie, the protagonist goes through a heart transplant surgery that not only saves his life but also makes him rethink the motives driving him forward. As such, he starts to reshuffle his priorities, which has drastic effects on what is defined as “normal” in his day-to-day existence – defining symptoms of post-traumatic growth. In reality, there have been numerous cases where people have gone through radical shifts in their attitude towards life following a harrowing life-and-death encounter. Such events often leave a psychological scar behind, which can trigger changes in personality and general thinking.

Recent years have seen a rapid rise in studies dissecting the psychosocial impact of people surviving heart attacks. These traumatic events can often have a multitude of negative consequences, especially because of their life-threatening nature, leaving people prone to anxiety and fear of death. However, in certain cases, healthcare workers have noticed an enormously positive change in survivors as these traumatic incidents serve as a catalyst for existential reevaluation. Patients end up rethinking their life priorities and focusing on self-development; some even become spiritual while simultaneously developing an acute awareness of their own bodies. The benefits can be so undeniable that, in some cases, it can also increase survival rates for the patients moving forward. We see all of this play out in one way or another in the film.

The Heart Knows Focuses on Love in the Wake of a Tragedy

While dealing with trauma is a central theme of ‘The Heart Knows,’ the movie’s main way of addressing the issue is through the act of love, belonging, and comfort. For Juan, this manifests in his newfound appreciation for the simpler things in life and a distaste for his demanding role as the CEO of a construction company. Meanwhile, Valeria, the wife of Juan’s heart donor, is trying to balance her life as a parent after losing her husband in a matter of moments. Both have significant hurdles in the path to finding some normalcy, which is only exacerbated by a feeling of loneliness and isolation. As the two grow closer, the movie showcases how vital it is to share one’s burdens with like-minded individuals, even if it means being vulnerable.

Although ‘The Heart Knows’ exaggerates some of its central aspects, such as Juan falling in love with Valeria, which symbolically and metaphorically fills up a hole in her heart left behind by her husband’s passing, these heightened elements help illustrate a point: the whimsical nature of life. Even though storytellers often focus on trying to make their fictional narratives as real and true to life as possible, life itself can be a stranger to reality, which is a much harder thing to capture. As such, miracles and coincidences are part and parcel of the common human experience. Thus, it makes sense that the movie elevates and dramatizes some of its plot details for a more resonant narrative that fits the themes more succinctly. However, it remains a fictional narrative drawn from the writer-director’s imagination.