At least, that's what it felt like the movie was about, that we were learning about how songs are written and fleshed out. Seriously, it was a pleasant film, with great MUSICAL performances from Kiersey Clemons and Nick Offerman. They had good acting too, but I feel the story and the directing was not very focused. The whole grandma-has-dementia angle could have been dropped completely. There were missed opportunities for drama, or that 'Oscar moment', like when Sam tells her father Frank that she had just learned to ride a bike and that's why she was late coming home. You'd think there would be a huge emotional outburst based on how biking had changed the family, but nope, it just kind of came and went.
The movie has a great musical scene in the shop towards the end, but then kind of fizzles and it tried to find a good way to end. It should have ended sooner.
I think in better hands, this movie would have been even better. It just felt like it didn't know what it wanted to be, trying to introduce too many ideas that weren't needed, and the pacing was not consistent.
Still worth a watch if you like watching nice musical performances.
Review of Hearts Beat Loud
