My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To falls into the genre of vampirism as metaphor for [fill in the blank], in this case, chronic illness, and the toll caring for the ill can take on a family. In other words, a comedy!
I'm kidding of course. My Heart is a very bleak bit of horror about three siblings, Ingrid Sophie Schram as Jessie, Patrick Gugit as Dwight, and Owen Campbell as their youngest brother Thomas, who is, essentially, a vampire.
I don't think the word "vampire" is actually uttered in the film, but Thomas can't be exposed to sunlight, and has to drink human blood to survive. So, vampire - but not the kind of vampire that has any kind of super strength. As is the case with most who are chronically ill, Thomas is isolated, weak, and dependent on others to keep him alive.
So it's up to his siblings to provide him with the blood he needs, which they do by murdering transients and other people whose disappearances will tend to go unnoticed. That also means they have to live under the radar, without any real friends or social life outside of each other.
Like I said, bleak! But I think the movie rises above its depressing story mainly due to the strength of the performances by its three leads. It's not a fun horror movie. But it is an effective one.
I watched My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To on Prime Video, but it is also available free with commercials on Tubi and Pluto.
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